Fashion: personal wardrobe essentials

Now that I am in year 13 at college (the British equivalent of your senior year at high school in america) and don't have to wear uniform - it means I have to choose an outfit every day. So, over the last college year and the summer, I gathered some essential items I love to wear and I am going to share them with you today!

Jackets & Coats

First of all, I find a black blazer is essential to smarten up any look to be appropriate for a formal event - e.g. an interview or presentation. Yet, it can also be cute to wear with skinny jeans and a crop tee for a fun yet classy everyday outfit. The blazer on the left is from a local store (£24.99) and the one on the right is from Primark (£10).

Next, a winter coat is vital (especially in the UK where the weather is bad nearly all year around!) and finding a style that you are comfortable in is key. For me, it is this pea coat style as it is comfy and cosy or a classic windbreaker like this khaki one (as it is practical and comfortable). I feel like it suits me and I love all the prints and colours they come in! The leopard pea coat is from Matalan (£19.99); the green one is from the Edinburgh Wool Mill (£30); the khaki windbreaker is from Superdry (£69.99) and the grey coat is from the brand Mae Alcott but bought on eBay (£16).

I also find a denim jacket to be important in my wardrobe as it is easy to just throw over any outfit to make it look more complete - as well as being good for not only adding extra warmth in the winter - but using as an extra touch with a cute dress in the summer. This jacket was from Matalan about 4 years ago (£15).

Finally for this category, I think a leather jacket is a vital piece in my wardrobe and as someone who doesn't always have the most classic style - this purple one is my favourite! Having something like a leather jacket in your wardrobe is great for adding edge to an outfit, or wearing to keep war on a night out as it still looks formal and classy. This leather jacket is from eBay (£18).

Tops

A wardrobe staple for me is a white t-shirt. Whether it is a boyfriend tee or long sleeve top, a white t-shirt can match everything. You can pair it with skinny jeans or a mini skirt and denim jacket to make a great simple look. It is the perfect item to style when you don't know what to wear. The white t-shirt is from the men's section at Primark (£2.50) and the 3/4 sleeve top is also from Primark (£3).

A button up shirt is a classic piece that can be worn thrown over most outfits to keep warm in the Winter or keep the sun off your arms in the Summer. The variety of available colours and styles (such as these plaid and stripe ones) make having a few a fun addition to your wardrobe with the fact it can be dressed up or down so easily. The striped shirt is from Jack Wills (£49.50), the first check shirt is from Matalan (£18) and the second check shirt is from Primark (£10).

Any character, band or licensed tees are easy to just throw on with leggings, a pair of nice joggers or jeans. They are also fun to support a show, person or band you love (and are great even for striking up conversations with people you live with). The floral Jurassic world tee is from Primark (£8), the It's Grace tee is from redbubble.com (£20.71), the grey saw oversized tee is from Thorpe Park (£15), the Jessie J crop vest is from Primark (£6), the long sleeve tee is from a Superdry outlet store (£14.99) and the Bristol Uni tee was a gift.

Knit jumpers and crew neck sweaters are a great item to have (especially when British weather is usually wet and cold!) as they not only look cute on their own or with a collared shirt - but are practical for keeping warm in the cold winter weather. The Burgundy box jumper is from New Look (£18.99), the green fox jumper is from Primark (£8), the white Mickey & Minnie sweater is from Primark (£10) and the grey Bristol Uni sweater was a gift.

Bottoms

Skinny jeans are a classic item to have in your wardrobe. I prefer to wear either high waist jeans or boyfriend jeans, but it is personal choice! When you find a style and brand you love, they are perfect to wear on a daily basis and look good with most things. The white skinny jeans are from H&M (£10), the black skinny jeans are from Primark (£10), the purple skinny jeans are from Asda George (hand me-down), the grey super high waist jeans are from eBay (£15) and the blue high waist jeans are from Primark (£10).

A good pair of joggers are great to just throw on when you want to be comfy at home; or can be dressed up with a nice button up shirt or a leather jacket and tee combo. They are comfy and casual - but still easy to style. The first pair of joggers are from H&M (£10) and the patterned second pair are from Primark (£8).

Mini skirts are a love of mine - whether it is an a line skirt or bodycon skirt (or something else!) when I find a mini skirt to suit my figure it becomes a staple in my closet as they can be worn on their own in the summer, or with tights and boots in the winter. They can be dressed up or dressed down all year round! The black bodycon skirt is from New Look (£8.99) and the tan suede skirt is from Primark (£10).

For someone who has quite short legs but is average height; and doesn't usually like having their legs on show, when I find a nice midi skirt that fits me well it is a perfect addition to my wardrobe! I wear more casual styles to college, and then more formal ones to events and parties - yet they are so easy to make look good as they are such a statement piece. The black floral skirt is from Primark (£13), the middle black skirt is also from Primark (£12) and the pink check skirt is from Matalan (£15).

Dresses

A gorgeous, printed dress in a style you love is fantastic for a quick fix outfit. You can throw it on with a pair of tights and flats, and be out the door in minutes and still look like you made a lot of effort. The printed style is such a statement that you can make little effort with the rest of your look, yet still look amazing! All three dresses are from Primark - the first and last dress were both £1 each in the sale, and the middle dress was £5 in the sale.

A formal dress is essential for those occasions where you need to look smart. Whether it is an interview, meeting or for me, public speaking competition; having a formal dress with a blazer is great to make you look the part for those important events. The light blue dress is from New Look (£10 in the sale), the second dress is from Primark (£5) and the dark green dress is also from Primark (£8).

Shift dresses are great as they can be dressed up or down for any occasion (from party to college) - hence why they are essential for me. The huge variety available in shops make it easy to find something you love and when you do, the number of outfits you can use it for are endless! The purple dress is from Boohoo (£15) and the pink collared dress is from New Look (£18.99).

Shoes

For everyday wear, on thing that is essential for me is canvas daps or canvas espadrilles. These can be so easily thrown on with anything and are super comfy for wearing all day. Yet, they are so readily available it is easy to get them - and then number of styles you can buy them in means there is a pair for any outfit. They are a simple yet versatile item. The turquoise slip on daps and white tropical print slip on daps were both from Primark (£3 each), the neon espadrilles are from a Superdry Outlet (£8.99) and the black star was daps are from Vans (£36.99).

A pair of combat boots are fantastic for wearing with jeans and a tee for a casual outfit; or with a dress and leather jacket for an edgy look. They are comfy, cute and an overall great investment piece for your wardrobe. These black boots are from eBay (£18.99).

Brown boots are great as they go with absolutely anything, come in so many styles and are comfortable for walking around for a long time in. I have 3 pairs myself as they are so good to throw on before you leave the house, without having to worry about them matching your outfit or hurting your feet. The first pair of brown boots are by the brand Truffle but from a local store (£10), the middle pair of boots were from Dr Martens years ago and are no longer available, but the similar Pilloy boots are (£110), and the last pair are from Primark (£10). 

I also think a good pair of black flats are an essential for not only everyday wear but for formal events to! They are simple and classy and are great to quickly throw on as they go with anything! The first pair are from New look (£10 in the sale) and the second pair are from Primark (£4).

My final essential is creepers as they are an item that I love as they are comfy and go with a lot of things; yet still add a unique touch to your outfit and enable me to display my unique sense of style. The red leopard creepers are from the brand truffle but a local store (£10) and the black creepers are from eBay (£10).

I hope you enjoyed and were inspired by my wardrobe essentials - but if you had to chose 3 essential items for your wardrobe, what would they be? Let me know in the comments so I can get some inspiration for items to add to my wardrobe too!!!

"Fashions Fade, 

but classic style is eternal".

- Yves Saint Laurent.