How to Build a Wardrobe You Truly Love

How many times have you looked at your closet and complained about having nothing to wear? And in reality, how many of those times have you actually had nothing to wear? We’ve all been there – guilty righthere! But when we say we have nothing to wear, what we usually mean is, I wish I had something new to wear. For most people, having a constantly refreshed wardrobe is not possible, and when it comes to our closet there is a natural give and take that has to happen.

The answer for you may be buying less or more, but the point I want to stress is you should be buying smarter. The goal is for everything to have a purpose – we want to minimize those “WTF was I thinking when I bought that?!” items. With the intention of putting the days of buying something and wearing it once before it gets buried in my closet for years behind me, I want to talk about the easy steps you can take to build a wardrobe you truly love.

How to Shop Smarter and How to Build a Wardrobe

+ Set a budget

Part of adulting means being responsible. With responsibility comes budgeting. I’m not a personal finance expert by any means. So, I won’t get into how you should set your budget – that’s a conversation for another day. From what I’ve read on the internet, a general rule of thumb is no more than 10% of your budget. It should be allocated to clothing. I’m sure fashion girls everywhere roll their eyes and carry on. But the bigger point here is you shouldn’t be spending money if you don’t know how much you have to spend. A good practice is tracking your expenses and figuring out where your money is going every month. Once you take care of the essentials (usually the not so fun stuff – rent, bills, etc.), you can allocate funds towards more fun spending.

+ Prioritize

Once you have a number in mind, figuring out where to spend and where to save will help you make smarter shopping decisions. Unless your budget is unlimited, you’re going to have to prioritize which items are musts and which are nice-to-haves. Assessing your current closet will help you identify where there are gaps and where you can add something fun. If you are on a tighter budget (see above), be more thoughtful about which trends you choose to jump on. Consider how much you choose to spend on them.

I personally like to spend more on items I will get a lot of use out of and are more classic, but some people like to buy their basics at Zara and splurge on unique statement pieces. It’s up to you. For example, I love these leopard print pants, but recognized that they are a trendy piece that I will likely not wear a year or two from now. That’s why my Rent the Runway Unlimited membership has been so helpful in determining which items to invest in.

+ Wait before buying

That rush of excitement you get when you buy something new is real. But when all is said and done, that shopping high rarely lasts. If you’re trying to be more mindful of your purchases, wait at least a day (if not longer) before buying. Especially, when you’re online shopping. It’s so easy to click “checkout” when you’re shopping online. However, impulse buys do not necessarily translate to long term satisfaction. Giving yourself a cool-off period to assess if you really want (ok, maybe need ; )) something will help you cut back on frivolous spending.

+ Learn to let go

We’re all guilty of holding onto stuff because we *might* wear it again someday. We convince ourselves that trends are cyclical. Also, that if we hold onto things long enough, they’ll be on trend once again. That it’ll have the added benefit of being vintage. In the spirit of being honest with ourselves, recognizing that you haven’t worn something in over a year might mean it’s time to find that piece of clothing a new home. If you aren’t sure where to begin, check out this post to learn about how you can sell or donate old clothing and accessories.

+ Organize

Coming from someone who is naturally very messy, organization is key. It’s important, especially when it comes to the home and especially your closet. Messiness usually signifies some sort of chaos in your life. If your living space is clean and organized, it will bring peace and calmness to other aspects of your life as well. It’s hard to find what you’re looking for when clothes are strewn all over the place and covering every inch of your floor.

If your closet is overflowing, it might be time to get rid of stuff. If you’re finding yourself resorting to throwing everything onto the ever growing “pile” of clothing, it might be time to invest in some closet organizers and containers. You know what I’m talking about. It’s not the most fun way to spend a weekend. However, taking a visit to the container store and getting your wardrobe in order is surprisingly satisfying.

Of course, personal style isn’t all about practicality. It’s also a creative way to showcase your personality – so don’t forget to have fun with it, and not take it too seriously!

sweater: equipment | pants: paige | bag: givenchy | shoes: similar | sunnies: ray-ban