Wardrobe Staples + DIY alternatives by Mostly Sewing

So you’ve heard of those minimalistic capsule wardrobes… The more I shop intentionally for clothing and for sewing fabrics, I find myself falling into this mindset. I just want everything to match, and I want to wear it every day!

Wardrobe staples are the items that you need to get through everyday life. If you don’t have these items, it can be really difficult to get dressed in the morning. In fact, I think that’s half the problem with getting dressed in the morning. You have this super cute top, but not enough neutral bottoms to decide how to wear it.

This is especially hard during the summer when you don’t want to wear jeans (if you’re like me, you avoid wearing pants at all during the summer – skirts all day every day). When you sew your own garments, you can make the same great fitting item over and over in the perfect color.

Wardrobe Staples

When you’re looking for key pieces in your wardrobe, you should be buying for quality. I usually visit Banana Republic and JCrew for these pieces because I know they will last for years. And if you shop their sales and clearance, you’ll be surprised what great deals you can find.

T Shirts: White, Black, Grey, Navy, Navy/White Striped
Turtleneck
White Button Down
Chambray Top
Grey Cardigan: Goes with everything!
Black Skirt: Lots of pencil skirt options at JCrew, especially in the fall
Black Dress
Casual Dress
Perfect Jeans: Wherever you can find them!!
Leggings

Shoes: I don’t have DIY alternatives for these, but they are part of your wardrobe staples… sorry 🙂

Nude Heels
Nude Wedges
Black Heels
Black Ballet Flats

DIY Alternatives

I can’t imagine myself sewing a collared shirt – just too much work with all the interfacing and the buttons – so I didn’t include the white or chambray tops in the list below.

The great thing about making your own clothes is finding the perfect fit and then making them again and again 🙂