10 essential wardrobe items every woman needs, according to a style expert.

Sure, your wardrobe can be packed to the brim with clothes.

New stuff, old stuff, sparkly stuff. 

But if you’re anything like me, you find yourself staring at it each morning and then reaching for the same three things because they seem like the only pieces that actually work together. 

But according to fashion expert Leonie Barlow from The Style Insider, this is because you probably don’t have the 10 essential wardrobe items you need to make creating new outfits easy. 

So she filled us in on exactly what she suggests every woman add to their wardrobe to make getting dressed each day easier at any age. 

Watch Leonie Barlow's advice on the 10 essential wardrobe items every woman needs here. Post continues below.  

Interesting base layers. 

"Base layers are so important when it comes to creating outfits and I'm sure you've seen online recently lots of different fashion influencers creating different outfits out of this same base layer," Leonie told Mamamia. 

"One of the pieces that is an essential for me when it comes to base layers is an interesting t-shirt. I love logo t-shirts with a colourful print on them and the reason I like them is because they help me build a cohesive outfit. 

"The way I do this is: I have a t-shirt, maybe it's a white tee with a little red logo on it or some sort of red writing on it, then I would look at a couple of other red pieces, whether it's a red ballet flat and a red purse or a red baseball cap, so just to create three elements that tie in. My accessories are colourful pieces so finding a t-shirt or a top that has that one colour in it enables me to wear some of my colourful accessories but actually create a cohesive outfit."

Out-of-your-comfort-zone trend pieces.

"What I try and do every season is choose a particular trend that is a little bit out of my comfort zone, it's not something that I've been wearing for seasons, but it is a piece that I can wear with some of my pieces that I already own and love and create a different modern and stylish look," Leonie said. 

"For example, this season I've grabbed a beautiful bandeau top and a strapless tailored top. These pieces were a little bit out of my comfort zone, but they have helped me create some really fun, fashion-forward outfits without actually having to buy an entirely new outfit. I've worn these pieces with pants and skirts that I've owned for a very long time and I have been able to create outfits that are modern and a little bit fun." 

Image: Instagram/@thestyleinsider. 

"Pick one that speaks to you and also one that you know you can team with some of the pieces you already own because it's not about reinventing the wheel here, it is about just creating a wardrobe that can kind of move into a new season and become modern and evolve.”

Good quality knitwear.

"The other essential I think we all need to own is a great selection of knitwear. Now this is obviously going to look different for everyone and certainly over the years I've become more and more drawn to beautiful knitwear," Leonie said. 

"Now don't get me wrong, I still love wearing blazers and jackets and I'll often wear a button-down shirt open as a lightweight cover up but I do think that knitwear is such a timeless way to add a little bit of warmth and coziness or just a little bit of luxury to a simple outfit."

Colours that work for your colouring. 

Leonie says it’s important to find colours you feel and look your best in — and that this may change as you age. 

"We probably all know that our skin changes, the colour, the texture changes and so that means the colours that really make us feel amazing and alive tend to change as well," Leonie said. 

"I've certainly noticed that as I've got older, my skin has become far more greyish especially if I'm not wearing any makeup and so the colours that I wear and feel fabulous in have changed.

"So to avoid feeling like you might be stuck in a bit of a fashion rut, revisit your colours and whether you get your colours professionally done or whether you just dive into your closet and have a try-on session where you put different coloured tops and shirts up to your face and which ones make you feel your absolute best, that is a really easy way to see whether a colour is right for you."

Signature pieces. 

"It’s essential to own pieces that really speak to your signature style. What I mean by that is the pieces that you perhaps reach for regularly or the pieces that create outfits you're known for. So for me, for instance, it would be cargo pants. I absolutely love wearing cargo pants and all different styles and shapes and colours," Leonie shared. 

"I also love my denim. How I'm updating my signature style this season is by adding a short sleeve denim shirt to my lineup, this is a simple kind of evolution of my style, perhaps I would have worn a long sleeve denim shirt or a denim shacket in the past, but I'm kind of giving my signature style a little bit of a refresh or a modern update."

Accessories.

Accessories are obviously going to be so different for everyone but these are the pieces that really do add a little bit of an extra something to your signature style. 

"You can wear outfits you've worn and loved for years but accessories are just going to give those outfits a modern look and feel," Leonie shared. 

"You don't always want to start shopping and spending a whole lot of money on outfits and accessories are definitely one of the most affordable ways to do that.

"Whether you decide to opt for some chunky hoops or some of the dupes, just create a bit of interest and modernise an outfit."

Footwear.

"We all need to own — especially over 50 — a comfortable pair of shoes. My essentials are some interesting, modern sneakers, I pretty much team sneakers with everything — with skirts, with dresses, with my wide leg pants, with jeans you name it," Leonie shared. 

"They are comfortable and modern and I also think they create outfits that are a bit more youthful as well. But I do appreciate that a pair of sneakers with a dress and a skirt or whatever your outfit may be is not going to work for everyone, so ask yourself the question: does your footwear collection suit who you are now not who you would love to be?"

Belts.

"I truly believe that we all need a great belt. In fact, I would go as far as saying we all need a couple of belts in our repertoire," Leonie recommends. 

"A gorgeous belt is a simple way just to elevate your outfit and take it up a notch, just a simple way of adding either an extra layer of interest to an outfit or also just adding that final piece of the puzzle or adding that bit of polish to an outfit."

Reliable outerwear.

"We all need a great outerwear piece and a piece that's not necessarily a midwinter coat or a jacket — a trans seasonal outerwear piece for me is a denim jacket and has been for a number of years," Leonie said.

"What I would suggest is going for one that's more slightly oversized, not huge, but nothing that's too fitted, too cropped, too acid washed, too distressed — nothing that's too crazy, so essentially a denim jacket that is midsize you can layer pieces underneath in the winter or you can throw it over your shoulders in the warmer months. It’s an essential outerwear piece that is going to work with everything."

Bags.

"My favourite style of bag is a cross body bag and I own about probably four or five purely because I find the hands-free part of them super convenient but also because wearing a bag or a purse crossbody gives my outfits a little bit of shape and it also adds a little element of interest to an outfit," she said. 

"You may be the sort of person who loves to carry lots with you, so a tote bag is your kind of essential bag or perhaps you prefer just a classic little purse that you can take everywhere with you whatever it is you need."

Feature image: Instagram/@thestyleinsider.