If All Your Clothes Spontaneously Combusted…

[RockTheRunway]

And you had to repurchase a brand new wardrobe, how would you plan it?
No limiting factors.

The reason I am curious is because I am somewhat overwhelmed by decisions making. It used to be easy - office clothes, a few weekend casual clothes and a few going out thing. I don’t know what I need and buy for the life I had instead of the current.

After pandemic, I work in he office 1 day a week, barely go out out and WFH 4 days, middle management, so need to be presentable on multiple video call daily. It’s software company, so hoodie is OK, but it’s just not me. My style has lost clarity and I don’t know what I want to be anymore. Love VB style and Sezane jeans and sexy blouse vibe… But, OMG, everything I save repurchasing comfy £6 Primark joggers, I will spend on therapy one day, pining for life wasted looking like shit, under my desk…

Rant over, please help me strategise.

Jeans and tops for different occasions.

Pick one colour palette or tone so that everything goes with everything else. Abercrombie wide leg trousers in black, a few decent jeans in different shades, a satin midi and some beige or white linen trousers.

Have a look on Pinterest for capsule wardrobe ideas and build your basics from there.

I wouldn’t plan.

I would take my time to browse endless sites and update my knowledge of new / unfamiliar brands and designers.

Then I would gradually buy a few outstanding items that really appealed to me and could be worn (even if only occasionally) in my real life. I wouldn’t know what these would be until I saw them.

Then I would look for reliable suppliers of simple basics to wear with the ‘fabulous’ things. So if I’d bought the ultimate long pleated skirt - I’d buy a plain jumper or linen t shirts and plain boots to wear with it.

For home wear I’d probably ‘pick up’ hardwearing basics from places like Uniqlo / Community Clothing.

I would not buy more than I currently need. I would concentrate on keeping informed about what’s available so I know where to go to meet any eventualities - and experimenting with what I already own.

Just had this exact situation of replacing my entire wardrobe. TBH I just went nuts in Primark a couple of times!
I now have a complete wardrobe in colours I love and styles I love. I figure this gives me a chance to experiment on the cheap and work out what I want to upgrade to higher quality items later on.

I work from home most of the time and have one day in the office - public sector. I like to dress at the smarter end of casual anyway and would wear dresses out of work.

I have a few dresses that can be worn into the office but also do for things like meals out/dates etc.

I have a lot of jeans and tops. Flared jeans I can wear with heeled boots and a blouse to look a bit more dressy. Wide leg jeans and cargo trousers that I can wear with a fitted t-shirt/top and vans/converse if I want something more comfy. Most of my tops go with most of my trousers, so I can always throw something together and look OK. I also have a pair of smart trousers that go witj all my tops in an emergency for the office. I hate the term capsule wardrobe, but that is what I have!

I think the habit people get into is having 'work clothes' is smart and 'home clothes' ie scruffy. You can still be a bit smarter at home.

I would dress exclusively in 100 Stars and become all wafty.

Personal stylist 100%

Get your colours done, ask which silhouettes suit your figure, and which shops they'd recommend.

Personally, I'd prioritise 'hardworking' items which smarten up an outfit - I'm naturally scruffy so for me these would be a wool coat, blazer, leather knee high boots and a new handbag.

If working from home, always have a smart cardie within easy reach!

https://www.zara.com/uk/en/knit-cardigan-with-golden-buttons-p06427124.html?v1=342171645&v2=2352849

Since last Autumn I’ve had to do this and it’s not as fun as it sounds. I gave about ten bin bags of ‘fat’ clothes to charity. I didn’t have lots of time to plan what I was going to buy because I literally had nothing to wear.

I used to wear a lot of prints but because I haven’t been able to buy as many new clothes as I used to have I decided plain clothes were the way to go as I can mix and match them more.

I haven’t bought anything unless it goes with quite a few things I already have.
Over the winter I did have a capsule wardrobe of cream/beige, wine/dull rose , khaki and a bit of black and this worked well. Now I’m so over those colours so have started getting Spring clothes together that mix and match.

I really thought about what I do I actually need for the activities I do.