6 Tips Before You Shop
If you’re unsure of how to build a wardrobe you love that is filled with clothes you can’t wait to wear, this post shares six tips I teach my personal styling clients before buying new clothes. There are many reasons why we shop. It’s not only because we need to build our wardrobe or we want something new. A lot of times there is an emotional component to when we shop. We might be shopping because we’re bored, lonely, or we think we don’t have enough clothes.
These are the six things to think about before buying an item so that you build a wardrobe you love.
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Build A Wardrobe You Love | Video
6 Tips To Build A Wardrobe
Tip #1: What Is Your Criteria?
What are your criteria? When I say criteria, I’m talking about what an item needs to have before you bring it into your closet. The non-negotiables. These are important to consider if you want to love your wardrobe.
What are the things an item must have? Is it a fabric choice, quality, color, style, or specific silhouette? What are the elements that you’re drawn to and love about an item?
Knowing your personal style can help you curate a closet full of pieces that you love and feel authentic to who you are. When considering your criteria, you also want to ask, does it work with your lifestyle? Sometimes we think we might wear those stiletto heels, but in reality, we’re home with toddlers and not going out as much, so we don’t have a place to wear them.
If you’re not sure where to start with finding your criteria, I recommend taking out the favorite pieces in your closet. What are the ones you always reach for and feel great in? As you go through these items look at each piece and note down the things you love about it. It could be the color, the fabric, the style, the fit, the pattern, the quality, or another element. I recommend doing this with 5 to 10 of your most-loved pieces. Once you’ve identified the qualities or descriptive words for these items, see which words come up again and again. Those are likely your criteria.
Tip #2: Have A Shopping List
The next tip to building a wardrobe you love is to have a shopping list. A shopping list helps you prioritize the things you need, so you can focus on adding the items you’re missing. If you have a hard time knowing the gaps in your wardrobe, keep a notebook near your closet when you’re getting dressed. When you’re putting looks together, pay attention to anything you may be missing to complete an outfit. For example, you may be putting an outfit together and realize you’re missing black boots or flats. These are the things that should go on your shopping list.
Having a shopping list is important because it helps you build a functional closet. When you’re putting outfits together, you want to have everything you need to create a head-to-toe look that makes you feel confident. A shopping list also makes you more focused when choosing to bring something into your closet. Instead of shopping without a plan, you’ll be adding items that fill specific gaps. One of your criteria could even be that the item must be on your shopping list. This way, when you’re deciding whether to buy something, you can ask yourself if it’s on your list and aligned with your wardrobe needs.
Tip #3: Do You Have A Capsule Wardrobe?
The next tip is to ask yourself: Do you have a capsule wardrobe in your closet? I’m not saying you should only have a capsule wardrobe, or that there’s a one-size-fits-all capsule wardrobe for everyone. Capsule wardrobes can vary based on your lifestyle, age, personal style, and criteria. Generally, you should think about having quality basics in your closet. Pieces in neutral colors that are classic, high-quality, and fit you well, so they can easily mix and match with other items. Sometimes, it’s hard to get dressed even though we have a lot of clothes because we have a closet full of statement or standout pieces instead of foundation pieces.
Statement pieces aren’t supposed to be versatile. They’re usually prints, bold colors, or have interesting details that don’t go with as many items in your closet. If you don’t have a capsule wardrobe, and instead have a closet full of statement pieces, that can be a reason why it’s hard to get dressed and why you don’t feel excited about your wardrobe.
Tip #4: Can You Return It?
The next thing to think about before buying new clothes is whether you can return them if you change your mind. This is especially important if you’re still figuring out your style, curating your closet, or if this is all new to you and you’re in the practice phase of building a wardrobe you love. You want the flexibility to return items.
Although I have had a wardrobe I’ve loved for over 15 years, I still won’t buy anything unless I can return it. If it doesn’t have a good return policy, I won’t buy it because I want that flexibility. I want to know that if I change my mind, I can return it. A good return policy is vital to building a closet you love, especially when you’re still figuring out your criteria, personal style, and shopping list.
Tip #5: Does It Fit You?
The next thing to think about before bringing something into your closet is, does it fit you. If it doesn’t fit, can you commit to having it tailored? It’s crucial to ask yourself this question before you buy the item. If you can’t commit to spending the money to have the item tailored so it fits you, then don’t bring it into your closet.
I’ve walked into hundreds of closets over the last 17 years of styling clients, and almost everyone has items sitting in their closets with the tags still on because they didn’t fit perfectly. They never committed to tailoring it, so those items have been sitting in their closet. Make sure it fits perfectly before you buy it, and if it doesn’t, commit to getting it tailored.
Tip #6: Do You Love It?
Do you love it? Not do you love it on the hanger, or do you love it because you’re out shopping with your friends and having fun, but do you love it when you put it on your body in those first 7 seconds? It’s the first seven seconds when you’re in the dressing room by yourself, looking in the mirror. Is your immediate reaction, “I love this,” or are you trying to convince yourself?
Start to pay attention when you put an item on, before asking anyone else how it looks. If you feel great in it, that’s what matters, not what anyone else thinks. If you love it and feel confident in it, that’s the most important thing. So when you put it on, take a few minutes and pay attention to your thoughts. Do you love it, or are you making excuses for why this will work? This is an important part of learning how to build a wardrobe that you’ll love.
Build A Wardrobe You Love | Video
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