My Friend Wants to Elevate Her 2025 Wardrobe—I Sent Her These 15 Key Buys

As a fashion editor, I receive a lot of shopping requests asking for help hunting down a pair of shoes or an outfit for a wedding, but the one thing I get texted about constantly is advice in building an everyday capsule wardrobe that will look polished and sophisticated. Just last week, a friend asked if I could send her a curated edit of items that would help to elevate her already existing wardrobe.

In short, I think the secret to a polished look lies in the finer details—small tweaks to silhouette, color, and fabric can help elevate an otherwise basic item and make something look more design-led and considered. Below are the 15 items I sent to a friend who asked me for help with a New Year wardrobe. She wanted to focus on elevated basics and foundational pieces that would form the backbone of her day-to-day looks.