To ask what do you consider timeless clothing?

[letsjog]

Hoping for traffic to see lots of opinions!

What pieces would you or do you have in your wardrobe that are always "in" and look lovely regardless of the current trends?
Be it shoes, jackets or general clothing.
I'd love to hear some examples as I'm in the process of adding a few things to my wardrobe and would really like to go for timeless and classic staples (both everyday and formal/occasion wear) that will stand the test of time rather than be out of fashion in a year or so.

So can I ask the wise MM community what would you recommend I look for?

tunic, scapular, and cowl

Timeless clothing is surely related more to one's attitude, than to what one is wearing.

Fine fishnets under cropped slim black trousers and good heels are stunning.

Black fishnets are classic and cool.

[do we still do ‘gavel’ round here? It’s been a long time ]

Gavel is timeless 😉

I really love a black blazer

Can be worn for work/smarter occasions but casually too. I like wearing mine as a blazer dress, or with cycling shorts and t shirt/hoody, with a shirt dress and a belt etc

The Ralph Lauren look. Mid blue straight leg jeans. White, pale pink or pale blue cotton shirt. Cable knit jumper in either navy or grey. Classic blazer. Loafers or riding boots. Trench coat. Good quality leather bag. Plain jewellery. Maybe pearls.

Classic/timeless = boring and stuffy. I can't bear that preppy frumpiness. Branch out and wear something cool because you want to not because it's what Audrey Hepburn wore in the fifties 😂

@Notjustanymum

Anything Audrey Hepburn would wear.

She wore a lot of clothes that are were the reverse of ‘timeless’, though.

straight high waisted jeans
well cut navy blazer
navy & white striped t shirt
comfortable black socks
flat ankle boots (or small heel)

comfy jamas/loungewear

I think mine are all timeless. I hope so, I’ve had most things over a decade and some a bit longer.

F

Trench coat ( hobbs)
Biker leather jacket (hobbs)
Black wool coat ( jeager)
Blazer( max mara,)
All bought in sales and at least 5 yrs old or more
White shirts black slim leg trousers.
Good sandles and boots
Most important good fitting underwear

@Wellpark preppy frumpiness is exactly right!

I don’t understand why the “timeless” suggestions here contain so many Sloane Ranger nods.

Blue jeans with a pale shirt and a blazer?

It just seems to me that it’s held up as classic and timeless because it’s either tribal (if you’re upper middle class socio economic type bracket already) or aspirational if you’re not.

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/why-the-cool-crowd-cant-get-enough-of-the-sloane-ranger-look-9d5m9dsm8

I think classic or timeless items are basics which are adapted to match fashion. So blue jeans are a classic, but the shape will change every few years.
Also certain brands are classic - a Chanel handbag, converse trainers, Doc martens.
I also think that classic/timeless is anything you could wear and not be laughed at in the street. So court shoes might not be fashionable right now but no one would look at you funny if you wore a pair in public.

Striped tops, white shirts, camel coat, polo necks? (May be wrong there!) nice sunglasses and bag

What is ‘preppy frumpishness’?
I rather thought preppy was about looking like an American sorority fresher - all ponytails and large pearls earrings.

Blazers make me think of the early to mid 90s.

And yes, I also think a lot of the suggestions just sound frumpy.

I think there are a few items of clothes that always can look smart, black or navy slim trousers, white shirt, leather loafers (not with what’s fashionable now the slight platform sole) or ballet pumps, black pencil skirt, black or grey v or round neck jumper, black blazer and black fitted just below knee dress but all have to fit well

black leather jacket so many different styles biker, the blazer leatherjacket, fitted leather jacket I wouldn’t call this a classic item more a fashion item

I think there are certain clothes that always look good but may not look fashionable

Coats might be classic but if you are small many swamp you and won’t look classic at all

I love fishnets 🥰. One of my favourite outfits was black polo neck (tight) black fishtail pencil skirt (very slight fishtail) long black stiletto heeled boots worn with black fishnets which could just be seen when walking. It was a sexy look

Are sandals ever timeless? Are they acceptable outside a seaside town?
Please tell me a black biker jacket isn’t considered smart?

I do agree that a well fitted slim pair of black trousers and a white shirt (sorry: obligatory to say “crisp” 🤣) is always smart.

But... that’s why it’s the go-to uniform for waiting staff!

I think it’s more of a, “would you like a drink?” look than a timeless classic look 🙂

I don’t buy into timeless - everything is defined by time. One person's classic is another person’s dull and frumpy and there’s a lot of dull and frumpy on this thread - of course if you are slim and well polished you can make the dullest clothes look good - but it’s a fine line.

@Iamuhtredsonofuhtred

If you can imagine a Parisienne wearing it then it’s classic

When I visited Paris they were some of the scruffiest people I’d seen! I was expecting everyone to be dressed like Audrey Hepburn.

Fishnets??? Only timeless on stage at the Moulin Rouge, surely.

Preppy frumpiness encompasses many of the items mentioned here in this thread. In no particular order of frumpiness...Breton tops, blazers, silk blouses, white shirts, ballerina flats, pearls, slim three-quarter trousers especially chino fabric, white plimsoll type sneakers, trench coats, designer handbags. Yuk and a plague upon the lot of them!

Does it not rather depend on the activity and environment? You’d look pretty silly in a cardigan on a shoot. The rather fetching jerkin and cap from Farlows might look a little understated at the Cinnamon Club.