29 Basics From H&M, Zara, and Mango That Changed My Brain Chemistry

Do you ever wonder how you can have so many amazing statement styles with the prettiest colors, fabrics, and patterns but still feel like something in your wardrobe is off? I've recently been dealing with this problem, especially on days when I just want to go the simple route. After I did a closet audit, it became quite apparent that I lacked a selection of solid basics and staples to serve as the foundation for my wardrobe. While I love a bold, unique statement piece just as much as the next fashion person, there's something about having easily wearable, versatile pieces ready to go that just hits differently. Since I desperately needed to flesh out my closet staples and everyday basics, I took to H&M, Zara, and Mango for these wardrobe necessities.
Not only are these retailers incredibly affordable, but they also have über-stylish, elevated basics like no other. I'm on the hunt for tops, bottoms, outerwear, and simple staple shoes to serve as the building blocks of my wardrobe. Ahead, scroll through for a curation of the best spring basics I came across while hunting online at H&M, Zara, and Mango.

Chinazor "Chichi" Offor is a Georgia-born, Los Angeles–based associate editor who relocated from Brooklyn, New York, and joined Who What Wear's West Coast office in 2022. At WWW, she utilizes over 10 years of editorial experience to dish out shopping advice to the masses and analyze key pop-cultural moments. Chichi previously worked at Refinery29, where she helped revolutionize the brand’s plus-size and inclusive fashion coverage. In her spare time, she’s keeping up with the latest movie releases, enjoying a relaxing day at the spa, or obsessing over her latest ADHD-fueled hyperfixation (e.g., Jesse McCartney's underrated career, the negative effects of bicoastal intellectual elitism, and Gen Z’s loneliness epidemic). You can find her online @thechichio on Instagram.
-
This Dated Denim Pairing Is Suddenly the Chicest Way to Wear Jeans for Fall 2025
Easy and stylish.
-
I Work in Fashion—These Are the 10 Fall Investment Pieces I *Know* Are Worth It
See what made my list.
-
Digging Through Zara Is Not For The Faint Of Heart—Skip The Work & Check Out These 42 New Styles
The perfect fall transitional weather finds.
-
My Mom Only Shops Affordable Fashion—I Sent Her These 27 Chic Rich-Looking Pieces for Fall 2025
Everything is under $100.
-
Everything Who What Wear Editors Saw, Wore, Did, and Ate During NYFW
Let's dive in, shall we?
-
Paris Hilton's World: Her Pink Motorola Razr, Favorite Y2K Looks, and What 11:11 Media Means to Her
A glimpse into the life of this savvy entrepreneur.
-
My Mom Only Shops at T.J. Maxx and Marshalls—Here's What She Sent Me to Buy for Fall 2025
She had me at under-$100 Uggs and Levi's.
-
Sure, Trousers Are a Fall Staple, But IMO, Dresses Are So Much Better—33 Gorgeous Styles From Mango, Reformation, and Anthropologie
An underrated essential.