Love all the insights here everyone has been sharing. Thank you all!

Suz- I've tried to give up on end of season sales but I still sometimes do buy something based on a great price (Spiegel for example).

Claire - you made me smile with your comments about Off Duty Princess - so spot on. But I esp. loved the Exit Interview for your clothes - that's brilliant!

havanagirl - yes, I KNOW white shirts are one of those "every woman needs" items but sometimes I do wonder. I did find a great cotton/linen blend one this summer from BR and have worn it a lot so I bought a backup.

And Diane I can just envision you in those wide leg trousers rolled up with a mission to be on Team Wear.

I do the same sometimes too as shemarie - wearing something I feel is "nice" and then finding myself in some not so clean place, rather it's cooking or going out to the garden to get some basil (my garden is large and somewhat of a distance through the grass and field). Should I put on an apron to gather herbs?

dianthus - I guess this is a step toward figuring out why I buy what I buy. Sometimes I think it's just boredom and wanting to branch out, other times it's that "supposed to have" mentality. Or the fact like with button downs that I do love them so I tend to collect them - but I'm learning that I should only keep them as long as they are somewhat fitted, super soft fabric and low key pattern or solid in one of "my" colors. I've kept several that didn't meet that criteria just because I thought I could use more button downs.

What great insight...I think the bases have been covered very well and I like the summary!

I have procrastinated a list like this because I feel the results may well kill me. But i really should and am so impressed with you. I am a pathetically slow learner.

I love this post! I should have started keeping notes on my mistakes years ago, but I did do it this year. Not all of the things that I have purged, but for those items that were purchased in 2013 and have been deemed mistakes, I kept a list of WHY.

I have found a few reasons that I noted more than once in my 15 (!) failed purchases such as the color (either too bright or too pastel), a style that feels frumpy, fabric that is too thin and/or wrinkles too much and tops that are too long. I think I can honestly say that, at the time of purchase, I didn't buy it because I said "oh I love this" but more like "I guess I could use this" or "this might be good to have." And, fortunately, almost every mistake was one that wasn't expensive. So I've sworn off buying cheap stuff or buying just because I might wear it and the price is goo...

I know that a high price tag isn't a guarantee of longevity but I am trying to emphasize quality over quantity. And I really do think it is important to "love" a piece in order to buy it, with the exception of real basics like layering tees.

Great work and realizations that will keep the shopping mistakes at bay.