How do you plan which items of clothing you need to buy each season?

[StyleOverSubstance]

Have just been reading one of these style books which advises that you work out how you spend your week into rough percentages and then buy that proportion of clothing to fit that category. So for example, a stay at home mum needs a more casual wardrobe, with some outfits suitable for special occasions and going out, so say 60% percent of her clothing would be casual, whereas someone who works full-time and has lots of formal events to go to would have a bias towards smart work clothes and less casual wear. Sounds great in practice, but am afraid I have the butterfly mentality of see it, like it, buy it, irrespective of how it will fit in with the grand scheme of things. This probably goes some way to explaining why I have wardrobes of clothes and never seem to have anything to wear! Just curious to know if there are people who do have an organised wardrobe and shop to fill the gaps or if most people are like me and do a bit of each - although mine is a heavy bias to the impulse purchases!!

Not exactly what you've described but I'm even more boring! I basically buy the same outfit in half a dozen versions. This year, it's dresses with sweaters. Last year was leggings with tunics. The year before was tracksuits casual trousers & tops. I do think about which items will go with what, but more than half my clothes are black so it's hardly rocket science! I tend to introduce a new colour each year, which means a few things couldn't be worn together - but very few, really.

I used to shop more like you do. Some clothes are like works of art, worth having just because they're lovely :) I devised a strategy because I'm too poor for impulse buying these days, though I deviate from it when a good enough bargain presents itself!

I used to buy lots of pretty dresses and going out outfits when I don't go out much anymore.

Now I try and ensure that 90% of my wardrobe is smart casual eg I have a pair of deep black jeans that look like trousers so I can get away with wearing them to work, occasionally. If I want to smarten up, I add heels and some jewellery.

I look at what I've got, make a list of what goes with what, then look out for things that will make more outfits, rather than going for brand new outfits. I work full time now so it's mostly for that.

At the moment I'm looking for the perfect black ankle boots (haven't found them yet), charcoal wool trousers, charcoal or black jacket, navy dress and a properly waterproof autumn/spring mac but that'll wait now until spring.

Having said that I then go and buy random stuff I'm attracted to - a sequin cape and a cropped elbow length mustard jacket are recent examples.

I used shop impulsively but i found after having DD I didnt have as much money to spend on clothes or have the time to be mooching about shops, which used to lead to random purchases.

Gradually over last 2 years I've been getting my wardrobe more organised. As I work full time, my wardrobe tends towards work clothes with fewer casual clothes. At the start of each season I take stock which consists of a review of what I own, see what I still like wearing, what I haven't worn so much or doesn't fit anymore, what's falling apart and needs to be binned and replaced. Then I make a list of essential replacements as a guide, figure out a budget then go shopping with my list.

Looking at it written down, it looks far more organised than how it seems to work in practice. It does seem to be broadly working as my spending has reduced and I'm more sensible about choosing things that fit well and will go with other clothes I own and I now wear everything I buy rather than having loads of unworn things in the wardrobe that don't match anything or hanging onto old, faded, well worn stuff that needs binning.

It doesn't explain how I never seem to have enough tops and seem to own far too many cardigans!

I mostly upgrade things that are kaput. So this a/w needed ankle boots, skinnies, scarf, coat and sweaters. Plus got some knee high boots.

I mostly do shop for my every day life. But dresses too. The thing I rarely get round to buying is work stuff (the odd meeting) and really should get some I between dressy and casual for lunches etc

Ignore the style book unless you have loads of money and want to spend it all on clothes. It sounds as though it is over complicating things.

When you are tempted to impulse buy just think "does this go with anything else in my wardrobe/do I actually have an occasion to wear a ball gown or whatever/do I need to buy more clothes to go with it, and if so do I have the cash?".

I am trying to be more organised and stick to a budget, not doing so well with the latter. I list everthing I own so I can decide what to wear the next day , makes life easier in the mornings. I can also charity shop things I am not wearing, identify gaps and see what items need replacing. This stops me buying things I don't need. Like cocktail dresses and sandals when I only go out to nice laces about once a year. I have just bought a lovely biker grey cardigan to replace an old boyfriend one and I still want a grey shift and some boots.i also need to replace a couple of pencil skirts

I'm in similar rut! I've cut down on impulse purchases .I was awful for buying branded goods that were bargains - I now stop & say to myself would I buy this if it was in M&S (or the likes) 9/10 the answer is no, so I put the item back & step away!! I work part time in a primary school & can wear casual stuff there (ok in coloured denim etc). I've bought some new bits recently but am no good at throwing things away so my wardrobe just gets bigger & bigger. I need to be brave & move my around house clothes to the recycling bin, then my not so new items for around house & New items for school/days out etc! My husband has pointed out I have a jumper for every day of the month & spares!! Oops. I've just blitzed my children's wardrobes but find that easier as the things I'm getting rid off don't fit any more! Whereas all my clothes still fortunately fit me from 15+ years ago! I need to man up & start chucking!

I don't think about my work wardrobe too much. I always wear dresses, so I have about 10 that I rotate. I buy new ones when I see something I like and retire those that are looking worn or I've grown tired of. I have a good suit and a couple of smart jackets I can wear over the dresses if I want to look a bit smarter.

Bit boring, but I suit dresses and it means I don't have to think too much in the morning.

Casual wardrobe, I look at what I have and update with a few key pieces and replace basics if necessary. For the winter I have bought a leather pencil skirt, biker jacket, boyfriend coat and some statement necklaces. I have ankle boots and some great shirts I bought last winter and I'm just going to buy some now jumpers to go over the top of the shirts and I could do with some new jeans.

Hmm, that sounds a bit more planned than it actually is.

I don't have a big budget and I am quite tight, so I mostly buy from eBay. My leather pencil skirt is gorgeous and only cost £15 incl postage. But if I see something I really like I will just buy it.

I also use pinterest to pin looks I like and buy items (just realised I used the word pieces in my previous post) to loosely recreate the looks. It helps to focus my mind on what I'm buying.

I don't. Do people really do this? Plan key pieces to buy? Assess their wardrobes?

Seasons change. We change. Clothes define who we are. Love yourself. Boden?

This autumn I went through last winter's clothes and checked what fitted and I still liked and then I added to create more outfits and make stuff look more modern. I always make sure i have at least one what I call ' pub lunch outfit' that I can wear when I'm doing something nice and not sure what to wear. This year it's a grey and black knitted dress from Apricot. If I'm not sure when I would actually wear an item I don't buy it. I spent about £120 this season and could probably come up with about 10 good day times looks. I have 2 expensive bags which will last for years so don't need to spend on these and coats and jackets tend to get replaces every 2 to 3 years.

Life's too short for that.

I've worked out I suit and like navy and other blues. I need stuff like padded gilet (gap has a great one).

I've now tried to pare down what I want as was buying gorge but one or two wear vintage dresses etc.

Creamy that advice is good

I think all you need to do is think through where you will wear something and what you will wear it with before you buy. I almost never have occasion to get dressed up so I have plenty of dressy tops that I love that never get worn - it just doesn't make sense to buy another even if its lovely. But something like blazers and jackets I wear every day so it works for me to have more - before I buy, I make a few outfits with the item in my head.

Clothes define who we are. - Bloody hell, I hope not

Creamy, I love your pub lunch outfit! That perfectly describes my shopping criterion (well, that and "can I layer it for warmth?") I do, I now realise, visualise myself permanently at lunch in a comfy pub

I try to have the right clothes to make outfits. This season, for example, I was really short of boots and so I bought two new pairs and had another pair repaired (that I hadn't worn for two winters). I also bought several new pairs of Falke tights. That meant I could wear lots of my short skirts that were hanging a bit unloved in my wardrobe.

I am forever short of tops - shirts and warm sweaters. I threw away lots of tired sweaters at the end of the summer but haven't really got around to buying new ones.

Thank you ladies .

I know that figeater. It's not like I don't buy clothes. But more on a see it, like it, buy it plan.

I just buy it if I like/it suits me/I need it for an occasion. I don't really plan and am more classic than high fashion so often buy at the end of the season and keep it in storage for 6 months.

I'm dreadful at buying the same thing over and over again.

I love skinny jeans so have half a dozen pairs.
Love jumpers half a dozen
Love those sort of White Company longish cardy things - yup half a dozen .
This is over many years though, not just bought this season - I wish!

I have no tops to speak of and therefore never have anything to wear... pathetic.

I love jumpers and every year I buy loads.
I went through my wardrobe last month and I had a cream twinset, two cream longsleeve crew necks and two short sleeve. (How many cream jumpers does a person need? )

And navy jumpers (5)

I've done a cull and recycled some.

There's no plan, I think "Oh that's nice"
It might get worn this year. Might not.
It'll come out next year.

I do a mixture of these. As the temp changes I think about what I will want to wear, and then I buy stuff for that, usually via sales and tkmaxx so not too expensive. After a year so far of dresses I'm into trousers tops sweaters and boots the boots are mine from previous years,b everything else new for the season. I've been doing this for three years now, makes greeting dressed quick and easy. I also keep, previous season out I'd the wardrobe

I tend to get that season's clothes out on the bed and have a good look at it all. I often find there are bits I could wear more if I bought an item or two to wear with them.

I'm trying to narrow the colour palette a bit as well so things work better together. I just don't have much spare cash so I'm really trying to just buy things I love and know I'll wear loads.