Stores

Basics
for layering pieces, tee shirts, sweaters

. J. Crew
Probably the go-to place for layering tees and cashmere sweaters.

. Gap
I hate going in here because the desperate marketing is palpable. Or maybe i've read too many articles about their downward trend.

. Forever 21
Their stuff holds up suprisingly well considering everything's about $10.

. Target
Hanes t-shirts

. Banana Republic
I hardly ever go in here, but have found good things when I have. Jeans for the boy, on sale at $5. My beloved black cardi.

. Old Navy
Cheaper and more fun than Gap.


Long-term basics
for good quality foundational pieces that'll last a long time

. Anthropologie
You have to plow past the cheapy store brands like Fei and Sleeping on Snow and go for the designers like Ella Moss or Splendid. Their store brand Odille is okay, too.

. Isabel Marant
Not a store, but a brand. Really well-done, basic pieces with a quirky French twist.

. Banana Republic
A lot of their clothes hold up well. Sometimes that's because they're made with thick, stiff, boxy cotton, though.

. J. Crew
They interpret some upmarket styles a little preppier, a little more basic.

. Club Monaco
I haven't gotten a lot of things from here, but good-quality basic stuff is their segment.

Trendy stuff
for whatever fun style that I'll get sick of upon seeing it on everybody

. Forever 21
No way would I spend $200 on shorts. But $14, okay.

. Thrift stores
Surprising how you can find current trends here. Fashion is recycled, after all, in about a 20-year cycle.