The Only 13 Items Of Clothing You’ll Feel Good About Having Spent Money On Decades From Now
Your future self will thank you.
by The Candidly Team
We are no strangers to having spent way too much money on items of clothing that end up collecting dust in our closets.
But now that we’re older and wiser, we understand that the clothes that are really worth their weight in gold have to do two things.
Be incredible in and of themselves.
Make the rest of our clothes look more expensive.
The clothes we feel good about splurging on are, of course, beautiful and impeccable quality, but they’re also trend-defying, so they lassst. Some like to call them “heirloom” pieces but that makes them sound like something we’d store in the attic when really these are the clothes we turn to every day because they guarantee we look luxe and chic and like we have a firm grip on personal style.
There are 13 of these items that we strongly believe every 35+ woman needs at her disposal. They’re gorgeous. They’re classic. And each one will elevate all the $18 things you threw in your cart at Target, so you truly don’t have to spend anywhere else.
1. The Cocooning Cashmere Cardi
Quince Mongolian Cashmere Oversized Boyfriend Cardigan Sweater
As “cozy people” who love to layer, swaddling ourselves in cashmere will never get old. This oversized cashmere cardigan comes in every neutral hue, each one more undyingly chic than the last. The crazy part is it costs 3x less than the exact same style from certain other brands. And because of this price difference, coupled with the fact that we live in this sweater from September to April, we naturally bought it in two colors.
Price: $150
2. The Drapey, Tailored Trousers
The Avery Elastic-Back Trousers by Maeve
We do a lot of shouting from the rooftops about these trousers, because they are genuine perfection. No pants nip our waists or flatter our hips or lengthen our legs to this degree. The draping is so precise that they somehow look exactly right on everyone. In fact, we even bought two pairs, hemming one to wear with flats and sneaks and leaving the other long to wear with heels and boots. We’ve never regretted a purchase less.
Here you can see one of our own, wearing (I believe the kids call it styling) these pants with the above sweater.
Price: $148
3. The Chic Trench
This is the only trench you will ever need in your life. The French brand Sézane makes one so flawless, it sells out every season and forces women to post wanted ads in Sézane fan Facebook groups. No comment on whether or not we belong to one. But alas, le trench is back. And if you do not already own a perfect trench, we beckon you to invest in this one. It will be one of the easiest, chicest, most layerable things in your closet, and the only thing sure to make you look like Audrey Hepburn even thrown on over a literal sweat set.
Price: $305
4. The Lifetime Handbag
If there were a drinking game telling you to take a drink every time you saw this bag on our site, you’d probably be drunk enough to already have purchased it in 3 different colors. There are obviously many designer bags out there that capture our hearts, but this one just earns a 10 in every category. The size. The shape. The comfort of the crossbody. It’s classic but still original, sophisticated but still fun (I mean, just look at all the colors and textures).
Here’s one of us with the smooth tan version that we carry with us every day.
And you can see even more of our team, wearing and fawning over it HERE. We are totally unsponsored by Clare V. by the way (or any other brand on this list for that matter). Though we continue to dream - maybe one day…
Price: $435 - $485
5. The Crisp, White Button-Down
Breathe deep. We know we’re about to suggest you spend $195 on a button-down. But here’s the deal, we’ve spent years studying white button-downs. We practically run a lab in our offices. There are others that are good. Some very good. But this one is the best. And because a button-down is the most foolproof shirt in our closet that we can throw on with a skirt or jeans or every pair of pants or leave open over a fitted dress, and every single time, we will look elegant, we don’t mind investing once in the best and reaping the rewards for a lifetime.
Price: $195
6. The Trend-Proof Black Boots
First, let’s just take a moment to reflect on the pure and simple beauty of this shoe.
Ok, now we get to tell you that it’s also crazy comfortable (block heels are heaven for those of us who hate heels). The leather is breathable, the insole's cushioned, and they’re waterproof, so they feel somewhat invincible.
It’s hard to picture a more appealing “lifetime” boot. Here is one of us wearing them below (take a drink if you noticed the above bag this time in matching black).
Our obsession with these boots runs deep enough that the same anonymous person above also bought them in almond and white. And most of us own at least two of those colors.
And due to our sheer love, Nisolo was good enough to give us a code to share with you: Use CANDIDLY20 to get 20% off.
Price: $250
7. The Single Most Flattering LBD
BHLDN Hayden Strapless Stretch Crepe Midi Dress
We had this fantasy of the little black dress we could pluck from our closet anytime there’s an occasion and just know without even glancing in a mirror that we look our absolute best. Well, my friends, this is that dress. The fabric molds your curves just so, while the ruching is so forgiving on your midsection. It also sizes in plus, but be warned, it sells out constantly on the Anthropologie site. So if they have your size, be swift.
Price: $198
8. The “Nice” Pajamas
Negative Whipped Track Pant and Whipped Henley
We don’t love the term self-care. But we do believe in what it stands for. That said, owning these pajamas is an act of self-care. In our lives, we’ve spent thousands of dollars on tattered, crappy polyester PJs that stiffen and pill and tatter so quickly, we have to replace them every year with a new pair that again, only stays soft for all of 3 wears. There is nothing like the wispy soft, gorgeous feeling of Negative pajamas (and underwear by the way). The stretchy “whipped” micro modal fabric is imported from Austria, and we never want to remove it from our skin. Consequently, these pajamas are the best gift we’ve ever been given and the best gift we’ve ever given to some of the worthy women in our lives.
Price: $190 for the pants, $125 for the henley, $75 for the cami
9. The Suede Pump
The entire reason the brand Inez came into existence is because they wanted to make absolutely drool-worthy shoes that are orthopedically comfortable. And they have succeeded. These black pumps might be the most striking example.
Price: $268
10. The Luxe Wool Coat
We first discovered Marcella when we saw this incredible cream coat. Owning a cream coat already felt like a revelation - it matches everything and yet, also elevates our outfits to new levels of chicness. But forget the color. This coat comes in 6 perfect shades, but the fit is what makes it standout. We can move our arms, layer it over our chunkiest sweaters, and it still falls in a clean, sleek way that feels totally timeless. Oh, and the size range is amazing.
Price: $365
11. The Statement Belt
We bought this belt because, quite frankly, it costs a lot less than a Gucci bag. And unlike a bag, this belt is a permanent part of our outfit. It has a magical way of making any boring old jeans or pants outfit we wear into a stunningly styled “look.” Just look at it with our beloved black pants from above and our fav jean jacket.
We’ve bought plenty of plain black belts in our day, but none of them touch what this one belt can do to all our clothes. Spring once, enjoy forever.
Oh, and if the sizing confuses you, here’s a little guide. A size 65 in the Gucci belt is equivalent to a US size 00. Sizes go up in increments of 5, so size 70=0, 75=2, 80=4, 85=6, 90=8, 95=10, 100=12, 105=14, 110=16, 115=18, 120=20.
Price: $365
12. The Sweater Coat
Modern Citizen Eames Organic Cotton-Wool Button Cardigan
We fell in love with this tailored shape of sweater when we saw THIS iconic look. Wear it with any pair of jeans, and we get to look tailored and polished and like we have the perfect silhouette. But the kicker is it feels like a sweater - soft and lovely and comforting. So we wear it more than almost any jacket or sweater in our closet as a result. Also comes in a pretty color called buckwheat, which we pair with ankle jeans and ballet flats for a graceful work/ “going out” outfit.
Price: $168
13. The Enormous Cozy Scarf
Behold, the long, cozy scarf of our collective winter dreams. Wraps for days. Stuns in every color.
Price: $118
At The Candidly, we try a lot of stuff so you don’t have to. We only recommend things we truly love, and that we think you’ll love, too. All products are chosen independently by our creative team, and all details reflect the price and availability of products at the time of publication. If you buy something we link to, The Candidly may earn a commission.
We have to eat.
