Ten Impeccable Wardrobe Pieces

Classic pieces are the key to One’s Impeccable Wardrobe. While top ten lists are incredibly overdone (and a bit trite in Miss I’s opinion), sometimes sacrifices must be made for the benefit of one’s fellow style goddesses. Here are ten of the key pieces Miss Impeccable can’t live without:

1. A pair of classic black heels- the pointy-toed variety, leather, and 3 inches high (no more, no less). They go straight from the office to a cocktail party without a need to lug a spare pair.
2. Pearl earrings- no matter whether they are real or fake, a pair of pearl earrings can be worn with absolutely anything. Diamonds are lovely for evenings and engagement rings, but a lady wears pearls more often. You should be able to find a pair of decent cultured pearls for $40 at any department store. The more you wear them, the better they’ll be. Pearls lose their lustre sitting in a jewelry box.
3. Ballet flats- The answer to the perpetual dilemma- how to stay comfortable without wearing your tennis shoes everywhere. They come in every color and material, they fit nicely into a tote for your commute in the city, and they look classy with skirts, pants, and jeans.
4. A white blouse- OK, actually you’ll need more than one. A good white blouse can be worn with anything, in the office, layered under suits and sweaters, tucked in or untucked. Pack three if you’re travelling and change it up with jewelry and coordinating pieces. A white blouse should always be crisp- if you can’t bear to iron, get them dry-cleaned and starched once a week.
5. The large leather tote- It’s a purse, it’s a briefcase, it’s a gym bag. A large tote is the answer to what to carry when you have too much to fit inside a cute clutch, but don’t want everything spilling out of a canvas logo beach bag. Spend a little bit more on this piece and you can carry it for years.
6. A cashmere scarf- When the weather outside is less than impeccable, sometimes its a challenge to get out from under the blankets. A cashmere scarf is a soft, warm, tiny blanket you can bring with you. Get one long enough to wrap around a few times and keep your color choices simple- now is not the time to go for patterns.
7. A great warm coat- Unless you are blessed with living in year-round sunshine, at some point you will have to cover up your clothes with a coat to keep warm. A good coat will never give you that tired feeling from wearing the same thing every day and can become your signature. In recent years, red wool has been quite popular. Miss Impeccable has a cream wool number that gets compliments no matter how often she drags it out. If you can only afford one, black wool or cashmere at knee-length is the way to go.
8. A classic watch- Watches have become less common now that everyone checks their cell phones and gizmos for the time. That’s no reason not to own one. A metal or leather band can be worn every day and gives the impression that you actually have places to be and expect to get there politely on time. Please ladies, do not wear your watch with evening wear, unless you inherited a lovely vintage bracelet design from your grandmother. A party is no time to need the time.
9. One perfect dress- Little black dresses have been discussed ad nauseum. They can be dressed up, dressed down and worn to funerals. I challenge you to go beyond black. Why not have a signature dress in navy, brown, beige, emerald green, red, or lavender? If you buy a simple, classic style in a good fabric it can be just as flexible as black and you will stand out in the crowd of boring black beauties. Wearing color can be a little tricky- avoid matching all your accessories in color to your dress and get a sensible length to avoid that lady-of-the-evening look (this is a great time to wear your pearls).
10. A pair of tailored pants- So many people avoid tailoring- too expensive, too NY, when clothes can be bought off the rack. These people have never had a pair of tailored pants. Buy some quality trousers and have your tailor adjust them just so, so the waist fits perfectly, the legs are the right length, and they narrow just a little between the thigh and the knee. Have one pair done, and I promise you’ll never want to go without. Start with black so you can wear them often- branch out to more.

With these pieces, a lady can’t help but start on her way to impeccability. And you can stop throwing your money away on expensive trendy items. Grow your wardrobe with every purchase and only have to throw it away when it wears out. What a novel idea.