There are numerous reasons why you might find yourself in the position of having to build a wardrobe from scratch.
Significant body changes, moving to a different climate, starting a new chapter of your life, realizing your style has changed, or simply wanting to start over. All of these are good and valid reasons!
Life, like fashion trends, is ever-changing, and our wardrobes should accurately reflect who we are, who we want to be, and how we want to present ourselves to the world. For some people this is very exciting, however, other people find it overwhelming.
So, whether you need a wardrobe refresh because your body has changed, or your lifestyle has evolved, we’ll walk you through how to build a wardrobe from scratch.
Clean Out Your Closet
The first stage of creating a wardrobe is determining what you have to work with. That means clearing out your closet and dressers so you can see what you already own.
This is the time to be completely honest with yourself and sort your belongings into different piles. Have one for items you frequently wear, another for items you rarely wear, a stack for seasonal items, and a stack for items that no longer fit.
Clothing you rarely wear is unlikely to be useful when it comes to creating a new wardrobe; these could be formal pieces or sentimental items. You don’t have to get rid of these items, though doing so may make you feel less overwhelmed when looking through your closet.
Choose your favorite items and write down exactly what you like about them. Knowing this will help you when it comes to adding new designs to your wardrobe, whether it’s the color, cut, fit, or style.
Pick Colors That Fit You
Having a base set of colors that you are drawn to is the first step toward creating your ideal wardrobe.
Begin by identifying the colors that you are naturally drawn to and that you wear frequently. This isn’t to say that if neon yellow doesn’t make it into your color palette, you can’t ever wear it. Rather, this is a starting point.
The majority of people will have a color palette that includes a base neutral, one or two pop colors, and a favorite “neutral” print.
However, we recommend that you peruse your closet and scroll through social media or magazines to find what you have naturally gravitated to over the years.
- Natural colors to choose from: Tan, White, Navy, Gray, and Black
- Pop colors to try: Red, Pink, or Blue (usually a brighter saturation)
- Easy neutral prints to try: Stripes, Plaids, and leopard print.
Go One Season At a Time
The beauty of creating a new wardrobe is that you should be able to wear some of those items throughout the entire year.
Trying to shop for a year-round wardrobe all at once can be overwhelming, especially if you’re worried about buying something that will only be trendy or in style for a hot minute.
Instead of trying to choose clothes for the entire year at once, we suggest focusing on building your wardrobe around the current season and adding essential pieces as needed.
While your wardrobe may change with the seasons, it should be timeless enough to withstand seasonal trends.
Pick Suitable Accessories
Creating a new wardrobe includes your shoes and accessories. After choosing your clothes, it is time to choose the accents and footwear to make sure everything is on point.
Including shoes in the base color of your capsule is a good place to start. You can also incorporate neutral-colored footwear into the mix. Your personal needs will determine whether you wear running shoes, loafers, heels, or flats.
Accessories are essential in loving your new wardrobe. Jewelry, bags, shoes, and watches are such an easy way to add a little more personality to an outfit, or simply refresh some pieces.
When speaking of accessories, watches are symbols of style and an important detail to be added to your new wardrobe. Different watches ranging from a skin dive watch with a rough charm that help you achieve a sophisticated look, to dress watches with a more subtle elegance that give you a casual touch.
Invests in Staple Pieces
Investing in staples pieces will extend the life of your purchases and help you avoid over-buying those inexpensive designs that you will only wear a few times before they no longer fit your wardrobe.
By reducing your wardrobe, you will have more money to spend on essentials because you will no longer be purchasing items that you don’t really need, that don’t fit you well, or that you will never wear.
Final Thoughts
Keep in mind that building your wardrobe from scratch is not a race. Make sure to collect items that you like, and that fit your body and personal style and your closet will benefit for many years to come.
