If you could start your wardrobe again, what would you pick?

[MrsWidgerysLodger]

As per the title, if you were faced with a completely empty wardrobe and had to build a collection of key basics to take you through everything, what would you pick?

Really good flattering jeans. Skinny and mom styles in different shades of blue.

Avoid any black at all and have navys and browns for trousers and basics.

No black leather- shoes bags and belts all in browns. No heels- never again.

Loads of vests and different styles of t shirts in white, navy, green and orangey tones.

Keep my Toast knits 💚

A few dresses with stripes and colourful patterns, probably floral. A denim jacket.

I like this game! What about you OP?

Very similar to yours funnily enough! Good Jeans, good quality t shirts that are flattering and fit well, couple of pairs of linen trousers, couple of good quality knits. I have a couple of Dancing Leopard maxi shirt dresses at the moment that fit me PERFECTLY so I'd put those in.
Reason for all this btw is I haveoads of clothes, half of which are fit for the bin and half of which just don't suit me. I've got some decent savings, bills are paid so I'm thinking of ditching most of what I own and starting again!
Oh and you can prize my Arizona Birkenstocks out of my cold dead hands! I live in them in summer!

D’you remember Harriet Vane ordering a dozen shirts before her marriage to Peter? (Busman’s Honeymoon.) That always seemed to me an ideal way to begin a new wardrobe.

Years ago when I worked in the City I obsessed over Sea Island cotton shirts from the ‘Ladies’ department at Turnbull & Asser. After I left London I couldn’t bear to look at a ‘traditional’ shirt for decades. I’ve just bought one. I wore it yesterday and felt - grand and glorious and ready for anything. So I’d start there - a trip to Jermyn St and a dozen made to measure shirts in various types of cotton and silk.

I find myself with a lot of clothes but not a lot of outfits if you know what I mean.

I would def go the minimalist route.

Staple pieces: really good fitting jeans, skirts, trousers

blouses and tops (causal and dressy)

A few dresses (casual and dressy)

2 really good quality cardigans

I don't really like bright colours so I would keep it really neutral. Greys, creams, browns, taupe, navys etc.

2 jackets/coats - One for dressy type outings and the other for more casual.

For shoes, Id literally want 2/3 pairs of heels in neutral colours so that they go with everything (I love court heels). A pair of white trainers, pair of flats, and a pair of sandals.

I’m trying to clear out my wardrobe at the moment and have noticed I’ve lots of the same style dresses in different patterns, in future I’d stick to 2 only and wear more often. Same with blouses 2 cotton 2 silk.
and so on.
hoping it will make returning to work easier also.

I'd add several decent quality warm jackets, wool wide leg trousers for work, more tops, fewer cardigans. Generally more warm, comfortable winter clothes, which I can never find.

I have drawers full of lovely summer clothes that fit. Decent winter stuff seems to be very rare and very expensive. By February every year, I am thoroughly fed up and still have three months of cold to get through.

Some really fabulous ideas here. Liking the idea of a couple of good quality shirts although I'm a busty hourglass figure so finding one that fits over the bust but doesn't make me look pregnant is sometimes tricky.
I have a few bits I want to keep, I have a couple of pairs of gorgeous wide leg trousers (one black, one a rusty terracotta colour) that fit beautifully and a couple of dresses that are very flattering and good quality. I've decided every t-shirt I own is going to charity or in the bin and I'm going to get some decent cotton ones.
I don't need shoes or coats as I have a few of each, all good quality and covering a range of occasions.
I have a couple of decent jumpers/knits so figured I'll just add a couple more then buy the odd one here or there later down the line.
Colour wise I'm definitely a navy/black/cream/khaki kinda girl. Simple base neutrals!
I'm actually looking forward to getting rid and everything being simpler!

Cardigans! I struggle to find ones I like but a couple of good quality ones to go with everything are a really good shout. Don't suppose you have any recommendations at all please?

I've been s
talking these 2 websites for months now for cardigans. A little pricey but they're cashmere and they will last! Still haven't bit the bullet and bought one yet but its gonna be a treat for myself very soon :)
www.dunedincashmere.co.uk/collections/womens-cardigans

cashmereandcotton.co.uk/collections/cashmere-cardigans

Decent underwear

Good call! Tempted to bin the lot and start over!

If money were no object:

Five pairs of good fitting jeans
Five casual tops
Ankle boots x2
Sandals x2
Heels x2
trainers x2
Brogues
Coat x2 - one smart, one casual
Cream mac
Bright coloured suit
Work trousers
five smart tops
Work dresses
Bags x2
Nightwear
Dressing gown
Lounge wear
Slippers

I would not welcome starting my wardrobe again from scratch, because it is an organic time-consuming process. I have been buying nice clothes since I had £12 quarterly in the 1970s, but now in my 60s I have and wear clothes from the 1940s to 2022. I don't wear everything I own every year, and some things come out very infrequently but owning them means I don't have to rush out for something that will do. And, I share event garments with family and friends, so my old thrift shop stuff that I bought to style my XDH's band is now being worn by my son, 45 years later. I concede that I probably am slightly obssesive, but I have wardrobe space so why not?

I buy and rebuy everyday basics like white T shirts annually, and navy and grey sweaters, because those are your workhorse items and you wear them out, and replace them. Likewise shoes -- white ones, black ones, coloured ones, winter and summer versions.

But to tweak the fashion equation in your favour, start with the footwear. Accessories are the spice and seasoning that makes getting dressed fun, and no one ever got too old or too fat to wear that fabulous scarf or necklace you thought was expensive when you handed over the money. I bought a big multi-coloured striped Indian cotton scarf, with lurex, in 1982. Have worn it every single year since, and it still gets admired.

<waves to @XingMing >

I love clothes and hate the idea of a capsule wardrobe, but I would find this much easier to do in autumn/winter when I would know where I was weather-wise. Spring/summer I find much harder because I am in Scotland and it is often cold and wet even when it is supposedly a UK heatwave.

Anyway, off the top of my head I would want:

Dark blue, light blue, black jeans - maybe Levi’s 501
A black polo neck jumper, preferably cashmere
Crew neck jumpers - my current favourites are the alpaca bell sleeved Arket ones
V neck cardigans - again I love the Arket ones
A black leather short-ish skirt - the one I have is Jigsaw
A load of vest/tank tops to wear under things
Crew neck t-shirts, plain and with graphics
A couple of midi skirts and midi dresses - Monki for these
Breton tops - again, Monki
A denim jacket - I have Topshop abc Levi’s ones and love them all
Black leather biker jacket - I recently got an oversized H&M one which is great
Faux fur coat
Duvet/parka coat
White trainers and black trainers - maybe Stan Smiths
Flat boots - maybe DMs
Ugg boots for at home

I reckon that would be a decent starting point, but I am not a dressy-up person and work in a creative-ish job so don’t need smart/fancy clothes like other people probably do.

Great idea for a thread. Placemarking

Keep classics and pay for long term clothing always. If like me you are tempted in and buy something in Primark occasionally I've not been let down but I am very fussy.
No cheap shoes coats or handbags please 🙂

I find it very hard to throw out clothes so I have loads of ‘staples’ acquired over the years but fashions change and my shape has changed, so I would probably end up buying the same old stuff.

I’ve bought some lovely bits over the years that I still wear - a coat I bought in Budapest in 2002, another coat I bought in Verona 15 years ago, elegant gloves I got in Rome - but my day to day is dull and dreary. I feel the cold, and my cosy wear makes me look like Paddington having a bad day 😪

@whosaidth1 I've bought three cashmere cardigans from Dunedin and love them, they are so warm and soft. Haven’t washed them yet though!

I have thought about this recently. If I had to start again, I would start with:

• A pair of jeans (M&S Eva jeans in the dark indigo colour)


• A navy ruched skirt (current one is from Kettlewell Colours - I have an old one from Baukjen, but they don't do them any more)


• T-shirts in "my" colours


• I like the Hetta t-shirts, short- and long-sleeved, from Kettlewell Colours


• I also like the woollen t-shirts from Dilling, again both short- and long-sleeved


• Mountain Warehouse also sometimes have some good ones


• Cardigans in either wool or (preferred) cashmere. I like the ones from mypashmina


• Some jersey dresses in good colours/styles (current ones are a mix, but include Kettlewell and Joe Brown's)


• A couple of good work dresses (not so many now I predominantly work from home)


• A suit and fitted shirt for interviews


• Navy, blue, burgundy and purple tights


• Woollen socks


• Navy heels, flats and knee-high boots.


• Walking boots (current ones are grey)


• Trainers (these could be a fun colour - I currently have sky blue and dusty pink)


• Good underwear


• Good outerwear

Sorry, the places I get t-shirts from should have been indented from the bigger list!

I would also get a pair or two of navy jogging bottoms - but the sort that do not go in at the bottom (so more like trousers)

I want to be you! I have just purchased a huge wardrobe and can't wait to fill it!

Super minimalist. I have a huge amount more than I need.

I'm pretty much doing this now because I've lost weight.
Getting rid of all the bigger clothes which pretty much means everything barring footwear!
So far I've bought:
Good t shirts in a fit I like
1 Cardigan
2 baseball jackets (I might return one I bought the first, then saw the 2nd!)
3 x flared jeans (I LOVE that flares have come back in they suit me)
2 x branded tracksuit bottoms
2 x black smart trousers
2 x blouses
1 blazer
1 casual denim jacket
2 smart coats in different colours
I'm going to need a lot more also but will buy as the need arises.