The main thing that I learned from essentials list in recent years pertains to pullover fit. I read that for my style it made sense to have a few pullovers on the bodycon side of tailored to wear by themselves, and a few on the fluid end of tailored to wear over button down shirts and blouses. I had previously been trying to get everything in a straight up tailored fit and found it didn’t really work very well either alone (too drafty) or with stuff bunching under it. I generally do like a tailored fit the most, so this was quite the revelation.

Laughing at Rachylou’s spot-on assessment.A wardrobe which works for any occasion by allowing you blend in with the serving staff! Maybe that’s a clue as to who designed these lists?

On a slightly more serious note, maybe these lists made more sense in previous decades when clothes were expensive and closets were very small? When you have a limited budget and are spending the equivalent two weeks wages on a skirt, different priorities come into play. These lists were actually quite useful to me when I started my career in the early seventies. In my case, I DIDN’T want to stand out for my individual fashion sense. What I needed was a very small, very tight, capsule of good-looking clothes which let me move in circles where adult women were very well dressed (and most had had much more money to spend on their closets than I did). Blending in was my goal and those lists helped me navigate some tricky dress codes.

If you have seen Anuschka’s blog you’ll know she’s got a very specific POV - minimalist in aesthetic but very trend-driven. So I’m not surprised the typical lists of wardrobe musts don’t appeal to her.

I find them useful as a starting point, or maybe I should say I did; these days I’ve got a pretty good sense of what I need and what I’ll actually use.

I haven't read the other comments. I like those types of lists only as inspiration. If something doesn't resonate with me, then I don't buy it. For instance, I think that denim jacket is probably on several lists, and for years I didn't have a denim jacket because it just didn't feel like "me." Well, this past year I felt drawn to buy a denim jacket (my style changed slightly), so I finally bought one (after much searching for the right one). So my creative self eventually led me to what I needed, without the aid of the list. If I had bought a denim jacket prior to actually feeling drawn to do so, I'm guessing it would have ended up being culled.

I think the lists can be helpful for organizing your thoughts regarding what you want to prioritize for purchases. For instance, if you are reading a list and see a certain item, you might say, "Why, yes! Come to think of it, I have really liked outfits that use item X. I think that would be helpful to my style journey to have." Or you might say, "I hadn't thought of buying item X, but come to think of it, it would really make sense for my lifestyle. It might be extremely functional." And so forth.

But I think that buying an item for the sole sake of the item being on a list is going to lead to disappointment more times than not.

3STYLE- this is so strange- I recently came to the “separate” pullover aha moment myself. I was like “duh” why did it take so long to come to that conclusion. Too funny
GAYLENE- I too entered the workforce in the 70 but took the lists too literally for my lifestyle. I have smartened up a bit since then- allegedly;-)
LAURA- I didn’t know she had a blog- will have to check it out- maybe she references in the last chapter- but not so far.
GIGI- similar experience- I guess it just goes to show we are always evolving.
Thanks Fabbers- great thoughts, ideas and smiles