The super basic wardrobe

Style maxims

• Avoid colours that remind you of an airport in Florida or a hospital.
• Beige actually suits some people, but never wear it just because you think it looks expensive.
• Big prints, large polka dots, horizontal knits, pale jodhpurs, patterned leggings, and white tights are highly fattening.
• Spend more money on day wear than evening wear. Daytime is when you're paid to look like you have it together; the night transforms a flea-market dress into a statement.
• Buy swimwear in the middle of summer (antidepression tip).

• Linen is for ladies with maids. Ditto white suits.
• Dry-clean-only clothes should occupy one-eighth of your wardrobe. It's less expensive, less toxic to the environment, and forces you to own three great suits instead of seven average items. Cheap fabrics that need expensive steam and dry cleaning to make them look good are a false economy.
• "Made in China" doesn't always mean "just throw it in the washing machine."
• Tight dresses in cheap, lightweight fabrics like rayon and poly-cotton have a feeble plastic memory and so bag out very quickly, especially over the derriere.
• One hundred per cent cotton sweaters lose their shape; look for silk blends and good cuts, but avoid acrylic. It pills like crazy.

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