How to Get a Great Wardrobe that Works for You

If you have watched TV lately, you will notice a ton of shows telling you how should dress and what you shouldn't wear. For the most part, I agree with what is being said. You do need to wear clothes that fit your body shape. You need to look presentable when in public. You need to dress for your age (to some degree). All of this is good information. The most important thing when shopping for clothes (besides fit and presentability) is what works for your lifestyle. Most of us do not need a lot of high end expensive dresses that will go out of style before we get the opportunity to wear them. Nor do I intend on going shopping or walking my dog in designer duds and heels. Buy what you need and what works for you! Here are some tips and must haves!

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Take inventory of your closet.
   
   If you have clothes that don't fit (skinny clothes and fat clothes), get rid of them. You can keep one or two of these items for inspiration but not anymore than that. By inspiration, I mean the skinny clothes for what you want to get back into, and the fat clothes that you never want to wear again. Depending on what item the skinny clothes are, you might not necessarily want to wear them in public but it can give you a boost in reaching your goals.

2. Now that you have purged your closet of the clothes that don't fit, take note of what you wear and don't wear. If you haven't worn it in over a year, you want to get rid of it. If the clothes are not in good shape, trash them unless they can be mended. If it is sentimental, figure out what makes it sentimental. If it is your wedding dress, take it to the cleaners, have it cleaned and put in a bag for storage. No sense hogging valuable closet space. If it was the dress you wore in the 80's that you went on your first date with the hubby, you can get rid of it. The dress not the hubby! You will never wear it again and besides, you got the man, you don't need to keep the dress. Memories are in your head and not hanging in your closet.

3. Now that you have purged your closet of the stuff you don't wear, take stock of what you have. If you need to dress up for work, take note of what you might need. Separates are a must! Good jackets, slacks and skirts are a great thing to own. They can be mixed and matched for a very versatile and classy wardrobe. Stick with timeless pieces that work well with your body. Colors should be kept neutral so you can use them with anything. Blue, black, brown, gray, and tans are great choices.

4. Jeans
   
   Every woman needs a great pair of "my butt looks fantastic" jeans. Of course, you will need to try on many many many pairs to find the perfect jean. You will also need to invest in them. Great jeans don't grow on trees you know! They cost money but will be worth it. They will last you awhile, if you take care of them properly. If you are one of those women that can wear any pair of jeans and look great, I hate you. Not kidding. I really do. Okay, I am kidding...a little.

5. Dressy clothes
   
   When I say dressy, I mean special. Weddings, nice dinners, etc. You don't have to have a ton of them but one or two for each season will suffice. The basic little black dress is always in-style if you stick to a timeless cut. It is also versatile because you can dress it up or down depending on the accessories you use.

6. Basic White Shirt
   
   A great white shirt is a wonderful article of clothing. It can be worn in so many ways. Don't just limit it to white! Get a variety of shirts in colors that work well for your skin tone. The idea is to mix them with your business clothes and casual clothes to make a lot of outfits.
   
   Camisoles and lightweight tees will also give you a splash of color when layered with shirts.

7. For the most part, you want to invest money in timeless pieces. Ones that you will be able to wear for many years to come. Coats, nice slacks, good jeans, great jackets are the money items.
   
   You can afford to go a lower end when buying trendy items. Why spend a lot of money on items that won't be in style long? That makes as much sense as buying designer duds for your infant! When I say lower end, I don't mean buying crap clothes just because they are cheap. They fall apart when they are washed the first time! What good does that do you? A lot of your discount stores(you know the ones I am talking about), have descent items of clothing that can be worn for one season and reasonable on the pocketbook.

8. Shoes
   
   The same with goes with shoes. Spend the money on quality pairs of shoes that you will wear for a long time. You don't want to spend a lot for trendy shoe wear. The most important thing when buying shoes is that they fit properly and are comfortable. I don't care how much you pay for them, shoes that hurt your feet are not worth it!

9. Accesories and Handbags
   
   Invest money in one or two timeless handbags that will last you a lifetime. No more than that should you spend a lot of money on! Cheap trendy handbags to use here and there to match your outfits are fine. Don't waste a lot of money on them.
   
   You can buy nice looking jewely, belts, scarves, etc without spending a lot of money. A couple of nice pieces of jewelry are always wonderful to have but not necessary for every outfit. You can buy great playful things that are trendy to keep you in-style without draining your bank account.

Tips & Warnings

• You might have to get clothes taylored to fit you properly. Yes it can be a little more money, but it is worth it. Especially if you already spent a ton of money on it to begin with. If it doesn't look good and feel good, chances are you won't wear it. Pay to have it altered!
• Don't spend a lot on trendy clothes. They are called trends for a reason!
• Always try clothes on before buying them.
• Don't buy clothes for the sake of buying them! They must fit, you must need them, and you can't go on without them should be the reason for buying them. Think before buying!!

[Susanh]

on 3/3/2009 Excellent practical tips on how to get a good wardrobe that works!

[NightowlMama]

on 1/23/2009 great tips thanks a bunch

[luv2blog]

on 12/15/2008 Excellent article. Very detailed and sensible. 5 stars!

[purrfect1969-2]

on 12/3/2008 Great tips. I love pieces that will work for many outfits.

[WordWhizKid]

on 12/2/2008 Great tips, thanks! Timeless pieces are a life saver for me because I hate to shop, so when I do, I plan on those clothes lasting a long time;)