Rather than automatically adding to your wardrobe when none of your clothing seems to work, try doing a closet makeover. You’ll get rid of unwanted items as well as get a clear idea of what you need to buy.
Almost everyone has had the rather dismal experience of opening their closet and realizing that nothing in their wardrobe will work for the situation at hand. Most people simply go out and purchase a new outfit, but the truth of the matter is that if you want a collection of clothes that will fit every occasion you need to clear out your closet first.
The first step in your wardrobe makeover is to take everything out of your closet. Pile it on the bed, pick up each piece of clothing one at a time, and ask yourself three questions for every item. The first issue is whether you like the piece of clothing. Do you like it and does it make you feel good when you wear it? If not, then get rid of it and make room for clothes that do. If the clothing is worn or stained, put it in the toss pile and if it’s in good shape put it in the sell/give away pile.
The second question is whether the item is damaged in any way. If it’s stained or ripped, it goes into the toss pile. If you had it in your closet when it was damaged rather than repairing it immediately, the odds of you fixing the issue are slight to none.
The third question to ask is if the item is within one size of your current weight. If not, put the item on the sell/give away pile. Everyone has a beautiful dress or pair of jeans that their keeping for when they get to the perfect body size. If you’re more than one size away from wearing a piece of clothing, get rid of it and that way you can have the fun of shopping for it when you get to a different size.
Once you’ve cleared out all the damaged, unliked, ill fitting clothes out of your wardrobe, put the remaining items away and evaluate what you have. A third to a half of your clothing should be basic colors and shapes, allowing you to add style with special items. When you have an idea of the structure of your existing clothes, the best part of a makeover is at hand. Go shopping and fill in the gaps, adding back in the pieces that will let you open your closet and know you have more than enough to wear.