It’s that time again! The new season’s weather is starting to take hold and most of your summer clothes have been pulled from your closet already.

Now is the time to go through your closet, item by item, thinking about the outfits you do, or would like to, create with that item. Do you have all the pieces you need? The right shoes, bag, etc?

The goal is to have a closet filled with items you can wear, not a bunch of “oh, I’ll wear that as soon as I get the right pants/shoes/blazer/etc” items. If you do have those, you have two options: 1) GET the right pants/shoes/blazer/etc and complete the outfit, or 2) consider letting go of that item. If you’re going to spend more money and time than you’ve already spent completing an outfit, you might consider cutting your losses and losing the one item rather than having to buy more to go with it.

And I get it, it’s HARD. Shopping is hard. You bought an item you love, visualizing the outfit you’re going to create with it. And then the search begins for those other pieces you’ll need to create the outfit. And maybe they’re not so easy to find, so the original item just languishes on a hanger in your closet.

Do you see what’s wrong with the above paragraph? “You bought an item you love.” You bought an item you love, not an item you need.

And no, most of us probably don’t need half of what’s hanging in our closets. But we do need clothes. We can’t go around naked. We need to be able to dress appropriately for our roles in this world, whatever they may be. And fashion is fun. Style is a fun way to show your personality. So we can’t just go without clothing.

What you need is A Plan. You need lists. I keep two lists. What TO Buy…and What NOT to Buy (I’m looking at you, light blue Tencel nightgown dresses).

The way I plan is by keeping a list of items I’m looking for to round out my wardrobe. I don’t go into a store or online just to “see what I like.” I  try to keep the perspective that what I like is irrelevant, I only want to buy what I need, what will work with the pieces I already have. The list is on my phone and my computer and is updated seasonally.

My current list is for fall/winter. I’m actually pretty well set for fall needs. All my fall outfits have all their pieces and accessories (YAY!!!). But there are a couple wants.

Well, I do need (and I mean NEED) a new pair of actual running walking sneakers. Those black Adidas are older than this blog. And I’ve been waiting to get a pair of leather Keds for fall and spring, those times of year I can wear dresses with bare legs. My canvas ones are looking pretty grungy. They’re even older than the Adidas. It’s time.

AND (ha) something I’ve been coveting for several years but have never pulled the trigger on, is a pair of bright sneakers. Like golden/mustard yellow. That’s certainly not a need, but it can go on the list as a low priority. I think this will be a fun addition to my shoe wardrobe so I’m not only wearing black sneakers with jeans every day.

I also need some sort of comfortable low-heeled booty. I’m not even setting my sights on cognac booties this year; that quest has broken my heart too many times. But a dark brown or black pair with good cushion and rubbery soles will be useful in cold weather when I want to elevate my look from sneakers.

Another item I feel short on is light-medium knits. A couple of years ago (maybe even last winter) I got heavily into big chunky turtlenecks. And I learned that that’s too much for me. They’re too bulky. I’ve got enough of that on my own. They’re never what I reach for on weekend or evening outings.

Those three cashmere sweaters I got last year, though, are on HEAVY rotation these days. They’re nothing special to look at. But they are so lovely to wear. They’re lightweight, they’re soft, and they’re warm…without being hot. They’re thin and lightweight enough to layer over a tee, turtle, or buttondown. And I’ve learned that just works better for me, my lifestyle…and my body temperature, ha ha. So I’m considering one more in a different color…I’ve got a navy v-neck on watch in Shoptagr and if it goes on sale I’ll grab it.

Another item I’ve got on watch in Shoptagr (would you guys be interested in seeing my Shoptagr and how I use it?) is a black cupro buttondown from Universal Standard. I rented it (and the dark blue one) last year from Nuuly and fell deep deep in love and know I would wear it a lot. It would go with all my jeans and most of my cardigans and could be tied-up over dresses. It’s extremely versatile. Plus, I’ve been having a black moment recently. I want to wear All The Black, and normally that’s not really my jam. I just ordered a pair of washed black jeans from Madewell. I have my doubts they’ll fit, but…hope springs eternal.

AND (last thing, I promise, ha ha) is a particular dress from Target. It’s just a pretty lil ditzy floral print in sort of reddish browns and I think it will be cute with several of my cardigans, a denim jacket, under a blue chambray shirt – all the usual players. And if it doesn’t work out, I’m not looking for another dress instead.

So, this is a pretty specific list…

…and a pretty short one. And no way will I find/afford all these things this fall/winter! So I’ve prioritized the list using a need:cost ratio (ha ha, don’t I sound smart?).

For me, this year, my Do Not Buy list would be:

  • Chunky turtlenecks
  • Any shoe that I cannot wear for a full day of walking in the city

Ha, it’s gotten short. It used to be much longer! But my “want/need” list is so specific this season that it’s easy to avoid mistakes. But if you find yourself with repeat mistakes in your closet, definitely add those things to your Do Not Buy list, cuz clearly there’s a reason you’re drawn to those items, even though, time and time again, they just don’t work in your wardrobe. Keep it in your phone or wallet and when you’re out shopping and see The Clothing Item of Your Dreams…check the list. It might be on there. And we want a real wardrobe…not a dream one.

I’ve been using the do/do not lists for several years now and they have really helped me save money by not making (as many!) wardrobe mistakes. Let me know if it helps you!

PS: I just bought the Target dress! When I went to the site to get the link I saw it was on sale, so…bam.

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