Fashion

How To Style 6 Wardrobe Staples A Dozen Different Ways

by Laurel Pantin, Coveteur
Paige Campbell Linden

Bustle and Coveteur are working together to bring you the best mix of the season's hottest releases, shopping tips, and gifting ideas in ways that are both inspirational, and attainable. Check The Holiday Edit channel weekly to see what we're up to.

Listen, we’re all about indulging, especially when it comes to our wardrobes. However, flipping through the racks in our closets, we’re more often than not reminded of our poor decisions, rather than smart investments. In an effort to change that, we’re newly resolved to invest in items that we’ll wear over and over again, rather than showpony pieces we’ll maybe wear once. Well… for the most part. Who can resist a showpony?!

With that said, the following six items are about as basic building block as it gets. They can be worn literally anywhere, fancy or casual, work or party—with the right styling that is. With Holiday season upon us, here’s how we’re transforming six staples for work and play.

White Silk Blouse

Vanessa Bruno Heythem Silk Pussy-Bow Blouse, $430, Net-A-Porter

When we think “white silk blouse” we inevitably think of “office.” That’s because it’s super professional and polished-looking, obviously, but it can be so much more than that!

To work, we’re wearing our silk blouses with high-waist, wide-leg navy trousers and pointy pumps, then swapping those trousers for high-waist, straight-leg denim, tossing our hair in a sloppy bun, swiping on red lipstick, and unbuttoning one more button on the blouse before heading out for cocktails.

Navy Blazer

Joseph Laurent Wool-Twill Blazer, $745, Net-A-Porter

Invest in a good navy blazer and you’ll get years of wear out of it. It’s not just a wardrobe staple, it’s a wardrobe workhorse.

For the office, wear yours with a printed, flowy midi-length dress and block heels. Then for a party, go counter-intuitive with a pair of matching suit pants (ideally slim-cut and cropped) and some sparkly pumps. Smudge a little eyeliner on, fluff up your hair, and you’re set.

Cropped Trousers

Vince Cropped Wool-Blend Tapered Pants, $295, Net-A-Porter

We love all our trousers cropped above the ankle, but especially black, grey, or navy ones.

We wear ours with a pair of menswear inspired brogues and a cashmere sweater for the office, then swap the brogues for pointy flats, and the cashmere sweater for a slinky, metallic blouse to go out.

White T-Shirt

ATM Anthony Thomas Melillo Schoolboy Slub Cotton-Jersey T-Shirt, $85, Net-A-Porter

There are literally hundreds of ways to wear a white T-shirt (allow Karla Welch to demonstrate), but for the office, we’re pairing ours with a patterned pencil skirt and heeled boots, then for a party, layering it under a fitted jumpsuit with a pair of strappy heels and a bronze cheek.

Ballet Flats

Gianvito Rossi Patent-Leather Ballet Flats, $695, Net-A-Porter

Remember when ballet flats were *the* thing, then they were so not the thing, and now they’re back? Thank goodness because they go with everything.

At the office, we’re wearing ours with a swingy midi skirt and a fitted cardigan. For drinks, we’re adding a pair of sparkly tights (we’re trying to really make these a thing again too) and a sleek, long-sleeved mini dress. Add a pair of statement earrings and a smoky eye to keep it from looking too little girl.

Gray Turtleneck

Equipment Oscar Cashmere Turtleneck Sweater, $320, Net-A-Porter

There’s nothing like a happy, pill-free cashmere sweater—Equipment does great ones. For day, pair this with your brand new navy blazer, a pair of straight-leg jeans, and pointy flats (or white Stan Smiths if you can wear sneakers to work), and at night, toss on a festive textured mini (bonus points if it’s silver sparkly), semi-sheer black tights, and a pair of classic black pumps, and you’re a one-woman party.

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