Here’s what to stop buying if you want a functional wardrobe

“Dressing well is a form of good manners.” -Tom Ford

Over the years I have bought quite a few items to fill up my closet but I have come to realize that a few of them just didn’t stand the test of time or I simply fell out of love with them. Some items are just so terrible after a few washes that you wonder why you bought them in the first place. Knowing now what I wish I knew then, I decided to share 5 things I regret buying and a few tips to help you build a more functional wardrobe.

But first, outfit details: I wore this look for a night out in Ocean City, Maryland this summer. It was a birthday gift from my Bestie and I am obsessed with the color. The fact that it is a matching set means that it’s a recipe for endless looks. I will definitely keep wearing the vest with sweaters as the weather gets cooler. Unfortunately, I don’t have links since this is all sold out but if I am able to find a similar set, I will be sure to update the post to include the links.

ITEMS THAT I DIDN’T LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT

I walked into H&M a few years ago and found a faux leather jacket with a skull on the back. I am not fond of skulls at all. But for some reason, I thought it was a good idea to buy this jacket anyway even though I didn’t love the design on the back of it. Because of this same skull I disliked, I barely wore the jacket but at the time, I thought I had to have it simply because it was a bargain. Word to the wise, don’t buy something you don’t love simply because the price is right. Which leads to my next point.

USELESS ITEMS THAT ARE ON SALE

To continue with the above example, that faux leather jacket grabbed my attention simply because it was an end of season sale and I just thought for $15, it would be a sin not to get it. Wrong! If you wouldn’t buy it full price, don’t buy it just because it’s on sale. Some of us tend to do this with designer pieces but the truth of the matter is that it is still useless to you if it doesn’t fit your style. Your closet does not need an additional piece that takes up space but serves no purpose.

ITEMS THAT DON’T FIT PROPERLY

I found these knee high caged heels from Zara that I just had to have. (You can check them out in this post) Again, they were on sale! But the only problem is that they were a size 8 and I wear an 8.5 and sometimes 9. Sure enough, I bought it anyway and wore it maybe 5 times. It’s been sitting in my closet for months, unworn which is such a waste. I really liked them at the time but chances are if they didn’t fit properly when you were buying them, they still won’t fit when they get to your closet. Besides, would you really love them a year from now?

ITEMS THAT ARE TEMPORARILY IN STYLE

We all know trends come and go so buying pieces that are timeless will decrease the cost-per-wear and will consequently result in a more efficient wardrobe which facilitates getting dressed in the morning. In my experience, here are a few items that just were not worth my money: gaudy accessories, lucite (clear) shoes, trendy platform heels, bright colorful jeans etc…

ITEMS MARKED DOWN DUE TO DAMAGE

There’s this gorgeous red satin midi dress in my closet that I purchased at Zara over a year ago. It is actually, the only item in my closet that I have never worn. Why? Because it has a big hole in the back of it near the hem. In my defense, I didn’t notice that it was damaged until after I came home with it. However, I could have returned it but instead told myself that I would have it fixed. Lies! Unless you are really going to fix a damaged item, do not waste your time buying something ripped that will remain unworn.

When it comes to building a functional wardrobe, less is definitely more. Imagine if you actually loved every single piece in your closet, getting dressed everyday would be an easy feat. So stock up on the timeless basic pieces that won’t go out of style and can be worn for multiple occasions. You can always dress them up or down with more statement making accessories to change up your looks.

Let me know if you guys would like to see a post on what pieces are necessary to buy to build a functional wardrobe. Lastly, what items in your closet have you not worn and swear to never buy again? Let me know in the comments section below!

Until next time,