Janet Gunn is the inspiring influencer behind The Grateful Gardenia. Originally from Texas, the 58-year-old style guru is now settled in Los Angeles with her husband, son, and dog Buster. She’s worked as a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader, flight attendant, actor, jewelry designer, and beyond. In other words, she has a ton of experience and an equally cool personal style. Melissa Meyers is a Los Angeles–based influencer with a focus on beauty, style, travel, and wellness. Her blog, The Glow Girl, aims to empower women to embrace the best version of themselves, age gracefully, and cultivate a glow from the inside out. She also happens to be 54 years old and has a penchant for masterfully styling trends. Here, the fashionable duo teams up to discuss the basics they swear by. Oh, and don’t forget to follow them at @janetgunngratefulgardenia and @melissameyers.

“What do straight-leg jeans, a blazer, and a white button-down all have in common? They are the holy trinity of closet essentials. Being in our 50s, both of us have definitely had our share of ‘What were we thinking?!’ fashion moments. But through a lot of hits and misses over the years and experimenting with different styles and trends, we have learned one crucial tip that we now swear by. Basics are our best friend.”

“Thankfully, as we’ve gotten older, our fashion choices have gotten wiser. We’ve each developed our own signature styles by anchoring our wardrobes with the basics and then adding accessories and seasonal trends to bring out our fashion personalities. Just as a house needs a solid foundation to build upon, so do our wardrobes.”

“Acting as the perfect canvas to experiment with trends, these staples—like crew-neck sweaters, leather jackets, and yes, even leopard-print separates—can take you from casual to chic like that. And best of all, they don’t always have to be expensive.

Keep scrolling to see how we each style our unique looks starting with the basic pieces we think every woman should own.”