I'm a Gen Z Fashion Editor—These Are the 7 Timeless Pieces I'm Investing In Now

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(Image credit: @balencianas; Pictured: Rolex Stainless Steel Datejust ($2995))

There comes a time in every woman's life when the endless pile of clothes bought in high school and college no longer fits in with the rest of your wardrobe. For too many years, I've been a victim of ill-fated, short-lived trends that exploded in popularity when I was 16 or 17, only to buy a few of-the-moment pieces and never wear them again. No shame, though. It happens to the best of us. 

Now that I've moved into my post-graduate life filled with electricity bills, taxes, and office happy hours, I've realized the importance of building a wardrobe that's meant to last. While I'm the first person to hop on a trendy style or ultra-cool garment, buying investment pieces just as I'm entering adulthood is one of the smarter moves I've made so far. Not only are they made of quality materials made to last, but they're also timeless. I won't need to swap them out every season, and I'll be saving money in the long run. As a fashion-obsessed editor who loves to spend her paycheck on cute clothing more than anything, these purchases were at the top of my list when I began upgrading my wardrobe after college. 

Scroll through to see all the Gen Z–friendly pieces I've added to my closet that are sure to last me a lifetime. 

A Neutral Puffer Jacket

Shop more puffer jackets:

A Chic Watch

Shop more watches:

Straight-Leg Trousers

Shop more trousers:

A Cashmere Sweater

Shop more cashmere sweaters:

Medium-Wash Denim

Shop more medium-wash denim:

Elevated Leather Sneakers

Shop more elevated sneakers:

A Colorful Printed Sweater

Shop more colorful knitwear:

Next, see the best investment pieces for fall/winter 2022.

Assistant Shopping Editor
Ana Escalante is an award-winning journalist and Gen Z editor whose work ranges from dissecting size inclusivity at fashion week to discussing how American Girl Doll meme accounts are the the answer to society's collective spiral. She's covered it all: Queen Elizabeth II's corgis, Roe v. Wade frontline protests, and the emergence of jorts (or jean shorts for the uninitated). At Who What Wear, Ana is responsible for delivering smart, insightful, personality-driven shopping guides and trend features for a digital-first generation.Before joining Who What Wear, Ana was Glamour magazine's editorial assistant, where she focused on daily news and special packages, including leading the brand's 2022 Met Gala coverage. For more than half a decade, she has covered style, beauty, and digital culture for publications such as Paper magazine, Harper's Bazaar, Vogue Japan, and Allure, among others. Ana has been called a rising star in media by publications such as Nylon and Teen Vogue. (Her mother, meanwhile, calls her "the coolest person" she knows.)