Hi! I’m new around here, and my wardrobe is in pitiful shape.
I have a lot of work ahead of me, and I could use some moral support!

Me right now:

• 35. Haven’t really shopped since 2007. My “shopping” over the past several years has been “go to thrift shop, look at tops and dresses, buy anything that looks okay.” My standards have risen, and I want things that really fit and are in colors that I want in my wardrobe.
• Have lost about 50 pounds in the last year; still losing and hoping to lose 10-15 more.
• Very small wardrobe. I recently purged everything that was worn out or REALLY didn’t fit, which has left me with…not much. Even with the things I kept, almost everything would look better at a smaller size.
• I feel hard to fit. I’m 5’0” with a long torso and short legs and a curvy/hourglass figure.
• I’m changing jobs in a couple of months. I’ll want to make some adjustments based on that—dressing more for the weather since my new workplace doesn't have the best climate control, and probably fewer dresses and skirts (working with kids and teens in an environment where on any given day I could be down on the floor with a 5-year-old or unclogging a toilet)
• I’m taking a significant salary cut to go to NewJob. Once I’m at NewJob, I really do need to watch the pennies. So even though part of me wants to start buying more high-end ($50-75 per item instead of $15-25?), I don’t want to get into habits I won’t be able to keep up.

My most desperate wardrobe problems:

• I have just two pairs of pants, both jeans. (One of these was just purchased on Thursday, so you can see how bad things were
  before this!) One pair of “emergency” black trousers.
• I have basically been wearing the same pair of shoes every day for the past 5 years (black Timberlands). I recently bought a denim
  wedge-heeled espadrille. Those are the only shoes I own, except for two pairs of “around the house” sneakers and a pair of “emergency” pinchy high heels.
• One “good” bra and one bra that’s passable. Big cup, small band, so I’m in the land of “order online and return a lot”
• Zero belts. Zero handbags. I carry a Swiss Gear backpack to commute.
• I’m just plain bored with my wardrobe! I feel like everything is a neutral or teal. I want brightness and light! I put together a palette that includes some colors I want in my wardrobe, but in the stores I’m seeing mostly neutrals and coral. Where do you shop for color?
• I’m also not seeing much with a defined waist in stores right now—maybe I’m looking in the wrong places? I really have no idea how/where to shop as an adult!

Any advice is appreciated! I love what I’ve seen of this forum so far.