From elevated sneakers to reworked white tees, we round-up the new wardrobe essentials to take you into Spring Summer 25 and beyond.

The starting block of a great wardrobe is a handful of classic items that you’ll reach for again and again. These wardrobe essentials transcend the trend cycle, allowing you to dress them up or down depending on the broader fashion mood. Still, while these pieces are timeless, that doesn't mean they have to be boring. This season, forever favourites are reworked in bold new iterations: sneakers in statement-making prints, boxy, oversized white tees, chic everyday handbags. Here, we walk you through the new wardrobe essentials, from jeans to blazers, sunglasses to shirt dresses.

The humble white tee is one of the hardest working pieces in your wardrobe. You can wear it with a great tailored suit, off-duty with wide-leg denim, tucked into a great mini skirt… the possibilities are endless. The “perfect” white tee is a matter of preference, tighter styles like the baby tee (available at Nude Lucy) are very much on-trend right now (balance out the shape with a wider-leg trouser), while Uniqlo and Witchery offer forever-classic cotton crew styles. Sportsgirl’s new-season silhouette is textured and oversized, perfect for styling with loose-fitting linens.  

A great everyday sneaker blends style and pragmatism. This season we’re loving retro-inspired kicks, unexpected colours, and bold, statement-making prints. Golden Goose’s True Stars buck the classic white sneaker trend with their tobacco colour palette and retro-inspired coloured laces. The eternal OG Adidas Samba is made fresh in pops of animal print (we love leopard and cow), while the Puma Speedcat and Asics Skyhand styles are both having a serious comeback this year, with nods from Hailey Bieber and Emily Ratajkowski.  

No summer wardrobe is complete without a great everyday sandal. This season, we love classic silhouettes with a twist: the retro-chic ‘Cage’ sandals from Zara, the chunky Roman-style ‘Amina’ style from Jo Mercer, the elegant Verali flatforms at Myer, and the minimal appeal of Unison’ strappy leather sandal. 

A girl can never have too many pairs of jeans, which is why we’re stocking up on new shapes from our favourite brands this spring and summer. Nudie’s ‘Asta’ workwear pants are a dark indigo wash with statement-making contrast stitching. Citizens of Humanity’s ‘Miro’ jeans are a relaxed style in classic black, available at Incu. Scanlan Theodore are embracing slouchier styles (perfect with a little slingback or mule), while Witchery’s straight-leg jeans are timeless and flattering.

A great blazer adds instant polish to almost any ensemble. A vintage T-shirt and jeans? Kate Moss levels of rock ‘n roll chic. A sharp sleeveless day dress? Immediate elevation. Reach for styles that prioritise style over practicality (no humourless suiting here). Viktoria & Woods ‘Marmaduke’ blazer is a sleek single-breasted style in an unexpected shade of brown pinstripe. Camila and Marc, forever purveyors of Australian tailoring, offer a slouchier take on the little black jacket with their ‘Aya’ blazer. Rebecca Vallance are offering a striking silhouette, while H&M's linen-blend in a sandy shade is breezy and effortless.

The shirt dress is to Australian summer what water is to the ocean – you can’t have one without the other. Country Road’s poplin mini dress is sweet Australiana, all puffed sleeves and shorter hemlines. We love Seed’s take, with its cinched waist in flattering vertical stripes, as well as this feminine pink buttoned style available at Portmans. For a maxi style, the ‘Gabby’ dress at Dissh is totally chic, with no sleeves and an unapologetically voluminous silhouette.

A great handbag is the wardrobe essential. Oroton’s ‘Cali’ tote is the perfect everyday style, with its oversized shape and gold buckle detailing. July creates elegant, boxy suede handbag like this ‘Juliette’ Crossbody, available in three colourways. Jacquemus’ buzzy accessories include the versatile ‘Le Bambino’ bag in a delicious shade of chocolate. And at Golden Goose, a simple crossbody in a summer-friendly shade of bright white. The hardest part will be choosing just one.

The finishing touch on any great summer outfit? The right pair of shades. We love the playful Y2K nostalgia of these rose-tinted gold-framed glasses by Miu Miu (available at Sunglass Hut). Ray Ban’s are a perennial classic for a reason, with their dark, square aviator style suiting just about anyone. Celine’s Triomphe style is an international bestseller (available at David Jones), thanks to the nineties style oval shape and cool gold hardware, while Gentle Monster are making a strong case for the rectangular style, with their ‘Phantom’ shades.