9 Essential Pieces in Every Woman's Closet 

I think figuring out your own must-have items is better than following a generic list. I think your must haves are the items you love, constantly wear, that have the most versatility to your wardrobe.

As a very curvy girl (I’m a romantic), I can’t agree with you more about tailoring clothes (particularly high waisted jeans). The issue comes in with me when I have to get it done. For me, it just works better to pick up tailoring as a hobby. It’s such a great skill to have and enjoy. I totally get that it’s not for everyone (be that because they don’t have the time, or the confidence to cut into their clothes, or they simply dislike it) but it’s definitely something that I have benefited from in my fashion journey!

absolutely love your emphasis on "your version of x" it really is a game changer and so helpful, whether it be based on objective/body type or subjective/creating a certain effect ♥

Sorry, I disagree. I like parts of A.B.'s book--the closet edit, the three words--but the list of "essentials" is a throwback to 1980's fashion magazine filler. There is no turtleneck that works on me. There is no trench that works on me. There is no buttondown that works on me. I'm 53. Trust me, I have a lifetime of trying various versions of all of these. I think your own systems are superior to Bornstein's advice here. It's better to know your colors, know your shapes, and know your lifestyle (the 3 words help here) and build your closet around those principles.

I have my version of white T-shirt and nothing else from this list 😅 as romantic body type my uniform is wrap dresses and wrap coats, kimonos and chic sweatpants. I think this is the reason why my style is so unique and recogazable, because I wear thinks that I love and that works for me and I don't think about what I should have in my wardrobe according to some list 😃

Hey, I am a soft natural and couldn't find any style video about it (from you) . Love your channel, great video

My take on the capsule wardrobe is that the "capsule" is different for everyone and it dependson many different things. So, you have to find pieces that fit you well in terms of body type and color season, as well with your personality and the climate you live in. And of course, if these pieces can be styled in various ways, the better!

I am soft natural living in a tropical country hope you can make basic essentials for it🤍

The challenge is finding half of these if you lean romantic in body type and/or personal style

Alison's system works for most body shapes but turtlenecks & white shirts make v-shape & top hourglass sorts look huge! 😬 large top half look even larger. Big uniboob. But fine for longnecked women as well as normal to small chested women. Button down shirts don't work for large busts either, especially on a petite frame. The chest buttons always pop open. Sure, if one could sew or afford a tailor, one might get a button down to fit yet look proportional but they are, sadly, not suited to everyone. Not everyone can afford alterations. Dark t shirts, knit tops and zip front cardigans work much better for certain body type variants.

Finding your own version helps a lot! I hate blazers and that corporate look on myself, but I bought a sort-of blazer and I know it's gonna be in my life for a long time. The style's a little different, it's a black wool blend, but it's slim and almost like a shirt jacket style. I wore it a lot around the holidays when I had to dress up. Don't be afraid to think outside the box, guys!

I have to alter the waist of all my jeans and I found that sewing in a couple buttons and pulling an elastic through the waistband and hooking it on the buttons is a super easy way to make them fit perfectly (no matter what time of the month or how much you’ve eaten haha)

I'd love to actually wear all but in a tropical city without seasons... I'm a flamboyant gamine who loves the 60s but I'm still trying to incorporate that, the wheather and my shyness together, thats why i love your videos.

love this video! im so sorry the comments are being so rude. youre not forcing anyone to do this, youre saying these "essentials" can give you a great starting list for your closet, and you modified half of them anyways! loved this and its great to see this review right after ive moved. i have more closet space now, but ive actually filled it which is a little overwhelming! so thank you for this review!

I think for me - with my three words being 'strong, soft, vibrant' my versons of these are: White t-shirt - > white tanktop. Im torn between theatrical romantic and soft natural as im very curvy but also have a sturdyness to my frame and look good in long lines. Also, Im queer and do martial arts- I like my arms! Tshirts can feel odd and restrictive to me, so a tank top serves as a base for basicly anything White button up -> yep! But more often a colourful or patterned button up in linen or cotton (second hand). Black turtleneck - > eh. Turtlenecks dont suit me at all, they make my shoulders look oversized and awkward, but I do find they can be good when layered with a button up or suit jacket that honours the stregnth of my frame better. Not black though - even though black suits me, black turtleneck feels too corperate/'steve jobs'/silicon valley- and would feel really out of place and weird to me (british, working class, healthcare worker). Mine is dark green, which is a colour i love and I feel it fits my life a lot more. Suits- yep. Ive a black velvet one that used to be my mums and a second hand purple one. Love them, adore them, wear them every chance i get. Jeans- yeah, I have some, but i got some corduroy trousuers recently, and i love them far more. Neat trousers- yeah, i have many. I learned to take them in at the waist myself and it works wonders with them. Cuddly jumper- yes!!!! I have, like, 4, and im thinking of getting jumper dresses too. But i live up north, so having a wide variety of jumpers is essential, lol Trench coat....i have one but it doesn't suit me that well. Honestly i prefer my leather jacket (summer) or my puffer coat (all other seasons). I think thats the cut tho- and i probably need something with waist emphasis Overall i think the '9 essentials' feels...somewhat outdated to me? It feels very 2000s, and one of the things ive liked seeing in the 2020s is people getting more personal and idiosyncratic with it. I can see how it might be a good place to start for some, bur honestly i think it limits peoples thinking far too much. In terms of fashion content i basicly follow you and leana norms, and what i love about both of you is how you encourage people to break away from these basic templates and find clothes that actually suit you and make you happy! I love your style roots idea for instance, and it really changed how i thought about my wardrobe and outfits for the better! So I'd love to see you flesh out and develop your own unique ideas and view point- because thats what makes your advice so special!

A cozy sweater, blazer, and trench are the only things i own from this list. I am a kibbe soft natural and i wear long open cardigans or dusters over a tank top paired w/stretch waist flowy pants or maxi skirt. That is my uniform or a flowy dress w/open cardigan. I would never wear any of this, but to each their own! 🩷

I think checking your knee jerk assumption that any "staple" piece might not be for you (as you did with the white t-shirt, something i've also experienced) is a good thing to do, but I'll never be sold on universal pieces, or respect any style approach that talks about universal anything. Like, for my part I don't have any use for a blazer and i only *ever* wear skirts. I'm glad you're reading this book and sharing your findings because based on what i've heard about it i would never read it in a million years!

Love ur videos

I loved this!!

USED to have a waist too small, after babies now my problem is opposite. My waist is now too big! If you get jeans etc to fit your waist every other part swallows you up and is so hard to alter. What's to be done? Also, what are romantic jeans styles?

Hey! I'm a soft summer (or maybe autumn i'm still not sure) so any reccomendations for what i should wear as my base light colour instead of white? Also i'm an ingenue and thinking i want one of my slyle essences to be earth, so blazers and trousers seem to formal and harsh for me. Do i need them in my wardrobe? Any suggestions how to make them work? Planning on shopping for my new wardrobe next week 😊 🙏

If anyone needs curve jeans Abercrombie and Fitch has the best ones, the difference between the waist and hip is way higher than anywhere else, and they're cotton. They also go on sale a lot, so don't pay full price.

What ended up working best for me is 3 capsule wardrobes. Being on the spectrum the idea of having a capsule wardrobe is very attractive to me, I can get easily overwhelmed by all the options available. Problem is I love fashion and my taste is broad. My three wardrobes are casual rockstar, dark coquette and pastel goth. Each is probably up to 30 items. That might be a lot to some or nothing to others but once I know what vibe I want that day, it’s cut back down to 30-ish. I think everyone should have a capsule wardrobe for the convenience but what it looks like is entirely up to you. I like when the description is broad and you get a list of items that you can choose as many or as few as you want, why have trousers if you find them uncomfortable? A smart pair of trousers might not suit your lifestyle at all. “A maxi skirt” could mean a plisse red and pink chessboard print with lettuce edging, like mine. It looks rad with all the tee shirts in that section and it’s soft enough I can cross my legs in it. It’s like treasure hunting for me, finding the one satin slip dress to rule them all.

I'm having trouble coming up with my three words. I can't remember if you did a video on them or not. If you didnt, could you?☺️

I would never wear a wide belt as I have a short body but I do find narrow ones useful

Like many others, I hate the feeling of a turtleneck, but there are other types of high collars that could work, like a Nehru or mandarin collar, which are more structured so they don't have to cling to/strangle you like a turtleneck, or even an Edwardian style collar (maybe in lace for breatheability).

There is no such thing as a universal piece that everybody needs. If you don't like wearing white then it's not going to be in your wardrobe. If you don't like the feeling of a turtleneck, you're not going to own one. If you live in a warm climate you don't need a trenchcoat.

Most of these items I either don't own and would never wear. The only things I have and wear are jeans and belts. I could never see myself wearing a white t-shirt or a turtleneck. Also, button down shirts are not the most flattering on me because of my bust so I don't really own any.

So far all the tips from her book that Im hearing about seem to be missing something. It feels like everyone has to squish the system into an unrecognizable form for it to work for them.

I disagree with A.B. on this part of the book tbh. I think that what you need is not “your version” of these must-have pieces, but your OWN must-have pieces entirely. Your personal staples, not a prescribed checklist. Even if there’s supposed freedom within those boxes, it is still not universal. I have no version of a white t-shirt bc not only do I not wear t-shirts, I don’t wear white or ANY light colours - if I’m varying that far from both the colour & the fit then it’s not a “version” it’s something else entirely. I get that the idea is that you supposedly need an item that *serves the purpose* of a white t-shirt - but what purpose does a white t-shirt serve ? A simple neutral base ? Well I don’t wear simple neutral outfits. I think this fails to recognise the huge variety in individuals’ style goals

Hose, Pullis, Shirts, n Kleid, Schuhe, alles fairtrade, läuft

White t-shirt are lame 😒!! lol seriously I only wear t-shirt as pyjama… I don’t wear white in general and don’t really like turtleneck (I have a short neck) give me a burgundy or navy button down, sweater, blouse, top and I’m good to go so I know it’s “classic” and “basic” but not worth buying if you don’t wear it also of all my blazers my navy smythe have the most wear sooo sometimes you have to have a “take it or leave it “ attitude with those list

I'm surprised to see that there is no mention of a dress. Lots of pants, coats, blazers, but no dresses. I'd have to say, this list is not for me!

I disagree here, there are no universal pieces. There are plenty of styles that none of these pieces work for. Also I live in Australia where jackets and coats are just not required for day to day wear, it’s too hot for about 9 months of the year and unless you work in an office a blazer is not appropriate for our casual lifestyles. For a lot of women it’s not a good investment or staple to own these items as they are special occasion wear. I think these reflect what items are perceived as “classic” today largely in a North American context. The staples and building blocks of everyone’s wardrobe can be totally different and that’s fine. I think your style roots system is far more helpful than this advice.

Translation into Arabic

I don't understand the need to tell people what they should have in their closet. Why do you need to find your version of white T-Shirt or white button down? I don't see the point neither in the method nor this material.

I hateee jeans! They need to go

Girl you are not eclectic

What is a tuetleneck alternative for if turtlenecks make you look horrible? My neck is too short and or fat for them.

This advice is super classic style oriented. I hate button downs and have never found one that fits or looks remotely good on me as a soft natural with wide shoulders but a small cup size. I have found a pussy bow blouse is far more flattering and I just stay away from anything buttoned on my chest😮. I also look terrible in blazers with the similar issue of suiting styles and my body type. I am so glad I am out of the corporate world and donated most all of my business attire as a most all of it looks silly on naturals.