8 Life-Changing Things You'll Want To Add To Your Wardrobe

Tried, tested, and worn by BuzzFeed editors!

Zoe Burnett / BuzzFeed

1. A ruffled LBD that passes for something much pricier than H&M.

Elena Garcia / BuzzFeed

I’m a total sucker for a little black dress (maybe because I share a birthday with Audrey Hepburn?), so when I saw this ruffled masterpiece on sale at H&M I basically fell in love. It’s a thin, breathable material, which is great for summer, and the back comes pretty low, so it’s basically a sexy-sexy-time dress when worn alone. The ruffles on the strap are a little bolder than I would normally wear, but at $40 I was okay with taking the risk. And, omg, am I glad I did! This dress is uber adorable! I can wear it casually or dressed up, it’s super comfy, and I’ve just really fallen in love with the ruffles.

The first time I wore it, I paired it with my favorite Superga sneakers and Levi’s jacket for a weekend running errands. But because it’s so damn versatile, I was able to wear it when I finally got someone to invite me somewhere that required more than just my sweatpants uniform. I paired it with some very fancy shoes (that I spent way too much money on but that you can find for much less here) and some delicate jewelry. I mean, I’m obsessed! This dress is gonna be the twinkle of my eye for a while! —Elena Garcia

Get it from H&M for $39.99. / Available in sizes 2-14.

2. Some breathable Allbirds wool runners you don't have to be a sneakerhead to appreciate.

Sarah Han / BuzzFeed

I'm not a fan of sneakers — mainly because I hate running and anything that reminds me of running, and also because I don't know how to style sneakers (athletic or ~fashionable~ kinds) to save my life. I literally rotate between two pairs of boots or flats all year round. But I saw a friend rave about these on Instagram (and post a cute photo of her parents twinning in their pairs, eep!) and was immediately intrigued. What are these lightweight wool wonders? So, in the pursuit of products journalism and the happiness of feet everywhere, I requested a pair to try out.

Let's run through some of the supposed pros of these wool runners:

- lightweight and breathable (I have in fact worn heavy, cheap sneakers and they're garbage)

- flexible/conforms to your movements (reads to me as not bulky and not painful to break in!)

- minimizes odors (yes, avoiding smelly feet is 💯)

- can be worn sock-less (iiinteresting, given the former)

- machine-washable (what? really?? omg!)

- are cool in the heat/warm in the cold (can't imagine wearing these *instead of* boots in the winter or sandals in the summer, but OK sure)

First of all, I dig the cozy grey speckled design. Like, a lot. Grey has become my unsung color hero because it's so easy to pair (hello, past color-happy Sarah, why did you buy neon purple sneakers you wore maybe once to the gym?). Jeans? Yeah. Tights? Sure. Bare legs? Eventually, when the weather starts cooperating. However, I have tried the shoes without socks and did not pick up any noticeably smelly scents like I might with other sneakers. How my bare feet will hold up in hot, humid AF weather...TBD.

Sarah Han / BuzzFeed

Second of all, they are so FREAKING LIGHTWEIGHT. Was the all-caps emphasis enough? No? They feel like NOTHING ON YOUR FEET. Seriously, I switched from these to my normal ankle boots and it felt like my feet were chilling in some alien, misshapen capsules. And I don't even reap the full benefits because I'm an extremely sedentary person, but even just walking around...it's incredible. You know how there's "your skin but better" in makeup speak? Well, this is "your feet but better."

Also, let it be known I rarely buy new shoes because breaking them in is the work of the devil (even with deceptively comfy-looking flats...just why). But 👏 there 👏 is 👏 no 👏 breaking 👏 in with these. They're so soft (see the GIF of me squishing them) that there are no harsh edges or backing — new sneakers always give me friction burns at the back of my ankle.

I haven't tossed them in the washing machine yet, but that is definitely one of the most intriguing factors/pros. You mean my shoes don't have to simmer in my gross sweat juices until I toss them? The only thing I'm iffy about is the cool/hot factor, or at least for the "warm in the cold" part; I would still wear knee-high boots because I deeply understand winter's wrath (as someone who's lived in Chicago and NYC all her life), so sneakers will just not do it. But for transitional weather like right now, I will pull them out instantly.

But besides that, I actually find myself tapping my feet and doing little happy dances in these. That has never happened, OK? I understand the movie Happy Feet now. But also, someone get those penguins these shoes cause they're missing out. —Sarah Han

Get a pair from Allbirds for $95 (available in 13 colors, some of which are limited-edition).

Allbirds sent me the shoes to try free of charge, but I wasn't obligated to positively review them.

3. A minimal pendant initial necklace perf for honoring a loved one — or yourself.

Treye Green / BuzzFeed

When it comes to purchasing a new piece of jewelry, I typically stick to some pretty strict criteria: It must be gold and it must be minimal.

Fortunately, for a jewelry lover like myself, these preferences still leave me with a large selection of items to choose from. So when I kicked off my search for a new necklace around Christmas time, I had a pretty huge challenge ahead of me.

I knew I wanted it to be an initial pendant of some type — to celebrate my amazing mother. And thanks to my Pinterest board dedicated to accessories, I decided that a circle pendant was the exact style I wanted to buy. As a superfan of Nordstrom’s personalized jewelry pieces, that was the first site I decided to check out. I browsed their selection of initial pendants fairly briefly before the Kate Spade New York One in a Million pendant necklace quickly caught my eye.

It is made of a round, 12K gold-plated pendant hanging from a rolo chain. The pendant has just enough room to house a single engraved initial. And the back is engraved with “one in a million" — an additional tribute to the person whose initial you decide to honor on the necklace.

It also has a built-in extender chain, which makes it simple to adjust the length of the necklace. You can wear it long — to a length of 18 inches — or shorten the length of the chain if you want to wear it layered with other necklaces.

I purchased my necklace just a few days before Christmas. And after almost four months of heavy use, I’m so thrilled it is still holding up perfectly. I wear it almost every day, and the gold plate hasn't faded or turned like many pieces of previously purchased jewelry. The gold is also still bright and vibrant on heavy-use areas, like its lobster clasp. However, it should be noted that I don't shower or swim with it on, because I want to prevent the gold plate from prematurely wearing off.

The necklace goes with just about any outfit I pair it with. But I especially love to wear it with a simple T-shirt and jeans because it pops beautifully off a white tee. And it is also fun to explain the meaning behind the L on the pendant, since many are confused why the pendant’s letter doesn’t match the first initial of my name.

I know not everyone is a jewelry fan. But if you're searching for an affordable and quality personalized piece to add to your collection, this pendant necklace may be the one to steal your heart. <3 —Treye Green

Get it from Amazon for $58. / Available in every letter.

4. Some high-waisted mom jeans that are narrow at the waist and loose on the hips.

Maitland Quitmeyer / BuzzFeed, Terri Pous / BuzzFeed

Let me preface this by saying that I am not a jeans person. Skirts, dresses, and legging pants are my top-choice garments; show me a comfy high waist and I'm yours. Jeans are often too thick, constricting, and bunchy — you never forget you're wearing them.

Despite certain Hermione-esque tendencies, I unfortunately have only one magic power: the ability to make mom/boyfriend/any kind of baggy jeans magically turn into ~skinny~ jeans the moment they're on my legs. So I was on the hunt for a pair of high-waisted mom-style jeans for what seemed like forever. I'd hold a pair up and think "golly gee, those sure look wide enough" — but once I entered the fitting room, the denim was tightly stretched across my thighs yet somehow gapped at the waist. I know that I am not alone in this struggle. If this story has resonated with you at all, boy do I have some good news for you.

When I saw these in-store at Urban Outfitters last July, I was skeptical and fully despairing of ever finding a pair of jeans that would actually be pleasantly loose on my legs. But when I pulled these beauts on and buttoned them up, I did a double take. There was no waist gap. There was...space between the fabric and my skin. They were distressed but not too hole-y — faded but still quite blue. The denim itself is soft and thin, so you can even wear them on a warm day. And (most importantly) they don't bite into your waist as soon as you sit down. I imagine this is how Goldilocks felt when she finally got to the right temperature porridge and the properly comfortable bed.

Now looking at reviews on their site, many people have commented on the fact that they're so loose in the leg and quite narrow at the waist (which obv. doesn't work for everyone). But if your waist and hips are not exactly on the same page (🙋), these could be perfect for you!

(Shoutout to my coworker and friend Terri for taking this photo of my butt when I asked her to and not even threatening to call HR). —Maitland Quitmeyer

Get them from Urban Outfitters for $59. / Available in sizes 24-32.

5. The perfect leather jacket to complete your lazy rocker aesthetic.

Ignacia Fulcher / BuzzFeed

Last year I went through so many changes. One of them was cutting my hair into this curly short cut and dyeing it purple. Another crazy decision was splurging almost $400 on a genuine leather jacket. Surprisingly (but not surprisingly), they went together. I’ve always been obsessed with looking cool, and having a leather jacket was the absolute definition of it without even trying. Blame it on Jimi Hendrix, Joan Jett, and West Side Story. So, sometime around September 2016 I went jacket shopping for an actual leather jacket. I was ready to make this investment because leather dupes just weren’t doing it for me anymore.

After searching all over NYC, I wound up at Wilsons Leather where I saw this amazing leather jacket that would have made James Dean cry. The material was soft and supple and had gold accents and zippers, as well as a spotted leopard lining because I’m nothing but extra. I was a little annoyed that it didn’t have a collar, but it makes up for it with the actual shape and weight. Once I put it on, I just knew it was for me and we would never part. The jacket completed me, and I swear I didn’t take it off until it was literally too cold to wear it anymore. That’s how obsessed I was. Little did I know I’d look AMAZING in it! With it on I feel like I can perform at a sold-out stadium or be on the cover of Rolling Stone — that’s how great this jacket is. So for everyone who is thinking of getting one of these, don’t hesitate. It will change your life and make you the star of your own show. —Ignacia Fulcher

Get it from Wilsons Leather for $359.99. / Available in sizes 1X-3X.

6. Colorful earrings that won't be a burden to your lil' earlobes.

Mallory McInnis / BuzzFeed

I used to always wear HUGE earrings, to the extent that it was one of the things I was known for in college (the head of the theater department at my school used to call them my "dangly wanglys"). Then a year or two ago someone made a comment along the lines of, "Aren't you worried they'll stretch out your earlobes?" and now whenever I put on a big pair I basically imagine my lil' lobes stretching down to my shoulder blades. To a certain extent, fuck it: I'll wear my dangly earrings if I want to, stretched lobes be damned...but at the same time, I've been adding a lot of smaller stud earrings to my collection (for the days I want to give my lobes a break — they deserve it).

My two favorite places to buy (inexpensive) small earrings your lobes will love = J.Crew Factory and Leetie Lovendale.

J.Crew Factory is ideal for finding glittery, vintage-inspired earrings and — so far — none of the sets I've bought have ever lost a stone (even when I toss them into my mess of a bag and leave them to bounce around in there for a week).

The earrings at Leetie Lovendale are made from vintage lucite. I'm a very colorful dresser, and the minimalistic yet vibrant earrings in the shop are a perfect fit for my fashion sense. I buy a few pairs in person every year at the Yarmouth Clam Festival in Maine, but if you don't want to head up there for some fried sea food and craft shopping, you can just order them online. —Mallory McInnis

Get them from J.Crew Factory and Leetie Lovendale on Etsy.

7. Some yoga leggings that stand up to washes, sweaty spin classes...basically all of life's hardships.

Natalie Brown / BuzzFeed

I work out about four times per week, and all my laundry gets washed on warm and dried on medium, so my workout clothes get run through the gamut. And none of them — from Old Navy to Nike to Lululemon — have stood up to it as well as these Beyond Yoga leggings. (My other leggings are also great, but these are far and away the best.) I bought them four years ago when my gym gave me credit at their shop, and besides a few loose threads that I snip off, they still look new and fit perfectly.

I recommend them for any type of workout: I use them for yoga and heated yoga, yes, but I also wear them to cycling classes and high-intensity interval training, and when I do simple body-weight exercises. The fabric stays stretchy without stretching out and covers my butt completely during even the most intense downward dogs and crow poses. And when I get sweaty on the bike, its ~moisture-wicking magic~ doesn't leave that sweat stain in my crotch (which is completely natural but also, I just would rather not have one, you know?).

(FYI — they don't sell the exact color I own anymore, but these are the cheapest capri legging option — the prints can be $70–$80) —Natalie Brown

Get them from Beyond Yoga for $69.

8. This pretty floral dress with tie-sleeve details that's long enough for tall people.

Elizabeth Lilly / BuzzFeed

My go-to online shopping tactic is: dresses > black > price: low to high...which is quite obvious when you take a peek at my closet. New Yorkers wear a lot of black; black doesn't show sweat, and I sweat A LOT. So...black is a solid personal choice. Yet when I was endlessly scrolling through the Asos app one Sunday night while parked on the couch about a month ago, I decided to branch out a bit. Yes, I'd still order a few black dresses (including this one), but in this virtual shopping spree I'd order a red dress. I own, like, one other red dress. So this was a big deal for me.

I perused the Asos "tall" offerings and zeroed in on this one. I'm 5'8" with a longish torso and curvy frame, so I order the "tall" option for dresses when I can. It's lightweight and machine-washable, and has some on-trend tied sleeves. I've worn it a few times — with and without black opaque tights — and seem to get lots of compliments on it! It's made appearances at my office (as seen here during lunch break), a friend bottomless brunch, and happy hour. I do the thing where you wear an item a few times (unless it's workout clothes or underwear) before you wash it so it stays looking nicer for longer. I wore this twice before I washed it and — in a time pinch to get it dry and back in my suitcase for a flight — stuck it in the dryer for 10-15 minutes. It drew up a small amount...maybe an inch. But these pics are post-shrink and it still fits fine.

Despite my lame, frown-y attempt at looking cool in these photos, I really love it and will mourn the day when I have to retire it. (It's only $38, after all. So I don't expect it to outlive me or anything.) On the day pictured, it was about 70 degrees in NYC and I wore a leather jacket on the subway to work. So my back was drenched in sweat by the time I peeled off the jacket at my desk. But you couldn't see the sweat! IMO, clothes that don't show how sweaty you are take the cake. —Elizabeth Lilly

Get it from Asos for $38, tall sizes 4-6, or New Look for £24.99 (sizes 8-14).