The perfect white shirt (and other fashion lies) - what's really in a capsule wardrobe?

Image via FashionFlorence

Ah, the perfect white shirt. It's like the ultimate myth of fashion. "No wardrobe is complete without a men's white shirt." "Just throw on with a crisp white shirt." "A white shirt is the ultimate in pared-down chic." Don't act like you haven't read each of those sentences at least five times - and that's only in 2012's lot of women's magazines. (If you've managed to go cold turkey on ladies' magazines, congratulations! I wish I could do the same!)

But really, who, in the real world, has found the perfect white shirt? I've found a few lovely shirts, I'll admit it - Equipment is my current go-to shirt brand (and by "go to" I mean, on those rare days I feel very rich, I consider myself the type of person who blows €300 on shirts; I own two, one of which was bought on sale and one of which was bought with a voucher), and I am also quite partial to a denim shirt I bought in Penneys eons ago, as well as a lovely oversized grandad-collared shirt I bought in Cos - but the perfect white one, I am utterly convinced, does not exist*.

The revelation that the perfect white shirt myth - which magazines had been successfully selling me for years - was just that, a myth, brought with it another revelation, and another, and another, until all that which I previously believed seemed to come undone. If this perfect white shirt didn't exist, then was the whole idea of a capsule wardrobe farcical? Yes, and no - though fashion columns would have you believe the capsule wardrobe consists of five things (one of which is a Burberry trench), the truth is, like so much else, a leeeeettle more complicated. So I've put together my own version of the perfect capsule wardrobe (and there's not a white shirt in sight).

For starters, your perfect pair of jeans. They exist, you know, no matter what your shape. Whether you're an apple, a pear, an hourglass or you have a boyish figure, you can find a pair of jeans out there to suit your shape. It just might take a little shoppin' around (but c'mon, we got all the time in the world).

Second? A great pair of ankle boots. My battered pair (above) are by SixtySeven at Buffalo, and they set me back around €170. Steep, I know - but they are, hands down (feet down?) the most comfortable pair of shoes I own. So much so that I now own them in black, white and burgundy to, er, boot! If €170 is a little out of your price range, check out these babies at New Look.

Olivia Palermo image via Style Saint

Thirdly, everyone should own a dress they love - and that they can wear with (or without) a pair of tights, a sloppy cardigan and a pair of ankle boots, and not feel like a scummy teenager. Whether that's a tea dress, a fitted, more bodycon style, a midi length with pleated bodice . . . it's up to you! I have a great wrapover dress that I got on Asos that's almost kimono in style (meaning? It's nicely baggy) and a really bright purple - the colour gives me a bit of a lift when I'm feeling a bit meh, and it looks great with black tights and boots. It helps, obviously, that I look exactly like Olivia Palermo (above). Ahem.

Image via Zara People

Number four on my list of capsule wardrobe essentials? A cool jacket. What do I mean by that? Something cropped, leather or boyfriend style, with military detail or perhaps a vintage khaki army jacket. A jacket you can wear with the sleeves rolled up, big earrings and a messy T-shirt and your favourite jeans, and feel like you look pretty cool. Zara is always a safe bet for a great cropped jacket, but if it's not a good fit for you (ie, if you're bigger than a UK 12), you may have to look further afield. This faux-fur moto jacket from Urban Outfitters is gorgeous (and not too pricey at £95), this stud biker jacket by Asos would be €55.56 well spent, and Topshop's denim-shearling jacket stays on just the right side of the 1990s. If you fancy the camo vibe, check out Folkster, a fab new Irish website that sells a heap of reworked old army jackets.

Image via Treasure-Trunk.co.uk

Fifth on the list is some sparkle! And this is definitely not one you'll see on many capsule wardrobe lists. I love sequined clothing, and I would happily boot the LBD off my list of essentials in favour of something that's all-over embellished. There's nothing that says "I'm ready to party" quite like sequins, even if you're feeling a little under the weather / have just been dumped / a combination of both (and you have your period). The tough thing is figuring out where to get it. All of my sequined dresses (and I have a few!) are vintage, and are the result of a lot of trawling. If you want to take the easy route, River Island is usually good for a bit of bling, and New Look's Kelly Brook collection inevitably brings out some Christmas-time sparkle!

That's not quite it, but that's the important stuff down - add to that a few T-shirts that fit well, cover your midriff and don't cling to your lumps'n'bumps (Warehouse does a lovely selection in its edition range; Cos T-shirts are fairly unbeatable although not super-cheap; and Helmut Lang is the ultimate in amazing T-shirt design, but prrrrricey); a pair of Converse / ballet flats (no matter how many pairs of the latter I buy, I always end up in the former); two scarves (one solid colour, one print); and, finally, a pair of leggings (in case things get cold / uncomfortable / you have a lazy Sunday).

And there you have it! My idea of the perfect capsule wardrobe - and nary a white shirt in sight. Anything you'd add?

* Unless, that is, you are a size 6, with tiny tits. It's in Penneys.