It's almost a new year and that means it's time to kick up your style and assess your wardrobe.

There are 10 essential items that should be in every woman's closet, according to Tim Gunn, style guru and co-host on the new ABC show " The Revolution."

Instead of buying trendy items with little lasting value from season to season, invest in pieces that can serve as building blocks for your wardrobe every year, Gunn suggests.

"You should and must personalize these items. They're not all the same for everyone, so select styles that pertain to your own lifestyle and your own taste," he says.

Then mix and match all of these items to create looks that are easy, yet still polished and put together.

1. Basic Black Dress

"We all know that you can dress it up to take it out, that's its intention, but you can also pair an item like this with a cardigan for work. So it's an easy item to transition."

2. Day Dress

"This is a dress that you're probably going to wear to work. It is never intended to be a dress that you would wear to a cocktail party alternative."

3. Classic White Shirt

"This should be in every woman's dressing vocabulary," Gunn says.  Pair it with jeans, a skirt or dress pants for an easy, polished outfit.

4. Classic Blazer

"This is the easiest way in the world to dress up a T-shirt and a pair of jeans and take them almost anywhere," Gunn says.

5. Dress Pants

6. Trench Coat

Whether it's that traditional khaki coat with military details or a fun, red color that pops against your hair or skin tone, Gunn loves a good trench.

"It's my coat of choice because you can wear it to the grocery store, you can take it to the opera," he says.

7. Good Pair of Jeans

"For me, the style of choice is one that falls straight from the widest part of your hip and that is in a dark wash," Gunn says. "No distressing."

8. Skirt

Pair with the white shirt and the blazer for an easy, polished look.

9. Cashmere Sweater

"Cashmere will not pill, so this will be very, very serviceable in your wardrobe. You'll get a lot of wear out of it," Gunn says.

10. Sweatsuit Alternative

"This is an item that's easy to throw on, that allows you to look sophisticated and polished and is an alternative to the sweat suit," Gunn says. "Depending on your taste and lifestyle, this can take on many different forms."

Gunn will guide women on personal style transformations on the new ABC show, " The Revolution." For more tips from Gunn, check out ABC's The Revolution, which debuts on Monday, Jan. 16 at 2 p.m. ET.