The constant barrage of news about the rapidly changing financial markets and the need to change our spending habits makes this a challenging time to be fashionable.  But take heart, this is a perfect time to survey our wardrobes, reconsider some of our purchases and eliminate those that don't do us justice.

The desire to look good does not fluctuate with the economy.  Through good times and bad it is human nature to want to feel good about how you look.  Resources might change but desire does not.  No matter what your circumstances, it is also a good thing to periodically take an honest look at your wardrobe to determine if it's working for you.  Are you overwhelmed by the sheer volume of clothes you own?  Do you wear everything you have?  Does everything fit properly (are you even sure what proper fit looks like)?  Do you feel like you have a mish-mash of styles, most of which don't speak to your heart?

Since most everyone is doing their own thing when it comes to fashion these days we decided to ask three experts when to wear stockings or when it is OK not to wear them.

Brovo's style guru has listed 10 "Must-Have Basic Wardrobe Pieces" that every female should own.

One of the best ways to spend your wardrobe dollars is on basics. These are items that will give you good "gas mileage". The basic white blouse is a mainstay in most women's closets. A plain white shirt for women is a staple that can add freshness to many casual and work outfits.

Always in style, pearls are timeless. They have been around and valued since ancient Egyptian times when they were found by fishermen accidentally. Today the pearl industry is a multibillion-dollar business. Elegance and in some cases rarity have made pearls a traditional sign of wealth.

Do we need to buy something new for holiday parties this year? Since most of us are trying to make our dollars go further this year we can probably re-cycle some of our last year's party clothes. If you are like me you can't remember what most people wore to holiday parties last year anyway.

Bill Cunningham, NYTimes writer, calls the handbag "the engine carrying the fashion world." And he is right if you consider what women are paying for a handbag these days. Handbags continue to get larger, heavier, and more expensive. The result  is that women put more things in large handbags. Many of today's women are dragging around 2-5 lb bags.