The new uniform: five pieces, no filler

A useful wardrobe is not a small wardrobe. It is a wardrobe where every piece knows its job.

Start with a black layer that gives your shoulders a point of view. Add a shirt that can be worn open, closed, or under something severe. Then stop shopping for a minute.

The rest is calibration: a good shoe, one unmistakable accessory, and something soft enough to keep the whole thing from feeling like a costume.