I've been traveling quite a bit this fall, and now that the airlines are charging for checked luggage, I've gotten to be a pro at packing light.  I've learned two things from living out of my suitcase: I don't really need all that many clothes to get through a week, and having clothes I really love makes it easier to pull together outfits that actually work.  

My basics for fall are separates that can be mixed and matched to create a look that is work appropriate but flexible enough for evenings and weekends.  I've chosen a flexible color palette and similar shapes for all the pieces, which means that they all work together.  I can change my shoes or my jewelery for new look.  So simple.

My basics for fall are the following:

Jeans: mid-rise, dark-rinse, boot cut from Old Navy (the "Flirt" cut).

Dressy skirt: black pencil skirt from J. Crew.

Casual skirt: silk A line from J. Crew, with pockets even!

Day dress: navy jersey dress, also from J. Crew.

Menswear shirt: basic white button down from the Gap.

Cardigan: cashmere, in a nice lavender shade, from J. Crew (of course).  You can see it above, with the jeans and white shirt.

Crew neck sweater: cable knit, light purple, J. Crew.

Cocktail dress: black wool blend, from -- wait for it -- J. Crew.

What my basics say about me:

I'm a brand loyalist; a substantial part of my wardrobe comes from J. Crew, with the rest pretty much coming from the Gap or Old Navy.  Do I think you should shop at those places?  Not necessarily, but I do think you should pay attention to what brands fit you and keep that in mind when you shop.  

My closet is basically casual -- I work from home and have two small children -- but I have been trying to find ways to dress up what's in my closet, so that I don't need a separate wardrobe for the days when I'm not working at my dining room table.  What I've found about these basic pieces is that I wear them all the time, regardless of what's on my calendar, because I really like them; I like the way they look and feel and fit.

Eight basics seems like a pretty small pool, but when you think about it, how many things in your closet do you honestly wear?  And how much time do you spend putting tegether an outfit in the morning?  And how often do you wish you had worn something different?

A small core wardrobe can be the solution.

How can you wear the same pieces over and over and not get bored?  Having a core wardrobe doesn't mean that you only wear those pieces; these are the foundation of your closet, and you can build on them.  Because I tend to fall back on the pieces listed here, I always know what the frame of my outfit is.  Getting dressed is simple, and packing is a no brainer.

Where do I go for inspiration?  I love The Working Closet Flickr pool -- it's fun to see the same people over and over wearing pieces that I own or pieces that I wish I owed or pieces that I couldn't imagine myself wearing.  

Inside Out Style has her own list of basics, while the Nice White Lady wants you to think about precisely what you're buying and why.

Your turn: make your own eight basics list; think about what you're choosing and how you wear it and what it says about you.  Then come back and share with us.

Susan Wagner writes about style at ParentDish, and about everything else at Friday Playdate. Have a pressing style question? Email her at fridaystyle.susan@gmail.com.