"These ten staples transcend time, trends and travel. They can go from day to night, season to season, and they can still be worn five years from now. These are the classics. And they work just as well in New York, Paris, Tokyo and Sydney.
THE LITTLE BLACK DRESS
The ultimate blank canvass. In its simplicity, it makes you look effortlessly stylish. In its sophistication, it makes you look endlessly elegant.
Fashion legend has it that Coco Chanel created the first little black dress. It represents all that Chanel stood for: comfort, practicality, and self-assured sexiness.
A CLASSIC MEN'S WHITE SHIRT
It can be paired with jeans (Jackie O in Hyannis), black pants (Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction), a long skirt (Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday), a gown (Sharon Stone on the red carpet). It is also incredibly useful to cover up a bad outfit when entering a good hotel (Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman).
CASHMERE CARDIGAN OR TURTLENECK
Perfect over anything -- a dress, a t-shirt, a button-down shirt -- but also incredibly sexy when worn alone, ala Marilyn Monroe.
A TRENCH COAT
A classic trench can work in any kind of weather and goes well with almost anything (or almost nothing if you are feeling very film noir).
The trench coat was first created by Thomas Burberry for the British army officers in WWI. It was designed to keep them warm and dry in the trenches (hence the name).
DENIM
There is something about jeans that gives a girl an aura of instant style. They are simple and practical. Sexy and perfect. Rebellious and elegant. They are the most versatile, most perfect item. The most alluring part about denim is that it can dress anything down and make even the most uptight items look relaxed.
A MAN'S CLASSIC WATCH
Women's watches tend to change according to trends, but a classic man's watch is timeless and looks great on a woman's wrist. It makes a statement and breaks the rules in an unexpected but subtle way. It's another great item to "borrow" from a boyfriend / husband / father / friend.
DIAMONDS
You can't go wrong here. They are perfect for day or night, casual or dressy, winter or summer, with other jewels, or not. Fake is fine.
BALLET FLATS
There are a few moments (very few) when you have to give your heels the boot in the name of practicality or shopping strategy.
Ballet flats, as the name suggests, were inspired by ballet dancers. They were introduced in France by Repetto, an American company that specialized in dance wear. Capezio, another American dance-wear company, ran with it and in 1949 created a pair of patent leather flats with ankle ribbons. In the 1950s designers began to create their own variations on the shoe, and actresses began wearing them on screen (Audrey Hepburn and Brigitte Bardot). Ballet flats became a staple in every woman's closet and have helped us navigate tricky terrain ever since.
A CLASSIC HIGH-HEEL PUMP
I am a big supporter of buying outrageous, impractical, bold shoes. I also think that you should have at least once classic high-heel that you can rely on for those times when that fierce red patent leather stiletto won't do.
A GREAT BAG
The bag, like the shoe, is a great place to have fun and play with colors, textures and shapes. But like the shoe, you should have at least one classic bag that will go with you anywhere.
Every woman should have:
*A tote or shoulder bag for daytime and carrying around almost everything
*A clutch for night time and carrying around almost nothing
*A medium-sized handbag, with a chain-link strap for those times in between
*The Must-Have Bag: Chanel 2.55, Louis Vuitton Speedy, Gucci's Jackie O., Hermes Birkin"
--The Basics, The Little Black Book of Style, Nina Garcia
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