photo via WeHeartIt

There are mornings I wake up and decide that what I picked out the night before is definitely not what I want to wear that day. There are some mornings where I go through five outfits before I decide on one. But I haven't always had the luxury of multiple outfit options, especially when I first started. If I could have been given any clothing advice back in those days, it would be to start with the basics. There are, I believe, a few classic pieces that every female journalist (or woman who works in a business-casual setting) can't go wrong with. In this post, I'm sharing my closet must-haves, those pieces I find myself reaching for over and over again. These are pieces I spend a little more on because I want them to last. (Disclaimer: the closet in the picture above is not of my closet. I wish it were though!)



1. BLACK PANTS
Every professional woman needs a good pair of black pants in her closet. Not jeans, not leggings (although I do own both). Pants. It doesn't matter if you prefer ankle pants, straight-legged, bootcut or flares, black pants are always professional and can be paired with nearly any top.




2. BLACK SKIRT
A black skirt works the same way as black pants - instant professional. There are some things to remember, though. First, no mini-skirts. As a rule of thumb, your skirts should always hang longer than your fingertips when your arms are hanging by your side. With that being said, your black skirt doesn't have to be boring, as you can see from the final two options I linked to above.


3. WHITE BUTTON-DOWN
I can't say enough about the versatility of a classic white button-down shirt. You can wear it with virtually every pair of pants or skirt in your closet. It adds polish to a pair of jeans. You can even wear it under a sleeveless dress in cooler months. I recently found my perfect match at The Limited (option one).




4. SOLID-COLOR DRESS
I know they say every woman needs a little black dress, and that's true, but every working woman needs at least one go-to solid-colored dress. I have two - burgundy and black. My preference is for sleeveless to wear year-round and to non-work-related functions, but you can really go with any style you prefer.


5. NEUTRAL HEELS/FLATS
The most neutral of colors is definitely black, but that's not necessarily what I mean here. Neutral can also be brown, nude, gray or in some cases leopard print. The point of this entry is for you to identify which neutral would best match the majority of your closet. For instance, my black d'orsay pointed-toe heels are my go-to neutral shoe. For the sake of fairness, I also have a nude and leopard print pair, but I've had years to build up my shoe collection. I've only linked to two options because each of these options have multiple color options.




6. BLACK BLAZER
I actually have three different black blazers in my closet, along with a variety of other colors and patterns. But when you're just starting out and have to pick just one, always opt for solid black. On days when you're not sure how to finish off an outfit, a black blazer will almost always work. Plus, they always look so sleek and polished. All of the ones I've linked to are under $50.

7. TENNIS SHOESTrust me on this one. You will want a quality pair of tennis shoes, especially if you're a reporter. Just an FYI, carrying around 50 pounds of camera gear is not fun in heels. I highly recommend the Sketchers Go Walk with memory foam. Seriously, why did it take so long to put memory foam in shoes? And why don't all my shoes have it? I didn't want to limit myself on options so I didn't link to any, but you can shop the pair I own here.


8. QUALITY UNDERWEAR
For this last one, I'm not posting pictures because I think it would be weird recommending underwear for another person. However, what you wear under your clothes is just as important as your clothes. Nothing ruins an outfit faster than a rogue bra strap or panty line. If you're a fan of Victoria Secret but not their prices, I would encourage you to check out AdoreMe. The quality is comparable but the prices are about 50% less than VS.