Creating A Wardrobe

The steps below helped me create the wardrobe I wanted for my retired lifestyle. Perhaps sharing my process will help you curate a wardrobe you love.

First: Know your style. Your clothing, especially those you wear most often, will likely reveal your style. You can also get ideas from Pinterest, Instagram, and your favorite stylish women.

I’ve learned that my style is classic, elevated, and minimal. If you dissect the look I wore to lunch on Saturday, you will discover a plain white tee, black wool pants, and a denim blazer. I can and have worn these timeless elements for years in countless ways, from dressy to casual.

Second: Use your style as a guide to make purchases that relate to your lifestyle to ensure that what you have in your wardrobe works for you.

Sharp shoulders, pointed toes, shiny silver hardware, and high-contrast bold colors are the details that fill my style toolbox. I avoid small prints, ruffles, muted colors, and soft gathers. After I cleared out all the things that didn’t feel authentic to my style, I realized that everything that remained in my wardrobe felt like me, and as a bonus, everything seamlessly worked together.

Third: Work with your shape. Even if you don’t have a definable body shape, you should know how different body parts relate. Study your shape to determine if you are broader in one area than another, whether straight or curvy, so that you can work to create balance.

For example – I have an inverted triangle shape and a fuller bust, so I avoid details that add more volume, such as ruffles, gathers, pockets, or ornamentation. Pants with flare or straight full-length legs look best and help balance the top and bottom half.

Fourth: Measure your vertical proportions—long legs? Short legs? Short torso? Long torso? This is also important so that the clothes you choose work with you, not against you. Know your inseam (crotch to hem) and rise (crotch to the waistband). Knowing these measurements will make buying pants and jeans easier.

I always order pants online, but I carefully check the measurements and style descriptions. High waist styles with a leg opening larger than sixteen inches and an inseam of 30 inches or more are non-negotiable details for me.

Fifth: Identify the colors that work for you—your best colors will make you glow. There is a shade for everyone, and there are ways to wear a color, even if it’s not your best shade.

Many of the items I wear have been in my collection for years, so I share links to similar items. Blazer, tee, pants, belt, heels, bag, scarf, earrings, ring.

I hope these tips and examples are helpful to you. Links may allow me to earn a small commission without costing you anything.