how to build a wardrobe you actually love

So, here’s the thing. Do you ever feel like you have nothing to wear? Do you ever scroll through Instagram looking at your favourite blogger and think now they have a great wardrobe. If only my closet was as nice as theirs. I know I can’t be alone in this. It got me thinking one morning. Why do I think this? What lead me here, looking at my racks of clothes in complete despair? And I think I’ve come to part of a conclusion. My wardrobe is very sporadic. I buy things that I think are pretty, usually spur of the moment, and perhaps I should be thinking things through a little more.

I’ve decided this year I’m going to be a little more deliberate with the clothing I am buying. No more spontaneous purchases. I want to set out some guidelines of what I really need to round out my closet and stick to hunting those pieces down.

I think that will really help with that dreaded “nothing to wear” thought. Instead of buying pieces that I don’t really need, I want to focus on investing in quality basics that I can build an outfit off of again and again.

Recently, I got a cashmere sweater in the Zara sale for $45. I was ridiculously happy with myself, and not just because it was an amazing deal. I had been searching high and low for a neutral, v-neck cashmere sweater for awhile, because I knew it was something I would reach for again and again. So when I saw it restock on Zara, I immediately threw it in my cart and checked out as fast as I could. And you know what? I do wear it all the time. And because it was something so specific I was after, it was that much sweeter when I finally found what I was looking for.

So, in case you are in the same boat as me, I challenge you to do the same. Look through your closet, see what you could really use, where there are gaps, and start saving for that specific piece. Don’t buy anything in the meantime. Focus on adding whatever it is you crave into your wardrobe, and it will feel so much more rewarding because you waited for the perfect piece. You’ll also be more likely to wear it, because you waited and didn’t just buy something you didn’t really want.

Also, be picky! Be specific! I knew I wanted a light coloured, neutral sweater so I could wear it often, and I wanted it v-neck because I find that’s the most flattering cut on me. It felt totally amazing to find exactly what I wanted.

Let me know what you’re lusting for! And, in case you’re curious, these are the things I’ll be hoping to add to my wardrobe in the coming months.

– a pair of high waisted, with a belt, flowy culottes in a rose or tan

– a teddy bear coat in tan or cream

– a pair of high waisted paperbag shorts

– a new pair of shiny black leggings (since my last pair tore in the wash)