When wearing this Blouse recently I reminisced on when I first bought it. I remember it clearly as I was staying with my aunty who lived in London. We went out shopping and both purchased this top from French Connection. It was £35 which seemed like a lot at the time, but I felt so grown up and fancy, I decided it was worth it… and I was so right! It was only when I packed it as my ‘versatile day to night’ top for a weekend away, I realised that I have owned it since I was 14, which will be just under 10 years. This makes it the oldest piece in my wardrobe.

This made me wonder, what makes an item stand the test of time? Of course designer handbags and classic shoes will remain as constants in my wardrobe and I hope to hang onto the investments I’ve made for at least 10 years (If not pass them onto my children).

For me, the most important things are quality, cut and colour.

Quality doesn’t necessarily mean designer. Zara do great leather bags and H&M conscious collection cotton and linen is fantastic, it’s just about knowing what will last 100 washes and what won’t.

Cuts come in and out of fashion. (Remember when we were all wearing bodycon black skirts?) So finding something that will last more than a couple of years can be tricky. I got lucky with this blouse, I have worn it at least once a year out of those 10 years, but a lot more in the last couple with floaty pieces and larger sleeves in particular coming into fashion.

Finding non-boring classic items is key. I tend to go for tailored pieces with a twist and stock up on simple basics to mix and match to keep things modern.

When it comes to colour, longevity tends to come with white, black, navy or taupe pieces, adding in trend colours and patterns on a seasonal basis.

What key pieces have lasted in your wardrobe? Let me know in the comments!