Tim Gunn's 10 Essentials

We recently caught an episode of Tim Gunn's Guide to Style, the show where Project Runway fashion guru Tim Gunn transforms fashion victims into stylish individuals with the help of former supermodel Veronica Webb. It's a makeover show that's one part "feel-good," (like Extreme Makeover: Home Edition) and one part "rip 'em to shreds" (a la Dr. Phil).

During the makeover, Tim invariably turns to his mentee and hands them a list of must-haves that every woman should own in order to establish a fashionable wardrobe.

There are no surprises on his list, and we can't really argue with them, but we wondered how many women actually do have these items and wear them on a regular basis. See for yourself...

Tim Gunn's 10 Essential Items Every Woman Needs
• Basic black dress
• Trench coat
• Classic dress pants
• Classic white shirt
• Skirt
• Blazer
• Day dress
• Cashmere sweater
• Jeans
• A comfortable alternative to a sweatsuit

See? Nothing new, just basic, versatile and timeless pieces that can work for just about any occasion. Unfortunately, shoes are missing from this list, but we'd guess he'd recommend a pair of black heels, a stylish flat, cute boots and sneaks.

Now if you're like us, this list seems mind-numbingly BORING. In fact, we'd wager most women don't follow these guidelines because following them would be tantamount to admitting that you were boring, too.

But it doesn't have to be that way: The trick is to personalize each item to fit your individual style. For example, one woman's cashmere sweater could be a preppy J. Crew v-neck, whereas another woman's cashmere sweater could be a flirty pink number from Juicy Couture.

Having these ten items in your fashion arsenal provides a solid foundation that practically guarantees you'll look consistently polished. You'll also save time and money in the long-run. And besides, who doesn't love cashmere?

Tim Gunn's Guide to Style airs Thursdays at 10 ET on Bravo.