How To Buy Clothes And Build A Wardrobe You Love: My Personal Shopping Tips

I’ve gotten a few messages from people asking me to do a post on how I find my clothing, as well as wanting me to share other clothing/wardrobe tips I may have. I’ve kind of put this one off for a bit because I just wasn’t sure how to frame the topic in a way that made sense. But I think I’ve got it, so here it is! I’ve complied some common frustrations I hear as well as some tips I have that will hopefully make your shopping experiences more enjoyable. I hope these tips help you feel confident in whatever you choose to wear. So, here it goes… enjoy ❤

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Let me guess.. You probably have a ton of clothing. A closet full, drawers stuffed to the max and yet you CONSTANTLY feel like you have nothing to wear. I bet most of the clothing you’re looking at when you go to get ready hasn’t been worn in literal years. I get it, I’ve been there. There is a simple explanation for this. And it’s because you have the following… 1. A lot of statement pieces. 2. A lot of items with fun patterns. or 3. Many cute dresses that are too formal for everyday wear. Is this you? Did I just hit the nail on the head? It’s because this is most people. We buy the things that stand out to us, the things that catch our eye, but that are not practical for everyday wear. Now hear me out, if you know me, you know that I tend to dress in statement pieces and the occasional “weird” item, but for me those are my go-to things. To get the most use of your wardrobe, it is helpful to invest in some nicer everyday items that make you feel confident. A lot of my go-to things are color block pieces. Also, I like having blouses or sweaters with texture to add formality. My favorite textures are ribbed items and knits. Texture adds some flair while still keeping things simple. I like having a variety of layering pieces in my closet such as blazers or scarves. They help stretch my wardrobe into the cooler months. My layering items are some of my favorite and most versatile pieces. I do have a few colored slacks, which are great to take from a day look to an evening look.  I avoid buying a lot of items with a pattern, or design printed on it because this limits it wearability. The more items you have in your wardrobe that are a single color, or have just a few colors with no print, the more options you have when it comes to putting an outfit together. This also helps to prolong its wearability through the seasons. When you own a lot of florals, for instance, they are not items that can be layered in the fall and winter months easily. Thus, limiting when and how you can wear them. So to sum it up, if you want to feel like you have more options, simplify what you are buying, focus on the basics when shopping, and invest in more versatile pieces. 

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Do you feel overwhelmed when you walk into a store and all of a sudden the style of clothing has changed overnight? Like, you don’t even know what to look for? This has been me many times over. Let me tell you, at times it is a stretch for me to understand or sometimes even like the newest trends in clothing. Literally, I have walked into a store that has a lot of new stuff and said to myself “I don’t like any of this.” So, what do I do? I don’t force myself to like it. I honestly think it just eventually grows on me. The more I see it around town on other people, or the more I go into the shops and have a look, the more I begin to like it. I am not the first to jump on the new trend bandwagon. But I do jump on. I distinctly remember when cropped pants (or high waters as they are referred to in West Virginia) started to become a thing. I adamantly refused to partake because my mother drilled into me as a child “you look like you’re ready for the flood” so well that when my pants got too short, I just couldn’t get on board. But then, one day in Zara, I got curious… “what if these are cute?” and you know what happened next? They are now the best jeans I own. If there is one thing I can encourage you in, it’s this: just to try new things. Some things you might dislike just as much on yourself as you did on the hanger, but it is what is it. And who knows, maybe you’ll find your perfect jeans!

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I’m going to be transparent for a minute here, I do have a fair amount of clothing. But for a long time I struggled to have even one outfit I liked each season. Buying clothes can be overwhelming. You walk into a store and there are literally hundreds of options looking back at you. You start to wonder what goes with what? Which color do I even like? What size would be best in this brand? Here is my method. I walk through the entire store and every single thing I like, or think I might like, I grab. Sometimes I go into the fitting room with literally 15 (or more) things to try on. And I make sure to try on every single piece. Most often I am lucky if I find 1 or 2 things out of the whole batch that I actually like enough to purchase. And about half the time, I leave with nothing. That’s right, not a thing. You are so not alone in this. Here is the secret, don’t let it get you frustrated or upset. I used to get so down when I would leave a store after trying on practically everything they had and not liking any of it. I would think there was a problem with me or that my body type was just too difficult to find clothing for. This is not the case for me, and it’s not the case for you. You will have many days you don’t find so much as a pair of socks you like. On these days I say to myself  “today wasn’t my lucky day”, I get myself a coffee, and go on about my business. Building a wardrobe you love that has a lot of versatility is not an overnight process. It takes time and patience. And A LOT of trying things on you say no to. 

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There are people who will have a lot of opinions about what you wear, some nice and some not so nice. Here’s what you do, dress for yourself. Just so you know, nobody’s opinion of your wardrobe matters but your own. Whatever style of clothing makes you feel comfortable and confident that’s what you go for. If you like all of the vintage clothing, rock it. If you feel most confident in athletic clothing, do it. If you prefer to wear statement pieces and more flashy stuff, own it. If jeans and tee shirts are your jam, work it. It is no secret I like clothing. I like shopping, its my hobby. Honestly, we ALL need a hobby or an outlet. And this is mine. For a long time I would feel guilty when people asked what I liked to do for fun and I would reply with “shop”. But then I realized it it no different than any other hobby. All hobbies take time, they take money to invest in, and they take desire. And for me, its the same with shopping. At the end of the day, it’s not the clothing a person wears that matters, its their heart. It’s how you treat people that matters. Clothing is a fun form of expression, just like your hair cut or taste in music. With as much enjoyment as shopping is for me, or how fun it is to find new pieces, it isn’t meant to provide me with any long term sense of fulfillment or happiness. It never will because clothing isn’t where I find my true joy, I just find some fun there. And that’s ok! 

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Thank you for taking the time to come check this post out. I really hope you enjoyed it and maybe gained an idea of two! Until next time.