Capsule wardrobes can feel like an impossibility in the era of warp speed TikTok trends. Items you’ll buy in your twenties or thirties and wear for decades? They do, in fact, exist.

Assembled with care, a capsule wardrobe is a style ecosystem you can mix and match ad infinitum. Generally, capsule wardrobes are made up of pieces that transcend trendiness: a straight-leg jean, a khaki trench coat, a staple sweater. Within those basic guidelines, you can experiment with textures and colors to find what feels like you.

Wearing fewer, better garments is a step toward a more sustainable closet. You don’t need endless newness when you can remix your favorite pieces creatively. And isn’t getting dressed more fun when you’re wearing what you really love—more than once? To curate your capsule wardrobe edit, we asked a few experts for their essentials and selected a few of our personal favorites. Whether you’re already in progress or you’re building from the bottom shelf up, the following categories are the foundations of a forever wardrobe. Read on for the 9 items that make the ultimate cut.

The Classic Jean

Denim trends come and go, but one style is forever: straight-leg jeans.

“Straight legs are the new essential denim silhouette and can be seamlessly styled for both dress-up and casual moments,” Kate Bellman, managing fashion editor at Nordstrom, tells us. “There is a diverse variety in washes from soft vintage washes to super dark and refined, so you can take your pick based on your occasion.” Denim brands are also wisening up to eco-friendly, long-lasting design techniques, so they’re even more inherently environmentally approachable.

The Go-to T-shirt

The importance of a great t-shirt can’t be overstated. “This piece goes with everything, and makes all of your outfits effortless,” Miyako Nakamura, creative director of M.M.LaFleur, says. “It even adds more charm the longer you own it.”

Whether you’re more likely to choose a boxy cropped t-shirt or a form-fitting crewneck, remember these tees are for more than tucking into denim. They can anchor a sharp suiting set or slide under a strappy dress. Fabrications like organic or pima cotton make for the softest everyday shirts.

The Blazer

Blazers have always been an essential power piece, a confidence boost in a padded shoulder. Standard offerings like black crepe or tweed fit are capsule wardrobe material. But for slightly a more seasonal twist, try a blazer in relaxed linen or a shade that can become your signature.

The Pleated Trouser

Every blazer needs a pant to go with it. A roomy trouser is the perfect match—and can solve almost any wardrobe dilemma. “Classic trousers are always the right answer to, ‘what the hell am I going to wear?!'” agrees Shanna Goldstone, founder of plus-size brand Pari Passu.

Whether in black wool or ivory linen, trousers pair as easily with an oversized button-down as a fitted tee or tank. If classic pants have yet to reappear in your wardrobe, legging-trouser hybrids are also worthy of capsule status. With the same tailored look in a more flexible fabric, “they keep you looking sharp while feeling as comfortable as if you were wearing workout leggings,” Nakamura says. Take your pick of the shades and fabrications below.

The Updated Trench

Structured, streamlined, timeless. There are several reasons why trench coats are the only outerwear deserving of capsule wardrobe status. For 2022, you can lean toward the traditional look or try on a remixed trench for size. “While always a classic in a neutral palette and a traditional fabrication like gaberdine, this season we’ve seen some incredible fashion updates, from vibrant colors to new materials such as leather and nylon,” Nordstrom’s Bellman says.

The Staple Sweater

For some people, it’s a turtleneck; for others, it’s a cropped crewneck. But you know this knit when you see it. “This is the sweater you can wear on its own, layer under a blazer, tuck into high waisted jeans, or wear over leggings,” Intermix chief merchant Divya Mathur tells us. For maximum wearability, stick with go-tos like cream, gray, and camel, or a nautical stripe if you’re feeling adventurous. The capsule wardrobe sweater is one you’ll wear forever—and that won’t go in and out of style with whatever Pantone chooses as the color of the year.

The Slip Dress

Slip dresses were arguably the first form of pajama dressing. They’ve transcended their bedroom origins, by way of nineties grunge, to become a true staple. Layer with a t-shirt underneath or a sweater on top—the more contrast with the dress’s silky fabric, the newer each outfit will feel. This is also a piece where color play is encouraged. Black and navy are foundational shades, but mauve and opal green inject some interest into your capsule wardrobe. Even minimalists want to detour from navy at times.

The Button-down

“The beauty of a good Oxford is that it only gets better with age,” Goldstone says. For a shirt you’ll wear with everything, “find a classic fit: not too big, but not too tight.” Once you ID your favorite button-down in crisp white, double up with the same style in a blue poplin or a stripe.

The Versatile Jumpsuit

Here’s a curveball entry for your capsule wardrobe. “This one doesn’t always get a spot on the list, but a versatile jumpsuit is a wardrobe essential for me because it’s a one and done look,” Mathur says. Whether you’re more in the mood for a utility boiler suit, or gravitate toward breezy, wide-leg styles, a quick change in accessories can take any jumpsuit style from the work day to a night out.