I’m not a city girl, never have been. My gear closet will always be deeper than my dresser and I am slow on the uptake of the latest trend. In fact, I usually wait until it’s out of fashion and then fall head over heals with it all to myself. I would rather have new skis than new shoes, a new toy over any new dress, and I’d really rather be barefoot anyway. That said, in addition to an impressive collection of earrings and a deep stack of scarves, there are a few essentials to round out any wardrobe and to boost even the lowest morale. Every woman should have the following classics:

A pair of boots. Old and beat up and leather. A pair that can get stuffed in the bottom of a suitcase and still come out ok, that don’t have a heal just a little attitude. They have to keep you dry and they will inevitably look better with age. A pair that can go over tights or under jeans, that can be dressed up or down, but either way give you just the edge you need. And in this dog eat dog world we all need the edge that comes with an old pair of boots.

Fantastic jeans. They can be flared or trouser, skinny or matchstick. But they have to be able to be worn rolled up or down, for puddle hopping or meetings and everywhere in between. Jeans that feel like a second skin and make you feel like a million bucks. If you can find a pair that can get caught on your gearset and still look fantastic with that blouse, you’re well on your way. Worn in denim is forgiving and flattering and feels like home no matter where it takes you.

A perfect sweater. It doesn’t matter what shape it is, or what style. Odds are it was the one that you paid a little more for than was maybe reasonable, but you don’t regret a single penny. Because it looks great under a blazer or with its shawl collar popped over a scarf and it’s the coziest thing in your closet and the colors is magnificent against your cheeks. If you can be buried in it, wrapped in it, consumed by and the lines are just classic enough to never go out of style, pay whatever you have to.

A down vest. This is simply the most practical piece of clothing you will ever invest in, and I will argue that till my death: great on a cold summer night, perfect with flip flops in the fall, and a layer of insulation against winter’s bite. Furthermore it’s like wearing your blanket out of bed – who could ask for more? If it can be fading purple with a fleece lined collar and years of stains up the front, all the better.