The Best Brands For Budget Friendly Wardrobe Basics
I’ve been on a big basics kick, ever since reassessing my shopping habits and starting my Capsule Wardrobe experiment. As I slowly consider each piece going into my wardrobe these days, I’ve also started to think about the brands that stand out to me in terms of high quality and low cost basics. I’ve decided to compile a list of my favorite brands and the basics they do best, keeping in mind that we don’t all want to break the bank for great quality pieces. I truly believe that you can find really high quality items for a relatively low price tag if you do your research. So here are the best brands for shopping budget friendly basics and creating the perfect foundational wardrobe.
Outfit Details
T-Shirt: Uniqlo | Jeans: Urban Outfitters | Necklace: Mejuri | Earrings (in silver): H&M
When it comes to the classic tee, I do feel that there are some important factors that determine the best quality. As is the case for most items of clothing, the material plays a big role in this, and there’s nothing quite as nice or as essential to a wardrobe as a 100% cotton tee. I’ve tried several brands and none have measured up to Uniqlo’s basic crew neck t-shirt. Uniqlo has managed to create a soft, t-shirt with a classic cut, that’s not sheer at all and has a luxurious feeling thickness to it that far surpasses what I would expect from a top priced at just $10. It really is the best I’ve found and I cannot recommend it enough!
A basic knit sweater is another item that is surprisingly hard to come by when looking for good quality pieces that will last. In my opinion, Uniqlo does the best knitwear in very classic styles. Their extra fine Merino knits are a favorite of mine, they are made of 100% Merino wool and are an amazing price of $30. They have so many styles to choose from, including a ribbed knit, a roll neck and a cardigan, all between $30 and $40. Uniqlo also has premium Lambswool sweaters for around the same price. If you’re in the market for a cashmere sweater that you can wear for years and years to come, I would also suggest the Uniqlo 100% cashmere sweaters for a great price of $80. When it comes to cashmere, you can easily spend over $100 so to find a good quality piece for under that is definitely worth trying out.
Another brand with well priced cashmere is Everlane. This brand carries $100 Cashmere in a variety of styles. Compared to Uniqlo, the styles are a bit more trendy, including a cropped mock neck and shrunken cashmere sweatshirt, so there is a wider variety to choose from. Everlane is another brand who does a ton of color options in cuts that are both really effortless and flattering.
Denim is perhaps the most personal of all the wardrobe items, and one of the hardest to get right. They can also cost you a small fortune. In my opinion, you can find great denim on the high street, and for a very reasonable price.
One of my favorite brands for denim is Urban Outfitters BDG brand. I’ve bought many, many pairs of BDG jeans over several years of my life and they always look great and hold their shape. I also love the variety in cuts and washes that you can choose from, and UO is constantly coming out with on-trend styles each season. While the price is certainly not the lowest you can find, they are relatively inexpensive, ranging from $60 to $70 and I think they are definitely worth the price.
Another great brand for denim is Everlane, who does a variety of washes and cuts from high-rise skinnies, to straight leg to cropped flares to boyfriend jeans. Styles range from $68 - $78. You may have also seen their infamous wide leg crop pants, which make for an excellent non-denim bottom staple but are casual enough to switch out with denim from time to time. You really can’t go wrong with Everlane’s bottoms.
Slightly more expensive are Topshop’s jeans, which range from $70 to $90. The Jamie skinny jeans are a cult favorite and the straight leg jeans are another popular option. If you’re looking for something similar but a bit less expensive, Asos Brand Farleigh jeans are another great option and priced around $51.
Good quality and budget friendly leather shoes are surprisingly hard to come by these days. One brand which I’ve found to be very good in this category is Asos. I’ve raved about my favorite leather Chelseas, the Asos Absolute boots, before, but they really are just that good and so well priced at $60. This season Asos has some really awesome heeled booties in a variety of colors and styles. Apart from boots, they also have a really great selection of trendy heels and a ton of loafers, including some good Gucci-esque styles. It’s very easy to set a search filter for leather products, a feature I haven’t really seen on other high street online stores. And keep in mind, the thing to look for here is a leather-upper shoe, as an all-leather shoe is going to be pricier.
Another great place to find really great quality shoes is Nordstrom Rack. This can take a bit more digging if you have something specific in mind, but since you can shop a ton of options online it’s easier than you think. I’ve found great basics here for a fraction of the price, including several designer brands. And the best part about shopping at discount retailers for basics is that they don’t vary much in style from season to season. So my word of advice is to stick with classic styles and colors!
When it comes to bags, I don’t think that it has to be completely void of details or character to function as an everyday bag. All it really takes is a neutral color and a functional size. If you’re wardrobe is based around a solid core of basic pieces then the bag can be a bit more trendy and unique to add interest to your outfit. I still think it’s really important to buy leather products when you can so that those pieces stand the wear and tear or everyday use. For good quality leather bags, I highly recommend Mango and Zara. You can find very minimal but trendy and statement bags, priced at around $50. I would suggest going with a neutral color such as black for year-round wear. Both of these retailers do some great and budget friendly dupes of more understated designer bags.