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?

I don't buy into timeless either. The black trousers / shirt combo or those stripe shirts are pretty frumpy to me.

Other than shoes I can't see a huge number of items that you'd want to wear for decades.

Just pick items that fit you well and you love!

This video for George Harrison's I Got My Mind Set On You (there are two official ones) features an attractive young couple in blue jeans and white tops. Admittedly, the girl's is a crop top, but you can still tell it's from the 80s, and not just by her high ponytail with the wide band and big jewellery. Bright white shirts or tops always look kind of 80s to me; I think most people look better in warmer whites, like cream, ivory or ecru. Obviously these kids are 20 year old music video models so they'd look amazing in anything.

The ballerina looks pretty timeless, though. Tutus are the answer.

(What the hell is George wearing?)

I mean, you can still tell they're both from the 80s even in blue jeans and white tops.

I always wanted to look good in a pair of Levis 501s and a white t shirt with a pair of DMs - but I was not blessed with skinny thighs - I wish I'd had that wisdom in the 1980s and moved on.

I should have said below... I think nowadays almost every style is in fashion so to some extent timeless. You can wear skinny means, flares, mom jeans, boot cut... Everything goes!

Peacocks slim cut jeggings fit my big bum and tummy. I have a mixture of cheap and dearer things in my wardrobe and I take care of things so they last for years. The best cardigan I have was a Primark find. I stopped buying women's magazines years ago as I was sick of the bs that passed for fashion advice. I happened to read GH last week and the fashion section was full of items that were just too expensive and downright ugly. On another note, I don't buy into that so-called Parisian chic. They are skinny because they smoke and exist on fizzy water and cream crackers.

I worked for a French company 2 years ago and went to Paris a lot. Yes the smoking rate was shocking. It was very much everyone wearing black in the office. The London offices were in Camden. The French team loved the London fashion for how varied and individual it is as they said French style is very restrictive.

i agree with the fishnets!! they’re so versatile IMO!
also:
doc martens
oversized knit jumpers and cardigans
denim jackets
black tights
midi skirts
flannel
graphic t-shirts

@Redburnett

Great advice from Rabbit - except for the fishnet tights, cannot believe anyone would include those!

Because they're fun. Jeez, lighten up.

I suppose there is an oceanic divide between ‘timeless’ and classic/classy. I tend to think of then as synonymous, but of course, they are not.
Fishnets have been around since music hall days, so I guess are fairly timeless but certainly not classic or smart.
T shirts are never going to be HC, but have earned their place over decades.

But I think it's small details like fishnets that move classic items from dull and frumpy to interesting and modern. The problem with Classic items is that they are often the background items if you have no star pieces - you will look frumpy not classy.

When did T-shirt’s become “tee’s”, I hate this term and I’m not sure why, likewise with white shirts always having to be “crisp”.

anything plain and "neutral" in colour eg black, beige, grey coloured. Classic fits and tailoring.

Following on from this - where do you buy your wardrobe??

I’m in a problem zone where I was a mature student so wore primark into my late 20’s. I now have a great salary and can afford probably to buy clothes wherever (bar crazy designer brands like Chanel etc). But I don’t know where to go!!!!

I’ve moved from primark to getting clothes from next but I don’t think they’re good quality. I’m just spending a bit more on clothes that don’t look great.

Like where do you buy good jeans?

@Blueskyredcloud

But I think it's small details like fishnets that move classic items from dull and frumpy to interesting and modern. The problem with Classic items is that they are often the background items if you have no star pieces - you will look frumpy not classy.

I agree about the items to lift plain classic clothing. I can’t see fishnets as that item. I cannot see past chorus lines and alleyways image, I’m afraid.

I’d think jewellery was what lifted the outfit. Not tawdry market place pieces, but timeless pieces that you have invested in (or better still, been gifted) alongside the decent camel coat and LBD. Not brash diamonds during the day but nice amber, amethyst or pearl pieces.

I agree about the items to lift plain classic clothing. I can’t see fishnets as that item. I cannot see past chorus lines and alleyways image, I’m afraid. I don't have strong feelings about fishnets - they aren't something I'd wear but they do add interest and a welcome change from the frumpy Tory wife style that has been frequently pushed on this thread.

Timeless would be anything that's been around for a few decades, and if you saw someone wearing it wouldn't look like period dress-up. Of course, some of them would be slightly different style through the decades. Not sure why everything has to be pre-fixed with black/white/beige/blue/grey for it to be timeless or classic.

Not a big fan of some of these, but:
T-shirts
Sweatshirts
Crew neck jumpers
Jeans
Trench coat, camel coat
Blazer
Kaftan-y thing
Fit and flare dresses
Ankle grazers
Womens' shoes with heels and a bit of a platform to them
Jewellery, styles come and go so not sure what would be timeless - expensive does not equal timeless

@LemonRoses what makes an identical piece of jewellery that one woman has bought and one woman has been gifted, better than the other?

The gifted thing is just romanticising!

Have something that is meaningful to you personally is lovely... but it doesn’t make it any more “classic” or “timeless”.

White 'pumps' (loathe the term 'pumps') and fishnets? These are ghastly and to be avoided at all costs.
Most timeless items have been covered multiple times above, which clearly shows there is consensus of sort.
Cashmere cardigan, well, nah, however cashmere jumpers are always in, in neutral colours and with neckline that suits the wearer best.

timeless pieces that you have invested in (or better still, been gifted)

How on earth would being given the jewellery change how it looks?

MaxMara coats

White cotton towelling dressing gown

Jewelled sandals in the summer, been around since Jackie O used to have them made in Capri

Black puffa coat with real fur hood

Shirtwaister dresses

How can anything with real fur be considered timeless?

Regardless of your personal position on fur in clothing, you have to agree that real fur is a huge no for a considerable number of people.

Of course, fake fur on a kid’s parka... that seems to have never been out of fashion since the 70s 🤣

To be honest, I think that comments about real fur and the obsession with cashmere and silk shirts just show a snobbery about what is “classic”. Expensive, then?

Certainly some natural fibres last longer, and I understand the comments for that reason. But I do think there’s a risk of a snobbish element. Remember that in the case of fur, there’s been an issue that some manufacturers have used real fur and claimed it’s fake - because fake is so realistic now. There are some great man made materials.

Knee length black boots, trench coats, ballet flats, long line belted cardigans, 'diamond' earrings.

Any well fitted basics in a nice fabric.

Snobbery is inevitable in these sorts of discussions because all of us think we are the arbiters of good taste and what is classic

I wouldn't be seen dead in a lot of the stuff that others have declared classic and timeless. And I look shit in a white, button up shirt, no matter how "crisp" or "well fitting" or whatever the fabric.

Which makes me think that the earlier posters who said there's no such thing might be right. The only things that might be are the vintage style stuff because that's supposed to look like it's from the 40s or 50s, whenever you wear it. And even then, you often find a lot of contemporary twists on it.

I think fishnets are classic, they've been around for decades, anyway give me fishnets over a boring beige trench coat any day! I prefer Moulin Rouge to Inspector Gadget