We read a lot of blogs and newsletters from style ‘influencers’ and sometimes there are specific items or brands that keep popping up everywhere by those supposedly ‘in the know’. When a brand or specific item is seen a lot, and by people we trust, we know it’s something more than just good PR!
The theme of these brands/items is ‘better basics’. They are higher priced, super well-made button-downs, tees, pjs, shoes, jewelry, and more. These are items to purchase when you want one really nice item that’ll last for years, instead of multiple cheaper ones over time.
Today we read a blog by a stylish woman who lost everything in the LA fires and of the five items she replaced first (her ‘wear everyday can’t live without items’), two were Chrissie’s favorite tees from this list (the Sold Out NYC tee and the PerfectWhiteTee Hendrix tee). This is a good list!
So here is our FabList of brands and items to have on your radar.
Shirts:
Comme Si is a brand that is popping up everywhere these days, and we see why. We’ve talked about their socks (love them), and they are also known for their loungewear, but it is this Le Shirt Classica that everyone is chatting about! The perfect blue! The best beige! Pink stripes! One of these is on our wish lists for an investment piece classic.
This brand has also been everywhere recently! Tailored pants and shirting from Italian fabrics at fair price points for the quality offered. Their ‘Next Ex’ shirt – a cropped button-down – is super popular, and if it’s too cropped for you also check out their Day After High Low Button-Up Shirt and their wide-leg pants, longer shirts, and more.
Sold Out NYC makes better basics. Their Everything Shirt in particular gets a lot of chatters, and the Signature Polo Sweater and Signature Crew Sweater also are much talked-about bestsellers. Chrissie got their Iconically Soft Perfect Tee in white (comes in 7 colors) after reading a lot about it and at first thought it was just a basic tee…but now finds it’s a ‘top of the pile’ tee that she pulls out to wear under sweaters or with jeans (nice quality cotton, not too tight or too loose, has a nice seam down the back, and a good crew neckline).
The Carolyn Shirt is a FabList favorite. The perfect outfit canvas, she can be worn just as easily for a dressed-up evening look (think CBKennedy), as she can with jeans (or a pareo) for a polished everyday look. Available in white, light blue, and coal. We love this short sleeved button down with a french cuff as well – a great spring basic!
Chrissie is always on the hunt for the perfect white tee, so when she happened upon a store with this name a few years back in NYC she was thrilled. These shirts are also on the top of her pile. They are not cheap…but they really hang/fit so well (and if you can find them on sale even better)! The brand has now picked up steam and has ventured into sweatshirts and more, continuing their focus on comfort and quality. Chrissie loves their Harley and the Hendrix – a great basic (slightly oversized) crew and a great basic (also not tight) v-neck (the grey is a bit different material than the white and is SUPER soft).
Loungewear/Sleepwear
This new-to-us brand makes beautiful sleepwear. The Oasis robe is spa-worthy, and the Sierra robe looks like you’re wearing the best cozy blanket – love it! Have a look at their bestsellers, as pretty much all of their loungewear and sleepwear looks fab!
We’ve talked about the quality and comfort of Lake sleep and loungewear before, but bring it up again as their Pima robe (with tie-in belt so it won’t fall off!) has been pointed out as a great one. Chrissie loves their Relax Pants Set which is made of such great cotton that hangs well (has some weight to it without being too hot) and is SO COMFY. This PJ set looks great…and for anyone with grandbabies out there they have great options as well.
Jeans:
These jeans get talked about a LOT. We haven’t personally tried the brand yet, but wanted to include them as their denim keeps popping up with a big fan following. Lots of styles from which to choose.
AYR jeans are a new classic. The Secret Sauce style looks incredible, is wildly comfortable, and comes in three lengths and 4 washes. The Knock Out in color cream soda is on Jo’s list. Chrissie has had a few of their tshirts and loves the cotton – the Early Mornings Tee is a great oversized casual option that comes in great stripe colorways as well as solids.
These aren’t new to us but deserve another mention – many FabListers swear by these jeans! The Shon jean is great for a looser fit (we also love the non-denim style) and the Otis looks perfect!
Shoes:
Such beautifully made shoes and accessories. All of the shoes are so lovely, and the sandals are on a lot of fashionistas’ radars for spring. Chrissie loves the look of the Bari (but alas, does not own them and has this very comfy ‘look for less’ version instead).
Jamie Heller started her company to make the perfect, understated flats. All her shoes are handmade in Italy and beautiful. She’s now expanded from just shoes to include casual clothing and people are loving the products. Her iconic penny loafers come in 7 color options, and her mules can be worn with the backs up or down.
Jewelry:
This high-end jewelry brand has been showing up on a lot of influencers’ fingers, wrists, and necks…and boy is it beautiful. If you have a big budget to go along with a big birthday or special ‘giving’ event coming up, this is a brand to consider! The necklaces and charms in particular stand out to us.
Dorsey has jumped fully into the lab-created gems market with terrific designs that allow customers high-end jewelry at a reasonable price point. Their designs tend to be very classic, like this beautiful necklace which was really popular for the holidays, and is a fraction the price of a ‘non-lab-created’ version, and these beautiful earrings. And this ring, for example, is available in silver or white gold with an option of diamonds or white sapphires. Great for engagement rings as well!
As a lesser ($150) price point, this necklace from Heaven Mayhem has also been seen A LOT recently and it a great simple, statement piece. Comes in 4 color options.
