Top Five Items That Will Always Be In Style (And What To Never Wear Again!)

I'm sure we've all looked at pictures of ourselves from "back in the day" (wait - we can say that now, right?) that make us laugh, cry, or cringe. We laugh when we see the awful hairstyles, we cry when we look at how absolutely flat our abs once were, and we cringe when we see the fashions we used to wear, from safety-pinned jeans and shoulder pads, to mis-matched earraings and push-down socks.

Oh, yes... I am sure you're guilty of wearing certain items that were trendy at the time, but are now so awful you want to burn the pictures and the box they came from. However, back then, you thought you were HOT STUFF... am I right? Right...

Yeah... I was guilty of wearing the heck out of these red pleather pants. Worst yet, I would wear these awful pants with little cropped tops and go out in public. This picture was taken after I had graduated from university, when I went to college to fast-track my Broadcast Journalism degree. I can't even look at this picture without laughing. Red... pleather...pants, you guys? Who said that was okay?

Anyway. I've since learned what works and what doesn't, and I know that you only need a few select items to always look classy and never dated.

Here are my picks for Top Five items you should own that will never go out of style:

• A LBD: This is perhaps the most important item you can own. I have several little black dresses in my closet, and I wear them all the time. In fact, I've worn my favourite little black dress to three BlogHer conferences in a row! That's love, baby. And the thing is... no one really remembers, especially when you wear it with different shoes and accessories. Or maybe no one remembers because of all the wine we're drinking? Either way, LBD? Essential!

• A perfect pair of jeans: Jeans, as long as they're not 'mom jeans', be-dazzled, or acid-washed, will always look great. Once you've found your perfect pair of boot cut, skinny, or curvy jeans, buy them and then buy another pair, too! Jeans are my favourite go-to item in my closet, and can be dressed up with sexy heels and a sexy top for a night out, or can be worn with cute flats and a t-shirt during the day.

• A classic white top: I have tons of white shirts, and I especially love the t-shirts from Club Monaco. Pair your white shirt with a fitted navy blazer, your perfect jeans, and some heels and I promise you, you'll look and feel great.

• Black (and beige) heels: I love my flats, but I need my heels! Every woman needs a pair of amazing black high heels, and while you're at it, invest in a great pair of nude heels, too. They're sexy, and you can wear them with anything.

• A trench coat: I love my classic trench coat, and I start wearing it as soon as the weather turns cold. Since we're in Canada, that means I start wearing it in September. (How depressing is that?) I buy a new trench from Banana Republic almost every year. You cannot go wrong with a classic trench coat, and once again, this can be worn with everything and  look great.

Other items that will always remain in style? Solid colours, simple lines, pencil skirts, fitted blazers (J.Crew has some amazing blazers) and a great pair of sunglasses. Think Audrey Hepburn or Grace Kelly. They always looked so beautiful! Now you can go shopping for things you need, without feeling guilty, because you know you'll wear these items year after year.

Happy (guilt-free) shopping!