How do you prioritize wardrobe purchases? - YouLookFab Forum

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How do you prioritize wardrobe purchases?

SarahD8

Veteran

We live in a world in which there are so many things one could buy! How do you choose which ones?

The jeans, or the sweater? The sweater in your favorite shade of blue, or a wild card red? Maybe jeans and a sweater both, but hold off on a new pair of boots?

With the turning of the calendar to August I am starting to think about autumn wardrobe planning, and one thing I think is that I am not always very effective at prioritizing wardrobe purchases. I am wondering what rubrics, systems, or thought processes others have.

Two things that I think pose a challenge for me in this department:
-I shop mostly online secondhand. So, potential purchases for me are not seasonally restricted the way they are for people who shop retail. (Do I buy the skirt that will be the perfect thing next spring, or the nice but humdrum sweater that will be useful next month?)
-I have a quirky style that is not trend-driven. So, in theory I could make a list of, say, the top 5 items that would make my wardrobe better, but it could take YEARS for those items to show up. What should I buy in the meantime?

If you have thoughts about dealing with those two specific challenges, I am happy to hear them. Mostly, though, I am just on a data-point-gathering mission here, and am interested in how *you* prioritize purchasing decisions in your own wardrobe.

Shopping

39 replies

Latest reply was from whidbeygirl

Joy

Veteran

I ask myself a few questions before buying anything.,, do I need it?does it go with at least three outfits in the correct season that I own? If I have been looking for this ( like a red jacket), and I buy it, will I still be looking for a better one? If I did not have this, what do I have that I could wear instead? Do I have room for it? What do the care instructions say? Is it returnable?
I hope this is helpful. I try to learn from mistakes… my own and those of others. I also try to practice one in- one out, which means another question is "If I buy this, what will I remove from my wardrobe?"

rachylou

Veteran

I priortise things I use a lot, that get heavy wear BUT if something really unique appears, that *exact blue* or a HEWI - that moves to a zero priority buy it now thing(!)

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

I think you’d rather have advice on good ways to do this than hear how it do it, because my process is totally unplanned. One thing I have noticed, though, is that in retrospect I do seem to attack categories. Moving to Berlin from Tampa it was obvious that I needed long pants; I bought 8 pair that I can think of (including 1 that didn’t fit me until later & one that would require altering). That overlapped with the berry wardrobe purchases. Then a year of shoes & underthings, some warm & practical, some frilly and fun. This year seems to be mostly about workout clothes, including sports tops that I can also wear otherwise, perhaps even to archives. None of these was 100%, but the trends are for real.

I do have a list of things I’m supposed to be keeping my eyes out for. Several of them would be helpful in the spruce-up of my winter style I’m thinking about. Searching for them is tiring, and when I intentionally do anything related to dressing, it tends to come out badly.

In other words, I’m looking forward to the wise words your thread will reap, and will follow along as quietly as I can.

Jules

Veteran

I prioritize the following
- items to fill wardrobe holes aka things I am reaching for but they aren’t there, because I don’t own them or the one I do is in the laundry aka I need a reasonable duplicate.
- items I’ve been ‘waiting for’ and I suspect may sell out; eg my summer essential Birks had worn out but I’m very picky about colours and didn’t like the available options, so when a new style came out that I loved I pounced, even though it was February in Canada; currently I don’t ‘need’ combat boots, but I’ve been contemplating/waiting for Docs in a dark colour other than black or cherry and they just released burgundy, so I’ll probably be ordering those very soon.

always trying

Veteran

My first priorities mostly are what do I have for the events, including small trips, that probably will happen in the upcoming months. Then I go thru my wardrobe and check out what maybe I will not wear-doesn't fit well now, not quite OK style wise, can I restyle it, etc. Next comes wardrobe holes--then last I start searching and thinking new things I may want. Currently I am wanting grey booties and a camel, or some such color, blazer. These are items that will work with existing fall and winter items.

SarahD8

Veteran

Thank you, all! This is a really good discussion.

Joy those are all great questions! I am not sure answering them narrows things down far enough for me, haha. Or maybe I need to be more honest with myself about "do I have room for it" and "one in-one out"!

rachylou, oh yes, *the exact blue* -- I have one of those blues, too. (Though I do not have anything in my wardrobe in that shade at the moment, because when it pops up I tend to buy the thing and then it turns out to have some other quality that is a dealbreaker. Hm. Instructive.) I think the "something really unique" factor is a bit of a pitfall of secondhand shopping -- there is always something really unique popping up. I have to restrain myself!

SF, well, you know, "this year I'm focusing on pants, next year on underpinnings" is a pretty good strategy -- even if it's one you kind of backed into! I hope this thread will generate a discussion that's useful to more than just me.

Jules, ah! So you buy to fill wardrobe holes and then to fill "wantrobe" holes. That is a solid approach!

always trying, oh interesting -- the event/trip planning angle is something I hadn't thought of! Very interesting to ponder that.

What I'm realizing from the discussion so far is that I don't really know what a wardrobe hole is. I mean, of course I know what one is...but it's a really squishy concept, no? There's a vast landscape between "I literally cannot get dressed because I lack this thing" and "I neither need nor want this thing." A wardrobe hole lies closer to the former reach of that territory of course, but where exactly?

I wonder if this is partly a result of that "it could be years before that item shows up" factor that I mentioned in my initial post. I have gone, truly, years without what I would consider really foundational items and yet have never gotten arrested for public indecency, you know?

This question of what is a wardrobe hole might be the crux of the issue re: prioritizing for me. I need to ponder this some more and think about what definition might work for me. Thanks all of you who have commented so far for helping to bring this to the fore!

Barbara Diane

Veteran

An example of a wardrobe hole-I’ve lost weight. My navy print tops still fit but I only have black or print pants and crops that fit properly. I could get much more wear out of my navy tops if I had navy pants/crops.

Jules

Veteran

Maybe it comes from years of having a very small & imperfect wardrobe, combined with a lot of weight fluctuations, but when I didn’t have ‘enough’ clothes for my (subjective) needs wardrobe holes were pretty acute, like ‘I need to get to work and don’t have any clean, well-fitting pants that I’m not embarrassed by’ or ‘it’s winter and I don’t have a warm coat’. So I would often end up panic buying less than great place holder items. I got sick of that and now try to think ahead, like ‘I know that I generally wear out one or two pairs of essential skinny jeans every winter, and upon inspection last years’ purchases are starting to look a bit tired or too tight, so I’m going to buy one or two new pairs and start moving the faded, stretching out ones into the weekend/work at home category before I’m embarrassed to wear them out”.

Style Fan

Veteran

My priority is footwear. My shoes are expensive and difficult to find. I have problem feet, and I walk a lot.
I was not always like this. I have a plan for my wardrobe every year, but I also allow for emotional and unexpected purchases. I learned how to do this from YLF.

Runcarla

Veteran

Every shopping year is different - but I do work from a list. What I need is covered by what I have in my closet, so I try to keep to ‘one in/one out’ with some flexibility (around 80 items +/- 10.) Once a year (usually October) I do a complete closet review, try things on, and make some decisions on what needs to be edited, and what is coming to the end of it’s life and needs to be replaced. In other words, where a wardrobe hole might be forming.

The past shopping year was about replacing worn out basics, and I did add/replace almost half my footwear - from boots to sandals, and acquired some practical accessories like hats, specs, and a bag. They were all on my list.

When it comes to second hand, I’m a B&M shopper, and do look for items from my list in those venues. I successfully sourced a black v-neck sweater, ecru jeans, and a coloured leather bag at thrift in the past calendar year - and they were all on my list. I also shop thrift for wildcards - like the colourful summer shift, and the orange button down (that I reach for all-the-time!) and when I feel a need for retail therapy (it’s a cheap eco friendly fix.)

Most activities/occasions can be covered by what I have in my closet. (That is part of the assessment I do at the annual review) so I rarely need something ‘urgently’, and this allows for opportunities to find ‘the thing’ at second hand, rather than new at retail.

So, what I prioritize is what is on the list, but I recognize that there is room in the budget for spur of the moment/wildcards/retail therapy

Photos from my last thrift store haul below. < $100CAD and two items crossed off my list!

(All the thrifted items in my closet ATM - https://youlookfab.com/finds/c.....tion=11516)

View Info

View Info

Irina

Veteran

I have a sort of shopping/wish list. I put there items that I need to replace the old ones with, some basics and some wants. I constantly edit it. It’s not a yearly thing, sometimes it takes me a couple of years to find a garment. Some of them are specific and might be called a wardrobe hole due to it, like white jeans or black linen pants. It must be exactly it and nothing will substitute that particular item. Some are more generally defined garments or accessories like “a black or navy summer dress or a jumpsuit “. I keep things from my list in mind when I shop and feel satisfied when I purchase and take it off the list. But it’s more of the reminder, I leave space for discoveries.

Runcarla

Veteran

@ SarahD8 - Jenn posted a challenge 2 years ago that was a great test for any wardrobe. I go through the exercise twice a year - once for cold weather, and once for warm - as part of an ongoing wardrobe assessment process. If I have trouble making an outfit I’m happy with because I’m missing an item, I know I have a wardrobe hole!

https://youlookfab.com/welookf.....-challenge

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I'm nodding along with Irina.

Some thoughts, SarahD8:

I have a flexible shopping list, wishlist, and make welcome room for wildcards and unexpected purchases to amp up the excitement and fun-factor!

The items on my shopping list are generated by: style goals, wardrobe holes, replenishing and replacing needs, and HOW I want to refresh and evolve my style over time. Like adding navy to replace the black has taken YEARS.

Items can stay on my shopping list for many, many seasons! For example, I've been trying to replace my navy essential woolly outerwear for at least 3 years - and finally did that at the NAS this year. I've had tall cream dressy boots that fit and are comfy on my shopping list for 15 years! Still don't have them.

I have a monthly budget, and a NAS budget that I stick to. I keep a spreadsheet of EVERY PURCHASE, and keep track of whether it earned a place in my wardrobe, or is returned.

As far as wardrobe holes go, they are in part generated by how Carla defined them. I realized that I had two large wardrobe holes his year, and made them style goals in order to tackle them head on - and IN MY TIME so that I am relaxed about it. First, I attacked my formal wear capsule, and then I tackled my heatwave capsule. Here is why I tackled my formal wear capsule:

https://youlookfab.com/2022/04.....-strategy/

Now that Seattle has major heatwaves - as you know!!! - and we roast in our loft without a/c - I need more very high Summer clothes.

As far as priorities go, I try NEVER to feel pressured or rushed to get anything for my style or wardrobe. This has to stay fun, and feeling pressured is not fun to me. I shop off-season more and more because then, I can get exactly what I want. If the item is right - it will be worn with joy at the right time. My style and sartorial preferences are sufficiently set in their ways to make this a successful strategy, and I am confident in my choices. My wardrobe is in very good shape so I have my bases covered. This makes shopping for perfect items that come along unexpectedly for next season or an occasion far, far away easier to prioritize.

Like Style Fan and others, shoes are often prioritized because of a walking lifestyle and fussy feet.

I wrote a novel

Hope it helps someone in some small way!

LJP

Veteran

Angie’s process is envy- inducing but makes sense for someone in the style business. Since I moved out of a career that justified dressing well and with a nod to trends , I honestly have lost the desire to shop . I reigned in my budget in a big way , and now only buy items I plan for . I so do not need more things , so it’s made life so much easier to just focus on the 2-3 pieces per season I know I really can use , and not get distracted by beautiful clothes I simply don’t need nor have anywhere to wear . I don’t even set foot in the mall anymore and haven’t been in many of what used to be my fav stores in ages ( BR , Anthro , Lululemon and CM for example ) This fall , I both need and want a pair of great mid shaft black boots to wear at work . I also want / can justify one cashmere or other soft sweater in a pale neutral , and lastly , a pair of flared jeans I don’t have to hem . And I refuse to settle for some pair that sort of fits . Lastly , I am currently obsessed with a modified western boot ( I know , hell must have frozen over , what can I say ?) and if I find something that is not $$ (because this will be a trend look ) , I’m buying them . That’s it.

SarahD8

Veteran

Barbara Diane that's a great example of a wardrobe hole. I had a similar experience a where I had accumulated a lot of blue tops (it's a readily available color and it looks good on me). Also all my pants were blue. But I realized I don't really like to wear blue tops with blue pants. So, it would seem that non-blue pants were a wardrobe hole that would enable me to get more wear out of my blue tops. But, I always had (have) a sneaking suspicion that an equally good or maybe even better solution would be to edit out the excess of blue tops...so there's a lot of ambiguity, I think.

Jules, that's a great system. It sounds like in some ways you are prioritizing things you wear a lot, like rachylou. And I know that "thinking/planning ahead for things that will soon wear out" has been discussed a fair bit on the forum recently. That's a smart strategy too and one I need to keep in mind.

Style Fan prioritizing categories that are difficult to fit/hard to find is a very, very good idea!

Have to get dinner on the table but will come back and respond to others. This is, again, such a useful discussion!

Zaeobi

(website)

Veteran

Wardrobe holes =
1~ Will I freeze my butt off without this?
2~ Will I sweat my butt off without this?
3~ Will I be self-conscious/ inappropriately dressed for X event without this?
4~ Will I be uncomfortable at X event without this? (see #1 & #2)
5~ Will I be unable to pull together a few outfits without this?*

* Be careful with this one; I say a 'few' because otherwise it's easy to slip into buying a whole new wardrobe just to support ONE new clothing piece!

Zaeobi

(website)

Veteran

TL;DR:
I find it's ok for wardrobe items to take months/ years to find so long as they don't fall under my 'wardrobe holes' list above. (E.g. I *finally* found a deep teal cotton tank top with not too low of a neckline - I managed to make outfits without it for years, but hopefully now this will give me more choices (will have the chance to check this once I'm reunited with my original closet)!

Though I suspect we all try to minimise it, I think it's normal that there will be *some* level of 'placeholder' items in your wardrobe (especially if you're shopping secondhand). I'd recommend the 'One in/ One out' rule in that case though - e.g. now that I've *finally* found full-length dark brown trousers, I donated my slightly too tight & cropped pair. Make any alterations needed on the 'new' pair before getting rid of the old pair though, otherwise you'll fall into what I call a 'false' regret (because you don't actually miss the *old* pair so much as having *any* option to fill the 'dark brown trousers' hole). Lol

Joy

Veteran

Doi have room foam item means is there an extra hangar and space on the bar Orin a drawer or space in the shoe bag?

YKK

The way I do things is pretty simple. Everything is pretty bland except when I come across something I really like. I'm not trend driven either, not in the slightest unless the trend happens to be something I like. You could definitely say my style is quirky as well. I'd be interested in any pictures of your outfits as I'm curious about any kind of unusual styles.

Sal

Veteran

I have a list but allow for wildcards. I do have years like StagF where one year is gear and the next is more summer oriented. Priorities are things that I would really miss if I didn’t buy - running shoes, a couple of warm tops for winter walks, the right bag for my needs. Every now and then I get a burning need for something I see and I mostly go with it.

I make sure I always have an outfit for smart work occasions and for a funeral,

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I was nodding along with Jules, Carla, Irina, and Zaeobi. I go through a process rather like Carla's of inspecting items thoroughly a couple of times a year, and envisioning what I might want to wear for my planned activities and any upcoming events or trips. And in between those planning/ thinking/ examining sessions I am also constantly paying attention to where I run into problems creating outfits or engaging in the activities I want to do -- sometimes that leads to something like what Stagliare Fash and Sal mentioned, so that a few years back when I moved to Victoria, I had a "year of gear" because I suddenly needed clothes for hiking and biking. And sometimes it just means prioritizing a good pair of boots.

Like Angie and Irina and Style Fan and others, I want to leave room for wild cards and fun or unexpected purchases. Like Carla, I often use thrifting/ consignment shopping specifically for wild cards. Figuring out my essentials has been valuable too, because knowing them, I can safely buy on discount (or at thrift) out of season. I know, for instance, that I need navy tops for every season; if my current ones are all wearing out, it makes sense to plan ahead for new ones because if I don't, I'll be sorry! Contrariwise, knowing my essentials also gives me permission, if I like, to buy them full price and at higher quality. The CPW will be minimal by the time I am through and I will not tire of them. And it is worth it to ensure they are in place. In other words, ensuring I have all my essentials is a wardrobe priority for me.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

I have no wardrobe holes or true needs, so when I start focusing on an item type I wait for it. Like you Sarah, I shop primarily second hand, but am in a thrift shop most days and peruse online options as well. I will invest in a "risky" online item (say shoes I don't know that will fit) and order them to my sister's house in Florida and then wait months to see them. At that point the return window is over, but I have calculated their resale value into my decision. Am always open to wild cards, but it takes a lot to wow me these days .

Anonymous

I have a handwritten inventory, with a list of what I want to buy, as well as my wardrobe in Finds- which I'd definitely recommend!

Main priorities for me are essentials replacements (often shoes, black skirts and trousers), and laundry bottlenecks (usually basics).

For non essentials, I take into account the PUPY (potential uses per year) value.
Summer workwear has the highest, as I wear it 6 months of the year. Casual transitional and occasion wear has the lowest. If I can wear things in multiple contexts, like a LBD that can be work formal and occasion, it's better than buying wardrobe unitaskers.

As far as your needs, I do suggest shopping in season, even if it isn't required. I say that cause you'll be actively wearing that seasons clothes, finding wardrobe holes and needed replacements, and seeing what your preferences/inspirations are at that time. You'll be able to try out the contenders straightaway instead of just having them take up space for months. It's why I don't buy much, if anything, at NAS.

Staysfit

Veteran

I have tried to analyze how I shop. I think I am mostly an intuitive shopper and go by emotion. However, the truth is I really don’t know. Somehow it all seems to be working out and I no longer buy too much or end up with an overwhelming number of items. I wear everything I buy. I believe the main key is to ask myself if I truly love the item. Then I ask:
1. Where will I wear this?

2. If I have X occasion where I might wear this, would I pick this item or prefer a different item from my wardrobe? Why?
3. Does this item mix and match well with what I own?
4. Does this item duplicate another item in my closet? If so, which of the two is better? Should I replace the other item? Would I choose this new item over the old?
5. Does it fit well? Is it good quality/well made? Is it practical?

This does not answer whether I would prioritize buying shoes over a pair of jeans if I had a budget or time constraint. Obviously, I prioritize cashmere sweaters over anything else! :-). Joking aside, if I had to prioritize, the greasy wheel would get the grease. Figuring out which wheel is squeaking requires a good ear.

Brooklyn

Veteran

I prioritise everyday wear over occasional wear and warm weather wear over cool weather wear. This means I’m more likely to give myself permission to buy something I really like if I can see myself wearing it everyday or in warm weather (extra marks for both). I am stricter if it’s for occasional wear (that’s where my icon strategy comes in) but I do allow myself some occasional wear purchases because they bring me more joy than everyday items. I sometimes look for specific items but I also do a fair bit of random browsing. I like to look at fashion. As I’ve mentioned, I keep a list (not of actual items, but of inspirational terms) and also inspirational colour palettes. And they help to keep me on track. And I have a keen awareness of the categories that are well stocked (eg winter jackets).

Sometimes I have to make myself buy things I really need but don’t enjoy shopping for. These would be my wardrobe holes. PJs, underwear, jeans, swimwear, gym gear, socks, sneakers, shorts. I am always wearing things out in these categories. Then I make myself do a big replenish and neglect them again. I replenished shorts and jeans last year. Now hopefully I can forget about them for a few years!

I can see how it’s more difficult relying on thrift shopping. Have you thought about having some things made just to get some of your longstanding HEWIs sorted?

Helena

Veteran

Such an interesting thread Sarah!

I've really upended my whole approach this year, so it's a little bit unsettled at the moment. But the summary is I realized that my issue is trying to over-plan and over-control my wardrobe (and other aspects of life really) - so my focus has been on really simplifying my whole process and reconnecting with my own internal guidance system. So as it applies to your question, this year has looked like:

skipping the seasonal capsules and skipping trying to map everything out in advance (except where truly required - for example, when we went on vacation I gave myself a couple of weeks to fill in a few gaps I needed to)
jotting down legitimate need items - sort of as Jules said, if I reached for something more than once and it wasn't there, that counted as a need (as well as basic needs such as enough undies for 2 laundry cycles, etc.)
purchase said needs without excessive analysis - i.e. having determined that I was reaching for a black sweater and didn't have one, trust my gut when I got to the shops (and be willing to walk out empty handed when my gut's not happy)
be open to occasional just-for-fun buys - but being mindful enough to consider whether I love it on the hanger or I would love it on me and in my closet

So far this has netted me a little more purchasing than usual (not a lot more) - but just about everything I've purchased has been a success and has been worn quite a lot. I think the additional purchases have been to fill in areas where I had previously purchased what I thought I needed based on someone else's definition - so I don't foresee that being an ongoing thing; in fact, I think I will find I am more satisfied with what I have and potentially purchase less using this approach - but that remains to be seen.

So in summary - turn down the noise, trust my own intelligence and gut, purchase mindfully, use what I purchase, is my strategy!

SarahD8

Veteran

Ok, I'm back. My 6 am meeting got pushed to Monday -- bad for my sleep, good for musing about style and wardrobe strategies.

Runcarla your whole approach to your wardrobe is very inspiring, and I think that having observed your process over the past several years is part of what's inspiring me to get more intentional about this sort of planning now. So thank you! I especially appreciate your comments about successfully thrifting for both essentials and wildcards. I do suspect that it is easier to identify wardrobe holes (or incipient ones) in smaller wardrobes. I am pretty sure that I want to keep a somewhat larger wardrobe so I need to accept that understanding wardrobe holes may not be quite as straightforward for me.

Irina great reminder that not all items on a list have to be equally specific. I like the idea of really being exact when an exact thing is required but letting some wishes be more nebulous.

Angie well if you wrote a novel it's a compelling one! Thanks for laying this all out, it's very helpful -- and it's reassuring that it can take years for you to find the right thing too! I'm zeroing in on your comments about shopping list items generated by your style goals. I think that's the component that I'm really trying to figure out here. Probably I need to get clearer about the style goals, and HOW to accomplish them -- the list of items should flow rather naturally from that. Put in the work so I can reap the rewards, as you say.

LJP there is also something quite aspirational about the quiet simplicity of saying: look, sweep away all the b.s., I am only going to buy these three things. I am curious about *how* you homed in on the specific items you mentioned, but reading between the lines it seems like you have just shut out all the NOISE and let the priorities arise organically from within. Very, VERY insipirational.

Zaeobi that sense of having a style that is not always well served by retail: you get it. Your description of your teal tank and brown pants hunt was very familiar to me! Great point about using placeholders judiciously.

Joy smart to have storage that has specific slots for things! Mine accommodates a bit more "I'll just cram this one more thing in," so it's a slippery slope.

More soon.

SarahD8

Veteran

YKK it sounds like you have a system that works for you!

Sal great point that sometimes it is good to go with it when a theme is emerging (replenishing gear, etc.). Hopefully like Brooklyn mentions that allows one to forget about some of those categories for a while -- set it and forget it!

Suz your comments about essentials made a penny drop for me. I think when we have discussed essentials in the past I've realized that I do not have an essentials-heavy style. I think my style depends on completer pieces, really? That is, I like to wear things that are not quite plain enough to be essentials but not quite loud enough to be statements -- but I like to combine multiple such items in an outfit in interesting ways. Aha! So figuring out the right mix of "completers" to be able to accomplish that is not so straightforward -- but now, having more clearly articulated the challenge, I'm excited to meet it.

Jaime I truly admire your relaxed attitude about all this and I always look to you as an example of someone who really makes thrifting work for a dynamic and functional wardrobe!

suntiger PUPY is such a great concept, I need to incorporate it into my decision tree. And good point about shopping in season. I need to assess what I've bought in vs. out of season (hopefully I can remember!!) and see if shopping out of season is actually working for me. I think my preferences are pretty consistent like Angie mentions, so in theory it should be workable...but is it actually working?

Staysfit "Figuring out which wheel is squeaking requires a good ear." Ahhhh yes yes yes! Such a great articulation of the problem. (And yet, somehow, also one that helps me be gentle with myself?) "When would I choose [potential new thing] over [thing I already own]?" is SUCH a great question, I say it all the time on people's keep/return posts, but I need to incorporate it more firmly into my own process. Duplication is another issue -- as a Princess of Duplication, deliberately splitting my wears can be a good strategy for me...but not always. Finally, I'm giving my "cashmere uber alles" sister a squeeze on her softly clad shoulder!

anchie

Veteran

That was the question that lead me to this forum many years ago. And I still struggle with this. I easily get overwhelmed with amount of choices out there and not clear idea what I actually need. I used to have rather large wardrobe with random items bought on deep discount that didn’t really make useful outfits. Getting dressed was difficult on daily basis. Over the years I set up many rules for my wardrobe management to help me with this problem because it was not coming naturally to me. So along with wear tracking, limiting numbers of items in each category, and ratio of neutrals vs colors and patterns and one in one out principle it got easier but not completely. I was just trying to order belated birthday present for my self and cannot make up my mind what I really need the most.

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