Fashion editor Jess Cartner-Morley lets us in on her secret to dressing well – without having to buy a whole new closet.

Look, I know we’re all busy people, so to save you time I’m going to share some style wisdom that took me literally two decades of being a fashion editor to figure out – and which has made getting dressed infinitely easier ever since. Here it is: there is nothing remotely dull about classic clothes. Timeless clothes in chic neutrals don’t make you look boring. Quite the opposite. They make you look like a compelling, confident, intriguing human being.

Before I realized this, I thought I had to choose between attention-grabbing, on-trend clothes that would make me look fun, and classics that would make me look chic but a little bit blah. Turns out that I was completely wrong. Great clothes are like great literature: the classics are the classics for a good reason.

A definitive trench. A brilliantly cut pair of pants. An elegant, easy loafer. A softly feminine blouse. A take-you-anywhere shirt dress. These are the key pieces that will make your spring closet sing and make getting dressed in the morning a pleasure, rather than a puzzle. Some of these will be old favorites that you have already. So, the smart way to build a capsule closet is to fill in the gaps, with well-chosen pieces that add polish and a little 2024 flair.

To figure out what you should be investing in to bring your look together, it helps to think in outfits. Pull out your favorite pieces, the go-to treasures that you rely on to make you feel and look good and put them together on clothes hangers to create looks. This is much quicker than a whole closet overhaul (an excellent idea, I’m sure, but seriously, who has the time?) and will identify the new pieces that will have the most impact. If you have shirts and blazers that you love but are still wearing the same pair of skinny jeans you’ve had for a decade, then invest in a great pair of wide-leg jeans, slightly high-waisted, worn with a leather belt, and your look will be updated immediately. Or, perhaps you have some lovely dresses, but rifling through your drawers makes you realize you are letting them down by putting bobbly, shapeless cardigans on top whenever it is chilly enough to need an extra layer – which, let’s be honest, is going to be most days until at least May. A textured knit, or a cropped soft jacket that adds a touch of structure, can elevate those dresses into outfits. All you need to do is identify the gaps, and then fill them in with a few new bits that will make you excited to get dressed in the morning.

Don’t be afraid to add some soft washes of color here and there. Neutral doesn’t have to mean beige. A pale blue shirt is always a good idea: polished enough for the office or dinner, relaxed enough for a weekend morning. Before you automatically plump for the black pair of pants, consider a white, or cream, pair instead – you’ll be amazed how much it lifts your look. Style doesn’t have to be complicated to be smart. A few outfits you love, ready to go on hectic mornings, will streamline your life and boost your mood. Style is simple when you know how, right? Took me a while, but I’m sure glad I figured it out in the end.

Jess Cartner-Morley is Associate Editor (Fashion) at “The Guardian”.