A fashion expert says these 7 ‘classic’ wardrobe staples are outdated. I agree with her more than I expected

I’ve been writing about clothes for more than a decade, and there are certain pieces I’ve heard described as “wardrobe essentials” for pretty much that entire time. A white button-down. A black blazer. Black pumps. A good pair of jeans.

But I’ve also reached the point where I’m a little skeptical anytime someone tells me there’s a piece of clothing every woman needs to own. What looks good on paper doesn’t necessarily work for your actual life, and some of the things I used to wear constantly just don’t feel as flattering or useful to me anymore.

So, when Brand House Direct shared a list of seven supposedly classic pieces that its co-founder and style expert Leanna Spektor says she would skip, I was curious. I expected to disagree with most of it.

Instead, I found myself agreeing with her more than I expected. Not on everything, though. You can still pry my skinny jeans out of my cold, dead millennial hands.

1. The crisp white button-down shirt

Spektor’s issue with the classic white button-down is that it can be surprisingly high maintenance. It wrinkles, can gape between the buttons, and sometimes feels a little too stiff or formal for everyday wear.

“White button-downs are high maintenance for very little payoff,” she says. “They wrinkle the moment you sit down, and most women find they don’t actually reach for them.”

I agree with this to a point. I don’t get much wear out of a really crisp, structured white button-down either. But I definitely wouldn’t write off button-down shirts altogether.

I have a relaxed linen button-down from Quince that I absolutely love and have featured in one of my YouTube videos (below). Yes, it wrinkles by the end of the day because it’s linen. I can live with that. It’s comfortable and looks good without feeling overly formal.

Spektor recommends relaxed poplin shirts, softer colors, or silk-blend blouses instead, and I think that’s really the distinction here. I’m not done with button-downs. I just want mine to feel relaxed enough that I actually want to wear them.

2. Ultra-skinny jeans

OK, fine. Super-skinny jeans are not exactly at the forefront of denim trends anymore.

Straight-leg, wide-leg, barrel-leg, and other looser silhouettes have dominated denim for years now. Spektor recommends swapping ultra-skinnies for straight-leg or slim-fit jeans, which are easier to move in and look more current.

And yet, skinny jeans apparently aren’t going quietly. Vogue recently included them among the very 2016 trends making a comeback in 2026, so fashion may already be circling back around to the jeans millennials never completely abandoned.

Personally, I wear a much bigger variety of denim silhouettes than I used to, and I would agree that my straight-leg jeans generally look more current. But I still own skinny jeans. I still wear them. And, yes, you can pry them out of my cold, dead millennial hands.

3. Flimsy ballet flats

This one needs an important qualifier.

If we are specifically talking about the paper-thin ballet flats that have basically no sole, no support, and start falling apart after a handful of wears, then yes. I’m happy to leave those behind.

But ballet flats themselves? Absolutely not.

Spektor recommends replacing flimsy ballet flats with loafers or Mary Janes that have a little more structure. I love both of those options, but ballet flats are also very much part of the fashion conversation in 2026. Harper’s Bazaar called them a “foundational shoe” in its editors’ wardrobes just this month, while Vogue included ballet-inspired flats among its spring and summer shoe trends.

The better advice, in my opinion, is to be pickier about the ballet flats you buy. I want a pair with some structure and enough support that I can actually walk around in them without regretting every decision I’ve ever made.

4. Black blazers that are too fitted

Spektor argues that the really fitted, body-hugging black blazer can feel restrictive and overly formal, and recommends an oversized or boyfriend-style blazer instead.

I agree with the first half more than the second.

I like a little breathing room in a blazer, especially if I’m going to layer it over anything. But I don’t think oversized automatically equals more current. Fashion is already moving back toward more defined tailoring, including fitted and cropped blazers, after years of oversized silhouettes dominating the conversation.

For me, this comes down to fit more than anything. I don’t want a blazer so tight that I can barely move my arms, but I also don’t necessarily want one that looks like I borrowed it from someone two sizes larger. (I love my black blazer above!)

5. Pencil skirts

I have a hard time arguing with Spektor on this one purely from a comfort standpoint.

Pencil skirts can look fantastic, but they are not always pleasant to spend an entire day in. If I’m constantly pulling a skirt back into place or taking tiny little steps because the cut is so restrictive, I’m probably not going to reach for it very often. And honestly, I’ve never even owned a pencil skirt for these reasons.

Spektor recommends a slightly A-line midi or tailored slip skirt instead. I think that makes sense, especially now that I care a lot more about how clothing actually feels after several hours of wearing it.

That doesn’t mean I think everyone needs to throw out their pencil skirts. If you love how you look in one and it works for your lifestyle, keep wearing it. But I definitely understand why this particular “essential” isn’t as essential as we once made it out to be.

6. Plain black pumps

This one hit close to home because I used to practically live in black pumps.

For years, I thought a good pair of black heels was one of the most useful shoes you could own. And they still have their place. But the more I’ve experimented with my wardrobe, the more I’ve realized that nude and neutral pumps are often much more flattering with the outfits I wear.

Spektor makes a similar argument, saying black pumps can look harsh with lighter outfits and recommending nude, tan, or soft gray instead.

I wouldn’t get rid of my black pumps completely. But if I were buying one pair today and wanted the shoe I could wear with the largest percentage of my wardrobe, I’d probably choose a neutral shade rather than black. That is definitely not something I would have said 10 years ago.

7. Basic crew-neck T-shirts

This is another one where I surprised myself by agreeing with her.

Spektor recommends V-neck or scoop-neck tees instead of a traditional crew neck, arguing that the lower neckline can be more flattering.

I obviously wouldn’t say that’s true for every single person. But it is absolutely true for me, and I didn’t really notice just how much of a difference the neckline made until I started filming more YouTube videos.

This video shows me wearing a crew neck:

This video shows me wearing a V-neck:

Seeing yourself on camera is a very effective way to discover which clothes you actually like on yourself. When I compare footage of myself wearing a crew neck with footage where I’m wearing a V-neck, I consistently prefer the V-neck. It just looks more flattering on me and opens up the neckline in a way that I like much better.

That doesn’t mean I’m throwing away every crew-neck T-shirt I own. But when I’m shopping for new basics now, I’m much more likely to look for a V-neck first.

So, are these classics actually outdated?

Not all of them. I’m definitely not ready to declare ballet flats dead when they’re everywhere right now, and I’m keeping my skinny jeans regardless of what happens next in denim. But this list did make me think about how many “wardrobe essentials” I’ve bought over the years simply because I thought I was supposed to own them.

I don’t think most of these pieces need to disappear from our closets. But I do think the idea of a universal wardrobe essential is a little outdated.