The secret to good style? Striking a balance between elevated basics and signature pieces. In this post, I’ll show you how to tell the difference, why the best items often do both, and how I’m applying this balance in my own wardrobe and shopping.
I’m pretty sure you wear 20% of your wardrobe 80% of the time.And this 20%? It’s made of your elevated basics and your signature pieces.
I intend to bring awareness to quality over quantity, and to slowly guide us toward a better balance: more elevated basics, more signature pieces, less clutter and chaos.
!!! If you have too many basics, outfits can feel flat or one-dimensional. Too many signatures, and your looks are strong, but they might miss grounding and ease. The sweet spot is somewhere in between. !!!
The idea for this post came as I was reflecting on what I’m heavily rotating lately. Honestly, I feel like I’m wearing a variation of the same thing every day… and the secret is that it’s a mix of elevated basics and signature pieces. So here I am, sharing my insights with you.
My motto in life is “Always give yourself the best.” (I even designed a graphic tee with that phrase.) This is what I want for everyone reading this: to stop compromising on poor quality and average fit, and start upgrading and get the best option available. Elevate your basics. Say yes to those signature pieces that have your name on them. Build a wardrobe of pieces that make you feel fabulously you, no matter the agenda. It takes time and intentionality.
→ Whenever I am adding something to my wardrobe, I make sure it will fall in the category “elevated basics” or “signature piece”, and I say no to everything that feels like clutter or adding chaos (don’t buy a problem!) (hi, abandoned cart, sorry!)
ELEVATED BASICS = YOUR STYLE FOUNDATION
It’s simple: elevated basics make getting dressed easy.
They go with everything, seamlessly.
They’re your “grab and go” pieces, your grounding force. The clothes, bags, shoes, and accessories that support you every day.
Everyday items, but designed with intention.
Think: a great cut that just works, fabric that feels good against the skin, proportions that feel interesting rather than default.
Elevated basics give your signature pieces room to breathe.
They are the good foundations — the ones you reach for multiple times a week, rotate constantly, and actually miss when they’re in the laundry basket (true story!).
So, what makes a basic elevated?
Here’s your checklist. For clothes, bags, shoes, accessories…
Fabric quality
Natural fibers: wool, cashmere, silk, linen, or blends that feel good against the skin
Shoes and bags: leather
Weight & drape: how does it feel on your body? how does it move? does it feel like a second skin, so good that you don’t want to take it off?
It feels premium
Fabric that ages well (and gets better with wear)
Check the care label: these are pieces meant to be heavily rotated. Sorry, but dry clean only is not realistic for true basics!
Fit & proportion
Intentional cut (no generic necklines)
It should feel like the design team actually thought about it: slightly oversized, cropped, elongated, or tailored
Try to describe the fit. If the words that come up are “average,” “basic,” or “regular,” it will feel average/basic/regular when you wear it
Details & construction
Subtle design details that shift the vibe: seam placement, hem shape, styling versatility, neckline finish
Hardware or fastenings that look intentional and high quality
For a bag: is it light when it’s empty, easy to carry around?
Color clarity
In Tibi Ring 1 (black) or Ring 2 (neutrals). For a basic to feel elevated, precision matters:
black that is deep and true
white that is crisp, optic white
navy that is inky, midnight blue
brown that is rich
grey that is smoky
etc.
A no-color color, one of those soft, muted neutrals (read the series: part 1, part 2, part 3), can be an elevated basic, if the design (fit, fabric, details) choices are intentional.
Versatility check
Can you wear it for play (leisure), work (office, meetings), and dinner (going out)?
Can you style it into 3+ outfits?
Can you wear it tomorrow, with your existing wardrobe?
Longevity
Feels like it will last years, not weeks!
Something you’d be excited to repair or re-purchase because it’s that useful
→ Can you go to your wardrobe and take inventory? Which existing basic pieces would you like to upgrade to the “elevated” status, so that you feel great every day? Then, make your shopping list accordingly.
SIGNATURE PIECES = YOUR STYLE IDENTITY
Signature pieces feel special because they make you feel special when you wear them. When I write “signature pieces”, please also read “signature styling”!!
They’re the pieces that make people say: “That’s so you.”
They can be bold or subtle, loud or quiet, but they always send a strong signal.
They’re the secret sauce that stops your basics from looking basic.
And remember: this isn’t just about pieces. It can also be about your signature styling — the way you always cuff a sleeve, layer jewelry, or tie a scarf…
The repetition of how you wear something can be just as recognisable as the piece itself.
So, what makes a piece signature?
Here’s your checklist:
Emotional pull
You felt something the first time you saw it, and you still feel it every time you wear it
It taps into your core identity: empowered, sophisticated, playful, grounded, elegant, serene…
It connects to your story (it’s vintage, it was a gift, or something you bought for a milestone moment)
Recognition factor
It’s the color, silhouette, or detail people associate with you
It feels like your own formula
If you lost it, you’d replace it immediately!
Distinct design detail
A shape, texture, or material that sets it apart
Can be subtle or bold, quiet or loud, but it always feels intentional
The details define the vibe
Aligned with your style words
Wearing it reinforces your style words: it’s your vibe
If your words are chill, modern, classic, your signature might be a slouchy oversized blazer in a sporty nylon fabric (like this)
Repetition
Consistency and repetition reinforce your signature
It’s expected that you’ll show up this way, because it’s “so you”
If you keep gravitating toward the same color, shape, or print, it’s probably a signature
Timelessness
It’s not a one-season fling. Would you wear it tomorrow? Next year? In 5 years?
Even if it rotates out, it always finds its way back.
→ Can you go to your wardrobe and take inventory? Which pieces are your “signature”? When browsing online or going in store, pay attention to what feels “emotionally” charged, like a full-body yes (even if it’s not practical, it feels essential).
So. Elevated basics vs Signature pieces.
Remember, only you will know if a piece of clothing or accessory is an elevated basic or a signature piece. Why? Because the distinction is about how the piece functions in your style ecosystem.
Is it practical, simple, easy, essential in function, your grab & go, with a premium feel? → elevated basics
Is it your distinctive piece, feeling “so you”, lightening you up when you wear it, defining and translating your vibe? → signature pieces
→ You can screenshot this or save it so that you’ll always know what is what:
But guess what? The real magic of your personal style and a great outfit happens when pieces can be both elevated basics AND signature pieces.
THE SECRET TO GOOD STYLE…
The balance between elevated basics and signature pieces is really the balance between blending in and standing out.
Elevated basics anchor you in the world; signature pieces (and signature styling) make you unforgettable in it. Together, they give you style that feels both wearable and distinctively yours. When building your outfit, make sure you use items that ensure you’re dressed just right for the moment your in, using intentionally chosen pieces with an elevated feel, and items that carry your style vibe, your identity, sparking this “that’s so you”.
THE INTERSECT
Remember what I said? Only you can decide if something is an elevated basic, a signature piece, or both — doing double duty. Why? Because only you know the function that piece serves in your life.
On the left: My elevated basics are my grab-and-go pieces. They fit exactly how I want them to, they make me feel grounded and confident. They’re elevated because of the trifecta: great quality + easy care + timeless design. And yes — I miss them when they’re in the laundry pile.
On the right: My signature pieces feel like they were made for me. They give me that “full body yes” from the moment I saw them or tried them on. Have to have, but also heavily rotated.
In the middle: These are the elevated basics that became instant signature pieces. I’d wear them every day — for play, work, or dinner. I call them my “Essentials”. They’re versatile, they feel unmistakably me, and they elevate everything else I pair them with.
I found it — the perfect balance between structured and slouchy.
Not too small, not too big.
A simple, practical, easy bag for every day. On one hand, it’s an elevated basic: a core essential I can reach for without thinking. But it also has the potential to become a signature piece — something that feels truly me, with a strong, defining IYKYK vibe.
Black leather with gold hardware has always been my signature in bags, so this one already feels effortlessly mine.
Here is a 5-min video about this bag! Watch it here, just press play:
Should I do a Part 2? Maybe with a lookbook to show you how all the pieces work together, and ideas for you to recreate the outfits with what you already have? Is it helpful? What are your burning questions? What is currently on your shopping list? What do you need the most right now: elevated basics? signature pieces? signature styling ideas? Let me know!
Don’t forget to like this post (it doesn’t cost you anything, and it helps the publication SO MUCH), save this post, send it to a friend, restack it to your Substack network, and let me know your thoughts in the comments!
I find your posts so USEFUL. The way you explain things is truly accessible. Only yesterday I started tagging items in my wardrobe that felt like ‘hero’ pieces and trying to articulate to myself why they felt that way or what it was that made them heroes was tricky at times (sometimes I just knew they were but didn’t know why). Now having read this it feels MUCH simpler and instinctively I know exactly what’s what now. I’ve only been finding my personal style in the last year or so, for decades I just threw stuff on but I’m enjoying discovering and unlocking my style, and honestly your posts have been so helpful in doing that (and I literally only stumbled upon your content recently with the amazing ring3 posts!). Thank you, and yes a part two definitely welcome!
I'm SO HAPPY that I stumbled upon you recently. Your posts are so helpful. I keep rereading them like I'm studying for an exam. At 62, I feel like I'm finally figuring out my style and I'm working hard towards removing the clutter.
I find your posts so USEFUL. The way you explain things is truly accessible. Only yesterday I started tagging items in my wardrobe that felt like ‘hero’ pieces and trying to articulate to myself why they felt that way or what it was that made them heroes was tricky at times (sometimes I just knew they were but didn’t know why). Now having read this it feels MUCH simpler and instinctively I know exactly what’s what now. I’ve only been finding my personal style in the last year or so, for decades I just threw stuff on but I’m enjoying discovering and unlocking my style, and honestly your posts have been so helpful in doing that (and I literally only stumbled upon your content recently with the amazing ring3 posts!). Thank you, and yes a part two definitely welcome!
I'm SO HAPPY that I stumbled upon you recently. Your posts are so helpful. I keep rereading them like I'm studying for an exam. At 62, I feel like I'm finally figuring out my style and I'm working hard towards removing the clutter.