Less is more.
Rebecca Henderson, a personal organizing coach in Johnson City, Tenn., uses this philosophy when building a wardrobe. Henderson has found through her experience with clients that two or three main colors usually suffice for a wardrobe.
"It’s different for everybody," she said. "A nurse will have different clothing needs than an attorney, and a stay-at-home mom with have yet another set of needs. Focus first on your colors. Then you can decide how many long sleeved shirts you need."
Some color combinations she suggested are black, red and white or navy, yellow and white. Others are tan, denim and black or black with a vibrant color, such as purple, and then a more tame color, such as khaki or beige. The focus is to narrow favorite color choices. Beyond that, certain basics exist for nearly every woman.
The black or navy pant is an item most of us already have. "Depending on your career or lifestyle you may have one pair or seven. Just keep to that basic color."
Additionally a blazer that matches can be worn to create a suit. An appropriate number of blouses and a couple of plain colored sweaters cover the top part in a variety of settings. For bottoms, skirts in your darkest color and casuals such as denims or Dockers can mix and match with the various tops to provide several outfit choices.
Shoe purchases should be made with optimum mileage in mind. Black flats or boots go with denims or dress pants, and some will even add a classy touch to skirt outfits. Henderson cautions clients to avoid purchasing too many fad style items. "They tend to look too dated before you’ve gotten you wear out of them," she says.
Above all, Henderson says to avoid buying any item that only goes with one thing. "You want to get the most out of you clothing dollar. Buy items that mix and match with several garments."