Here’s the thing about getting dressed every day: it’s not about reinventing yourself.
It’s about remembering what already works—and doing more of that on purpose.
That’s where your core pieces come in. Your defaults, your foundations, however you want to call them.
They might not always be the flashiest, or the ones people comment on (or the algorithm rewards).
But, they are the pieces that make 80% of your outfits possible.
They are the reason some outfits just feel right, even when you didn’t plan them.
They are the glue holding your wardrobe together.
This is not about finding the “perfect white tee”, it’s about figuring out your perfect version of “the thing I wear constantly because it never lets me down.”
And once you know what those pieces are:
You can build around them.
You can enjoy shopping.
You can stop feeling like your wardrobe is against you.
Today, we’re going to:
Define what a foundation piece really is
Help you identify yours (spoiler: you already own them)
Break down why this changes everything
Let’s go.
Wait… so what is a core piece, really?
(Spoiler: they are not always what you think)
Let’s be clear: core pieces aren’t always neutrals.
They are not necessarily neutral, timeless, or whatever the latest capsule checklist says. (A black blazer? A crisp white shirt? A beige trench? Cute… but maybe not you.)
They are what you actually wear, trust, and build your outfits around.
Take a recent client I worked with.
When we started working together, she made it very clear, she loves colour. Bold colour. Not “a pop of pink” bold. We’re talking full-on joyfully brights. She didn’t care for beige, navy, or oatmeal. (Except black, white, and denim, those were her only neutrals.)
Now, I’m used to clients who want versatility, and that usually means a soft, neutral base. So I caught myself thinking, “She’ll want a coat that goes with everything… so taupe? Navy? Charcoal?”
She hated every single one of them.
What she really wanted was a bright cobalt blue coat. Or cherry red. Something that felt like her and worked with the rest of her unapologetically colourful wardrobe. Because for her, red is a neutral.
Once we made that mindset shift—hers and mine—we built a wardrobe that felt cohesive without muting her style. We played with colour theory instead of forcing minimalism. And she ended up with pieces that were bright and versatile—for her version of everyday life.
Here’s how to find yours:
From here on, we get practical.
This is where I show you how to identify your core pieces, understand the roles they play in your wardrobe, and start using them to make getting dressed (and shopping) easier.
