The closet heroes we all need
Put Your Closet to Werk
We spend a lot of time thinking about what to scrub from our closets, but we want to give a little love to the “in crowd”—those pieces always at our service, surviving even the most brutal closet cleanout. Whether you consider yourself the brain, the athlete, the princess, the basketcase or the criminal (in Breakfast Club parlance, that is) there’s a way to work them into your life. We calculate clothing math with CPW (cost per wear), so we suggest leaning a little more on these pieces so they can pay their dividends.
A Super Smart Plaid Blazer
This one checks all the boxes—luxe and durable, yet affordable. Flattering for different body types (you can always do a little tailoring) and best of all, Everlane is very transparent about where and how their clothes are produced. This can double as a light jacket come spring, fall or chilly conference room.
PAIR WITH
The brain
glasses (readers will do) and a turtleneck or polo of course.
The athlete
your favorite sporty t-shirt and sneakers. Or layer over a striped shirt—clashing patterns add a little irony
The princess
play dress-up with a romantic ruffled or pussy bow blouse
The basketcase
invoke Ally Sheedy’s quirky girl with layers—a tee, thin cardigan and scarf
The criminal
amp the punk over a simple ribbed tank and a chunky chain necklace
A Leather (ish) Jacket
We love not having to commit to a metal for your hardware on this jacket—it’s automatically more refined and more verse-atile (see what we did there)? This slightly less biker style still retains all the cool vibes that a leather jacket confers. Prefer to keep it kind? Blank NYC keeps vegan luxe.
PAIR WITH
The brain
a shift dress or tailored shirt keeps it smart
The athlete
Hoodie underneath—all day—and keep it fitted so it stays sleek
The princess
Something lace will keep it looking sweet.
The basketcase
Again, layers—this time try turtleneck + denim shirt or t-shirt and sweater
The criminal
This is your thing, so put on the vintage rock/statement tee and live your truth
Old Faithful—A Great Blue Shirt
For your consideration: the humble blue shirt. It doesn’t boast or brag. It’s just there to solve problems. This OG button-down always had a nice fit without forfeiting its utilitarianism. When these come around each spring, we pounce—unlike our dark past history with linen, these actually get better with wash and wear. And we love the snaps, the darker wash and the not-too-western feel of this denim take.
PAIR WITH
The brain
a necklace your new plaid blazer (see above), buttoned up for a little nerdy-cool nod
The athlete
leggings, a t-shirt and kicks (with the shirt open like a jacket), or under a crewneck sweatshirt with peeks of collar and cuffs
The princess
a bright printed scarf (see “Try It” below) and turn up the femme on your skirt, pants or shoes
The basketcase
a dress—tied at the waist—and a cardigan draped on your shoulders
The criminal
ribbed tank or tee, jeans and black boots (combat-like preferred)—bonus points if you finish it with a long John Bender-esque jacket
