I remember sitting on my bed, freshly out of college with my first “real job” looking at my closet door. I was thinking about, or more wondering, how in the world I was going to “build a wardrobe”. I’ve always had a love of clothes, but prior to then I hadn’t given much thought about longevity. In high school and college I bought trendy pieces and didn’t think about how they might hold up over time. It was time to start. I had no idea where to begin so I read articles about the stylish women I look up to and how they assembled their wardrobes and collected pieces.

Two notes stood out to me and have shaped my views on personal style and how to put together a forever wardrobe. The first was a note from Sienna Miller about starting with basics. Build a collection of basics and you will always have a solid foundation to put together any look. The second, a note from Grace Kelly regarding longevity. I had read about how she was very selective about her clothing and would continue to wear the pieces she bought for years and years. I wanted both of these things to be true about my wardrobe. I wanted to build a solid foundation that would last, and a collection I would always want to wear. Thinking of this now, it’s not surprising that I’ve kept and still wear most of the things I have collected since that moment.

At the time it felt like such a daunting task, figuring out where to begin and trying to peek into the future and predict what I might still love in ten years. I’ve never been one to do things in a small way and looking back, I am so happy that I stuck with it and stayed true to myself and my sense of style. That foundation has made all the difference.

Last week I shared this photo to my instagram. It was taken in November 2012 and as I write this, all of the pieces comprising this outfit can be found in my apartment. While most of them have been put out of the current rotation, looking back on this outfit a. does not make me cringe, and b. gives me a little jolt of inspiration — I want to go pull out this coat to start wearing again!

I am wearing — a white pleated Reiss top, olive green Frame skinny jeans, the timeless (and Sienna Miller favorite) Rag & Bone Harrow boots, a cropped black Zara open front jacket with a tiny gold chain trim, my Mulberry Alexa, and a navy Burberry coat. I wore each of this pieces so many times. If I were to calculate cost per wear I would have come out on top here. And while the only thing in current rotation is the boots, and now the coat, I wouldn’t say I would not wear this look again one day in the future.

The best part — you can still “shop” this look after all these years.