What's In Your Closet that You Cannot Live Without?

This is a question that has been posed to me numerous times. It sort of feels like cliched fashion-speak, an excuse to divulge some dirty secret (threadbare sweatpants! Nike cross-trainers!) or to reveal the best thing you've ever come across, in an exasperated statement like, "My vintage Alaia cocktail dress that has gotten me through many a harried moment." Alas, I never have such a romantic response, as I'm usually at a loss for what should come to mind in an instant. But recently that changed.

Our online fashion editor Jackie Nasser and I were working on a Weekend Shopping feature called "Wardrobe Essentials," and while we may all know what makes up the backbone of a well-stocked closet, sometimes it's easy to take those basics for granted. My surprisingly well-proportioned boyfriend blazer from Uniqlo (it's true!), my men's-style watch (a very special gift), the Mayle bag I carry every single weekend (the chain-strap makes me feel polished even in casual wear) and a Banana Republic trench I bought seasons ago that still makes me feel crazy put together--I would feel completely vulnerable without any one of them. While they aren't the most romantic items I could muster in response to the question, they're the truth. So it got me wondering, are the items you can't live without these practical/workhorse pieces, or are they the romantic flairs that lend a dose of personal style to an ensemble?

See all our Weekend Shopping HERE