Where have all the basics gone?

I love newness as much as the next person- I am guilty of abandoning perfectly good items because they lose their luster simply by virtue of how long they have lived in my closet. I rip the tags off as soon as I get a new article home, and plan the next day's outfit around wearing it, no matter what it is. A recently purchased plain jersey top is inherently chosen over its 9-18 month old cousin.

But I do not covet newness at the expense of basics. 'New' to me sometimes refers to cut/color/trim, but often just purchase date. I avoid pieces that show their age in terms of the aforementioned characteristics, because I am not trendy, 17, nor of unlimited means to purchase each season's it-list in toto. Right now, after post-Christmas binge shopping, I am in desperate need of a cream colored turtle neck sweater. The proud owner of last week's fabulous cobalt blue Ann pants, and now a glen plaid Jcrew pair, plus black wide leg Theory trousers with lime green pinstripes, among other winter pencil skirts, I'm craving a cream topper. But the retailers are so caught up in holiday cheer they have neglected the basics. Out I go again, one last time, in search the missing top. Wish me luck!