In a previous post, I talked about how to purge the unnecessary items in your closet and understanding which styles look good on your body type. Now that you’ve ditched the stuff you’ve been hiding in your closet since the 90’s, it’s time to replace them with pieces that will enhance your style. But wait a second. Slow down before you run straight away to the mall. You need a plan.
I recommend breaking down your plan into 3 categories: where you’ll be wearing the clothing, what do you need to purchase now, and how much can you afford to spend.
Let’s explore each piece of your shopping plan.
WHERE?
It is important that you think about where you’ll be wearing the clothes that you’re looking to purchase. Are you buying clothes for work? If so, is your workplace business casual or is a suit required? Do you work from home and need to improve your look for client meetings? Or do you look great at work but when the weekends roll around you wonder out in public looking like you’ve been cleaning out the garage? Thinking about the answers to these questions in advance will help keep you focused and will hopefully prevent you from buying something you don’t need like another pair of boring, black shoes.
WHAT?
What do you need to buy to supplement your wardrobe to make it fresh and current? Do you need to replenish your pants since you purged all the ones you had? Or do you need jeans because you haven’t owned a decent pair in years? Determine which items you need to purchase so that you don’t just buy what’s on sale.
HOW MUCH?
Many people ignore this question because who wants to talk about how little you can spend. But it’s better to have a good idea of how much discretionary income you can spare on updating your closet.
Let’s keep it real. There are several situations that you need to consider before you hit the mall. If you can’t pay your basic bills (mortgage, power, cell phone), you don’t need to buy anything right now. Hold on to your shopping plan for a future date when you can afford it.
If you can only afford to spend a couple hundred dollars right now, that’s cool. Use that money to get one or two versatile items that can be used in many different ways (like a great pair of cute pumps or a chic new blazer).
And that Rome not being built in a day saying definitely applies here. You don’t have to go out and blow $2,000 on a new wardrobe. We are not celebrities and I would never advocate pretending to be one either. You’re building your cute, new wardrobe and that can take some time. And spending money you don’t have is never stylish.
Now that you have a plan, you will not only be more focused but you’ll also minimize your frustration during the next crucial step: going to the mall.
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