For a lot of people, savvy shopping means last year’s stock, seconds, and designer knockoffs. However, that doesn’t have to be the route you take towards being fashionable on a budget.

One of my best tricks for savvy fashion is to focus on fashion “staples,” items you can buy at a decent price and wear forever. I love to pick up classic items that look great now and will still be in style ten years from now. Here are my tips for spotting a true fashion staple.

• Classic cut: Dramatic designer cuts look great today, but may be out five minutes from now. When you see an item with a time-tested, classic cut, pick it up. For men, classic suits with notched lapels and a back center vent are timeless. For women, you can’t go wrong with a classic little black dress.
• Basic colors: A plain black, white, or neutral ensemble never goes out of style. Men have been wearing black, navy, and gray suits with blue, white, and pink shirts for 75 years, and probably still will be 75 years from now.
• Nothing flashy: Designers love to put buttons, zippers, clasps, buckles and all manner of other knobs and twiddly bits in strange places. Unfortunately, this years twiddly bits may not be next year’s hot doo-dads, so leave them on the runway and go for the more understated baubles.
• Wild prints: Madras print is all the rage this season, but probably won’t be next year. I’m not saying you shouldn’t have anything in this season’s hot print, but keep it to a minimum. Spend the bulk of your fashion budget on solids or simple prints that will never go out of style.
• Labels: Some people love labels; they simply can’t bear to buy anything that doesn’t have someone’s name plastered across it. The reality is, though, designers and labels change. That’s not to say some designer’s clothes aren’t good, long lasting pieces you should consider for their value. Just avoid the ones covered in PR, because today’s hot label will be tomorrow’s “who was that.” You don’t want to get stuck advertising for someone who is so 1992.
• Crazy shoes: Some designers make really odd choices when designing shoes. Most of us probably think of 9” lime-green snakeskin pumps when we think of crazy shoes, but even men’s trainers come in bizarre colors these days. Again, feel free to pick up something a bit different once in a while, but put the bulk of your budget into shoes that will last a long time and still be in style.

If you keep these pointers in mind, you’ll build up a closet full of clothes that never go out of style, and can be brought into whatever the current fashion is with just a few hot new pieces each season!

Drop your own tips for spotting a fashion staple in the comments.