The 47 Best Designer Basics That Are Worth the Investment

As fashion editor at Who What Wear, I’d like to think I know a thing or two about searching out a great new piece or a timeless classic, but it’s only recently that I learnt the trick to piecing together a truly great outfit. Let’s face it: We’re all guilty of spending valuable time agonising over what to wear in the morning, and no matter how many statement dresses or exciting new pairs of shoes I find, everything has a time and a place, and I invariably end up turning to the same forever pieces to dress up my day-to-day look. A case in point, the “basic”.

Calling anything “basic” gives it a bad rap, but rest assured in this case I don’t use basic to mean boring; instead, I’m referring to simple, understated, well-thought-out pieces that can be worn time and again, and end up being the hardest-working things in your wardrobe. Often these are the best investments you can make (and well worth spending a little extra money on for their sheer cost per wear), as these core pieces can be building blocks in creating the perfect capsule wardrobe.

Sarah wears The Frankie Shop blazer.