Do you ever go through your closet and think ‘I have NOTHING to wear?!?!’  That emerald sequence dress looked hot Saturday night, but now it seems flashy, way too bold to wear twice in one year.

In times like these, you need to turn to what’s safe– your basic white top. An essential staple to any wardrobe, one can never have too many.

So why is it that if you were to take inventory right now, you’d only come up with two? And of those two, how many are stained or used for working out?

So simple and obvious, most of us forget about the basic white tee or tank while we’re shopping. Or worse, we assume we have one somewhere and it isn’t until we actually go to put it on that we realize we don’t or how much we HATE the one(s) we have.

If this sounds familiar, this guide is for you. I’ll show you some of the BEST white T’s and how to wear them.

First up, the Wife Beater.

While this seems like something you should go to bed in, it has turned out to be a great fashion statement (and is so easy!!) The Wife Beater is great when paired with jeans and a vest, like Kim Kardashian, or a simple blazer and jean cut-offs like Blake Lively and Megan Fox.

Mossimo Tank Tops from Target , which are only $8, are great for achieving this look. For this particular style,  I say pass on the designer labels, like C&C, which cost $42. You’ll need it for those ridicuously expensive jeans shorts you’ve been eyeing.

If you’re more of a spaghetti strap girl like Ms. Patridge, Nordstom’s BP makes a great spaghetti strap camisole for $12.

Now to the Tuck-In Tank. It may look similar to a Wife Beater, but there are a few key differences that make it distinct. 1) Cut: the Tuck-In Tank is meant to be form fitting but not as tight as a wife beater. 2) Fabric: look for smooth (non-ribbed) fabrics with some cling. 3) Length: Tuck-In Tanks are tricky, you want them long enough to stay tucked in when you lift your arms, but short enough so they don’t bunch or create a bulge.

Amanda Bynes and Rhianna pair their white Tuck-In Tanks with Herve Leger skirts for a crisp classy look.

Rag Doll and Splendid make perfect Tuck-In Tanks for high-waisted skirts.

Next, we have the Sexy Draped T. Of course this look can be worn in any color, but there’s something about the simplicity of a white one that’s ultra sexy. Leighton Meester looked hot and steamy in a white Kain tank for Rolling Stone. Paired with some distressed jeans and a sexy bra, this outfit is a hit!

Kain is one of my favorite labels for Sexy Draped Tees. All of their cuts are slightly oversized for that perfectly draped silhouette look. Made of 90% modal and 10% cashmere, they’re super soft and luxurious, but their worn-in look makes them perfect for everyday. I must warn: These shirts are somewhat see-through.

All of these looks are very easy to pull off if you have the right white Tee. That’s what so great about having a couple great ones in your closet, you can pair them with anything.  So stop skirting around the issue and buy yourself some quality staples.

If you know of any other diamonds in the roughs, email me at jess@ineedprettythings.com

Your gal,

Jess