My Friend Wants to Elevate Her 2025 Wardrobe—I Sent Her These 15 Key Buys


As a fashion editor, I receive a lot of shopping requests asking for help hunting down a pair of shoes or an outfit for a wedding, but the one thing I get texted about constantly is advice in building an everyday capsule wardrobe that will look polished and sophisticated. Just last week, a friend asked if I could send her a curated edit of items that would help to elevate her already existing wardrobe.
In short, I think the secret to a polished look lies in the finer details—small tweaks to silhouette, color, and fabric can help elevate an otherwise basic item and make something look more design-led and considered. Below are the 15 items I sent to a friend who asked me for help with a New Year wardrobe. She wanted to focus on elevated basics and foundational pieces that would form the backbone of her day-to-day looks.
Before being tempted by 2025's shiny new trends, it's worth doing a thorough audit of your existing wardrobe and carving out some time to think about any gaps, along with the looks you always feel best in. If you then want to add some elegant, forever pieces, keep reading for the 15 key buys I sent to my friend (and would like to buy for myself, too).
My 15 Key Buys

Emma is a freelance fashion editor with over 15 years experience in industry, having worked at The Telegraph, Grazia and, most recently, British Vogue. Emma was part of the founding team of Who What Wear UK, where she worked for six years as Deputy Editor and then Editor—helping shape the team into what it is today is one of the biggest privileges of her career and she will always see herself as a Who What Wear girl, contributing to both the US and UK sites. Whether she's writing about runway trends or spotlighting emerging brands, she aims to write about fashion in a way that is democratic and doesn't promote over consumption.
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