Wardrobe Golden Rules
From a recovered shopaholic
As a girl who grew up surrounded by stylish women - a Mother who owns a women’s footwear boutique and still brings new shoes home frequently, Nanna who growing up would make her own clothes and take me for a ‘no limit’ shopping spree in the city for my birthday as early as the age 10 - it was no surprise when I decided to study fashion at University.
My approach to shopping has changed a lot in recent years. The first thing I would think about spending my pocket money on growing up, my wages and even student loan would be clothes, shoes, bags and accessories…oh and not forgetting makeup.
I’ve had my fair share of wardrobe mistakes of buying what’s trending at the time, items I like but that don’t quite fit me right, impulse purchasing - all of which I would never end up reaching for. I know my body and style better now and try and take a more considered approach to shopping, the same applies to both high-street and luxury.
I want to start sharing more of my wardrobe finds with you here as it’s something I love and often receive questions on but aren’t the best at documenting! So you’re holding me accountable. I feel like I’ve built a great foundation wardrobe over the years that I can now pull from to create outfits for all occasions. With that being said, as a self proclaimed recovered shopaholic (my fiancé may disagree) and proud outfit repeater here are my wardrobe golden rules…
My golden rules before any purchase are…
Does this fit me well? Am I comfortable in it?
Do I already have something similar? If so, will it be an upgrade?
Will this fill a missing gap in my wardrobe?
Will this fabric wash well? Are the finish and hardware good quality?
Will this go with a minimum of 3 outfits?
Is it versatile? Can I dress it up or down?
Will this item make me use existing items in my wardrobe more?
Can I see this being in my wardrobe for years to come?
Do I like it but is it really me?
For luxury items - Can I find a high-street alternative first? Or purchase second hand? Can I resell if I change my mind later down the line?
If it ticks the boxes… add to the basket/wishlist, sit on it. If I can’t stop thinking about it, I allow myself to hit checkout.
There are some exceptions of course and I’m not completely immune to an impulse purchase every now and then, but they are faaar less frequent. If so it’s usually something vintage, one of a kind or that I instantly fall in love with and becomes a wardrobe staple.
I consider my style to be rather classic, minimal and comfortable with elements of something unexpected or fun. So if that sounds like you, I think you’re going to like it here!
I hope you can apply these to your own shopping philosophy to avoid mistake purchases. You can find all fashion related links here which I will continue to add to. I’d love to hear your golden rules in the comments and be sure to subscribe for more!
Thanks so much for reading,
Xx Ellise
COMING TO YOU NEXT… Recent Chic High-Street Wardrobe Additions