Capsule Wardrobe Basics -- Casual Tops

I'm not a fashion blogger.

In fact, I'm far from it.

And ever since I did a little thing called giving birth, my style has been even more . . . how shall we put it? Unkempt?

I need some help.

So, I'm going to spend 2013 paring down to the basics. And I'm finally going to bite the bullet and iron out my capsule wardrobe.

A capsule wardrobe for anyone unfamiliar with the term is basically a collection of timeless essentials that you can mix and match to make several different looks. Then, each season, you can add in some accent items to keep things fresh and fun.

I'm going to start by purging my closet of every trendy item that I don't wear.

Then, each month I'm going to focus on a different division of my capsule wardrobe so I can take inventory of which items I have, and what I need to have a well-stocked closet.

My dream is to be able to walk into my closet and throw together a polished look quickly so I can spend more time with my little rug rat.

Right now I'd settle for being able to see the floor.

This month, I'm focusing on casual tops. Here is my list of basics:

Capsule Wardrobe Basics -- Casual Tops by agalandherdog featuring gap

1. Black long-sleeved tee
2. White long-sleeved tee
3. White short-sleeved tee
4. Gray short-sleeved tee
5. Black short-sleeved tee
6. White tank
7. Gray tank
8. Black tank
9. Striped shirt
10. Colorful short-sleeved tee (because everything can't be black/white/gray)

These are by no means show-stoppers.

In fact, they're downright boring. But! They will simply serve as the base so that I can layer them with other pieces (say a blazer, cardigan, statement necklace or scarf) to make an acceptable outfit.

The goal here is to find good quality pieces that fit well and will stand the test of time. Everything pictured is from Gap. I love their Pure Body line because the price is right and they fit my figure well.

So that's my challenge for this year. Do you have a capsule wardrobe? What are your essential casual tops?