My Wardrobe MVPs (2016-2017)

Inspired by Berri's own wardrobe MVP and an ask I received on Tumblr, here are the most versatile and therefore valuable pieces in my current wardrobe. I tried to ask myself - if something happened to this item, would I try to re-buy it/something exactly like it to replace it? That's how essential it should be in my wardrobe.
It's not based on monetary (retail or resale price) value but how useful it is to me for how I wear my clothes. These might not even be my "favorite" pieces lmao. Even though I live in Hawaii and certain items are kind of useless in our weather/climate, as someone who likes to have seasonal variety in my blog photo coordinates, certain other pieces may rise to the top even if I don't actually wear it out often.

Outers
Outers like this aren't big players in my daily life in Hawaii, but I know that if there was a major temperature change and I could only pick two, these are the ones I would keep.
Liz Lisa My Melody 2016 fukubukuro A-line pom pom coat

I was so happy to get a white coat in the 2016 fukubukuro that is cute but still versatile. This was a very useful item during my recent Japan trip in January 2017 and I wore it almost every day because it is so easy to match with so many oufits. If I were to travel again to a colder place, I'd definitely consider bringing this coat.

Liz Lisa faux leather riders jacket in beige

This riders design is one of my favorite types of jackets. I had a less detailed pink version from Charlotte Russe that eventually deteriorated and I welcomed this one in its place. While not incredibly useful in Hawaii, it's great for travel with the neutral color and could even work with non-Liz Lisa and/or casual everyday outfits.

Cardigans
In a general sense, cardigans are the biggest MVPs in my wardrobe. I wear them with casual settings, for dressier occasions, and everything in between.
Liz Lisa fur collar cardigan in white

When I first purchased this cardigan, I didn't have high expectations for it. The length is a bit longer that most Liz Lisa cardigans and without the fur collar, it was largely unremarkable. However, I've definitely come to love utilizing it for many of my coordinate posts on the blog, especially pairing it on its own (buttoned up) as a top with a patterned/statement skirt that loans an excellent winter vibe. I also took this with me on my Japan trip Spring 2016 and it was useful in both Hokkaido and Tokyo areas.

Liz Lisa x Yui Kanno collab rose drop cardigan in white

I was really irritated with this cardigan when I first purchased it because I was overcharged, and I blamed myself for not checking the receipt better (because when I was paying I felt like the total was way too high but I was too shy to say anything). I hadn't even really wanted it but was only purchasing bc of the set price that I didn't even get. Because of that, I had initially wanted to sell it immediately so I wouldn't have to look at it and think about the money I wasted, but the more I tried it with different outfits, the more I grew to love it. It's a great length and the material and flowy sleeves make it different than most of my other cardis. I would be a lot happier with it if I had actually paid what had been advertised to me by the shop staff (because it would still be the same cardigan), but at this point, I'm just happy to have it all.

Dresses
It was a bit of a struggle for me to pick for this category because I love dresses and admittedly have too many of them. But because of the sheer numbers, I try to rewear as little as possible and therefore don't have much in the way of MVP. However, I did my best to pick what I look at and think about wearing often even if I don't actually do it for fear of being too repetitive if that makes sense. It's basically a dress that I have to make sure I don't wear too often lol.
Liz Lisa x Yui Kanno collab fairy story OP in pink

This is an unexpected favorite. I was actually in Japan during the release of this series of Yui Kanno collab items and went to the Shibuya 109 Yui Kanno event where I only purchased the rose barrette. It wasn't until later than I kind of gave in and decided to just buy this OP even though I felt luke warm about it. As it turns out, the fit is great, the material is really nice and I love the little cut out detail in the back. The color and pattern are subtle and the collar is a nice contrast without being fussy. Because of the length and details, this dress is an easy choice for work, church or a casual party so I have to make sure I don't wear it too often since there are a multitude of options to do so.

Tops
I think I probably have too many white Liz Lisa tops, but I love having just the right one to complement the skirt/bottoms I really want to shine. Some of them definitely get more use than others
Liz Lisa ribbon off shoulder blouse in white

This was another not-love-at-first-sight item. I actually had completely dismissed it and thought the shoulder ribbons were way too bulky, but after I saw it on my brother's gf at the time (we were traveling together) and how the wider shoulders actually helped emphasize a smaller waist, I realized I had to have it wtf. I ended up buying it online after the trip and use it in practically every blog post with a skirt/bottom lmao. The fit is great and the white color is easy to match. It's a great summer top. I even found an similar Liz Lisa top from a past year and scooped it too bc I feel like I need to have a back up for this one just in case lol. 

Bottoms
Similar to dresses, I don't have a large amount of stand out MVP bottom pieces from Liz Lisa because they're usually meant to be the statement piece within an outfit by itself, but I found one that are more likely to be used now than any others and ofc have to mention my favorite casual shorts as well.
Liz Lisa corset tutu sukapan

I avoided solid color sukapan for a while because I just didn't feel like they were special enough to warrant the price + most of the tops I had were purposefully plain and simple. However, as I started to purchase more statement tops, I realized I didn't have the proper bottoms to balance the outfit. This white tulle sukapan is the perfect thing to fill the vacancy. It's a nice neutral color, high-waisted, gives a bit of volume and the material isn't too fussy/doesn't need special care.

Hollister denim shorts

I don't know if it's surprising to anyone here, but I practically live in Hollister shorts when I'm in casual clothes. I have about 8 pairs and I am constantly wearing them on the weekends when there's nothing I'm doing in particular. They're all pretty much the same style with a few different washes but I like them bc I like the length and the fit which is hard to find from American/western and Japanese brands for me.

Purses/Bags
I have a variety of different kinds of purses that I love matching with each outfit, but I wanted to pick a travel bag, a purse and a (shopping) tote that are pieces that I truly value. This was a pretty easy category for me compared to others.
Travel bag: Liz Lisa 2013 Royal Rose fukubukuro tote

This is my absolute favorite travel bag. It holds tons of stuff but is still super cute and matches so well with my Liz Lisa suitcase trunks. I only wish it was made from sturdier materials that could last more than a handful of years with heavy use. Aside from that, I completely love it and I already repurchased it when I got the chance on Yahoo Auctions.

Purse: Liz Lisa rose quilted purse

This was one of my first Liz Lisa purchases and it wasn't even from a Liz Lisa store. I got it during the first weeks of my Kobe study abroad in June 2012. I've questioned the validity of it sometimes but I think it was just one of those "alternate retailer" type things because I'm pretty sure a big department store like Daimaru wouldn't sell actual replicas wtf. I love the color, shape and size plus the subtle quilting and rose details. The pockets work great for travel which is why I always take it with me on trips. My original 2012 bag actually started falling apart and I was lucky to find a replacement on Yahoo Auctions. This second bag isn't faring as well as the first and will likely only be good for one more trip, but I am determined to use it until it can't be used any more.

Shopping tote: Liz Lisa My Melody vol 1 mook tote

If you know me IRL, you know that I rarely carry this kind of thing because for some reason I'm just not a big fan of tote bags. However, this has certainly become a travel essential for me when I'm in Japan. It's cute but roomy and since there's no pockets or fussy details, I can easily throw other packages and items in there like my cardigan or a hodge podge of Daiso purchases.

Shoes
Shoes are such an essential in any fashionistas wardrobe and everyone has their favorite statement pair, but these are the ones that I wear most often and I wish I had multiples of because I know I'm going to run them into the ground.
Liz Lisa 3D flower pumps in white

I clearly like the design - I ended up buying these shoes in every color option (white, pink and yellow) and all at full price FML. White is definitely the MVP of the bunch though. I end up wearing them in my OOTDs all the time. It's almost annoying because I have to try and make sure that I'm not posting 8 outfits in a row with the same shoes lol. Somewhat surprisingly, I get a lot of positive comments from strangers and acquaintances alike about these shoes. To me they're not extremely special (if I saw a stranger wearing them, I don't think it would be worth mentioning), but I guess there's something about them that catches people's eye.

Liz Lisa knot wedge sandals in pink

I first purchased these in yellow because they were on sale but when there was a later release of this dusty pink color (for a higher price), I knew I had to get them. I love the style and I sorely miss this heel height from Liz Lisa for summer shoes. These are also really comfortable. If I can find a pair in white or another pair in pink, I would definitely scoop them up.

Liz Lisa metallic combination sandals

You don't see me wearing these very often in OOTD photos, but these are practically a daily wear shoe for me. I basically just slip them on with pretty much anything lol. I can wear them for long periods of time and they're reasonably comfortable. The neutral color is really unassuming but I like that there's a little contrast with the front metallic strap that keeps things a bit interesting. A year or two ago, I would have called these shoes boring and matronly, and maybe they are but I really don't mind them as a casual slip on shoe for days when I really don't feel like trying very much lol. 

Accessories
I've probably said it about 20 times so far on this blog but I'm not a big accessories person. I do now have my fair share of pink ribbon hair barrettes but I just rotate them equally depending on what matches with whatever outfit.
Liz Lisa 2-chain butterfly necklace

I was so against spending money on Liz Lisa necklaces because I'm not a big fan of the fake material (and just contact with my skin half the time tarnishes them) but I end up wearing this type of thin chain necklace with a lot of my Liz Lisa outfits. I had a flower version from spring 2015, but it's at the end of its life, this butterfly one has stepped up to the plate. I only wish the chains were a little bit longer, but otherwise, I know I can easily wear take this necklace with me when I travel and it'll match with pretty much everything in my suitcase.

Knot watch

This is a daily wear item for me besides my ring and the handful of static earrings I have. My gold Michael Kors watch used to be my go-to but since getting this one from Knot, I haven't gone back to the old one. The Knot watch is much more lightweight and I love the simple band and overall design that isn't too fussy. It matches with pretty much everything I have!

Honorable Mention / RIP 
Flag J pumps

These didn't actually make the list because the platform is actually separating from the base of the shoe so I really can't wear these anymore, but I love them so much. It would be ideal if I could find an exact replacement but I know it's not going to happen. I browsed the Flag J store during my last trip and everything they had was a bit too flashy or too high for me. These were perfect because it's all one even, neutral color and the size, heel height, the strap were just perfect and they were SUPER COMFORTABLE. There were even a few blog posts where I was lazy and wore them with every single outfit lmao. I'm really sad that they've pretty much fallen apart.

Initially I had wanted a structured 2 items per category type thing, but I realized that if there's 3 items that shine in a particular category or only one in another, then that's really what this post should reflect. I had to try really hard to differentiate between items I really like and items that really would leave a hole in my wardrobe if they were missing. I did my best to keep the mindset that if I didn't have that exact item, I'd need an immediate replacement for it and these are the results I came up with.
I wasn't exactly sure how to date this since it seems a little late into 2017 to be doing a post about 2016, and I'm really not sure what the most versatile/valuable pieces will be in 2017 since it's too early but I think 2016-2017 might reflect what I mean most accurately lol. It's what was useful in 2016 and what I think will continue to be useful in 2017. I'm not sure this will be an annual type of post but rather something maybe every 2-3 years when the content will be largely changed. Let me know what you think!