Make post-holiday purchases count and avoid buyer's remorse by picking up items that will work for you all year long. You'll be excited to wear your finds right away, but don't want them to be a flash in the pan of your wardrobe. Make sure new pieces aren't too seasonal or too trend-driven.
Fashion To Buy Now and Wear All Year
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A Striped Top
Stripes are big this year, having played a heavy part on runways at Dolce & Gabbana, Marc Jacobs and Michael Kors. The perfect striped top is an easy wardrobe staple. Layer it over tees or under sweaters in the cold months, wear on its own most of the year, and play the chic beach bunny by throwing it on with your bikini bottoms or crisp white shorts for summers to come. This is the classic Petite Bateau Mariniere top, $87, but reasonable facsimiles abound.
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Metallic Clothing
The most modern way to wear metallic right now isn't in accessories, that's the easy way to get your shine on. Step up your game by purchasing metallic clothing. I'm really looking forward to seeing how the street style bloggers start wearing Burberry's Metallic Cotton Shirt, $650, this spring. On the runway it was paired with an equally loud multicolored metallic skirt, but in real life I think it will look most fashion forward with some washed out denim or other relaxed pieces. It is really easy for metallics to look cheap, so you might want to splurge a bit on this trend. This Derek Lam Metallic Cascade-Front Top, currently on sale for $103, and this PJK Patterson J. Kincaid Vena Metallic Leather Top, $288, are other versions that are a little less in-your-face but still luxe looking. It would be easy to play with pieces like these throughout the year, covering them up with a blazer to reveal just a bit during the day, or on their own in the evening.
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Sheer Details
Sheer details, especially in black, are around to stay for a while. A sheer dress like this Bailey 44 Venom Mesh-Top Ruched Long-Sleeve Dress, $207, is totally seasonless. It's important to keep things classy by not choosing anything too revealing. Keep all the body parts that are usually covered covered and don't pair a dress like this with sky-high heels. Wear it as simply as possible for the most modern, chic interpretation. No big mystery how to keep reinventing this piece - dress it up or down, add or take away layers as needed. Unexpectedly sweet sheer pieces can be found from Christopher Kane, Stella McCartney and Temperley London.
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Statement Jewelry
Sales are a great time to pick up awesome pieces of bold jewelry that don't always move off the shelves. Like any bold piece in your wardrobe, you'll often find more ways to wear it than you originally think. Sure, you can pair this ModCloth Statement of the Art Necklace, on sale for $34.99, with the perfect neckline and make it the focus of your look for a special occasion. Or you can wear it underneath a sweater with just a bit peeking out the top. You can just as easily wear a big piece of jewelry with jeans and a simple black T-shirt to really allow that cuff or ring to shine. Bold jewelry makes any outfit more special.
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An It Bag or Must-Have Shoe
This is the time to buy that popular accessory that you will wear everywhere all year round. The Fendi Silvana Flap Top Bag that Blair wore on Gossip Girl is on sale at Neiman Marcus for $2,083, just about $1,000 off. When a store is running a sale with a percentage off all merchandise, it's a great time to pick up something like the popular Manolo Blahnik bb pump. This site has a nude pair for 20% off. If you know it's going to be your main handbag for the year, it's easier to splurge on an investment piece you'll always be happy you have in your wardrobe.
