3 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Buying New Clothes

One of the biggest benefits of creating go-to outfits is that it completely changes the way you shop.

Before I had an outfit system, I would aimlessly browse stores and order clothes online without questioning what I actually needed or whether I needed anything new at all.

But once I created outfits I loved and felt good in, I rarely felt the need to buy new clothes.

If I had a dinner, event or weekend plans, I already had outfits ready to go.

And when I did shop, I became much more intentional.

If you're considering buying a new piece of clothing, ask yourself these three questions.

#1 WHAT WILL I WEAR IT WITH?

If it's a top, what pants will you wear with it? What shoes? What bag? What jacket?

If you can't immediately think of pieces you already own that will work with it, ask yourself whether you're willing to invest in the additional pieces needed to complete the outfit.

If not, there's a good chance the item will end up sitting in your closet unworn.

#2 WHERE WILL I WEAR IT?

Can you immediately think of a place or occasion where you will wear the new piece?

Maybe it's for work, dinner with friends, weekends or a date night.

If you can't think of a real-life occasion, the piece may not fit your current lifestyle.

The goal isn't to own beautiful clothes. The goal is to own clothes you'll actually wear.

#3 DO I REALLY NEED IT?

Creating outfits helps you see exactly where your wardrobe is complete and where it has gaps.

Maybe you already have plenty of outfits for work but no put-together casual outfits.

Or maybe you have enough tops and need to focus on finding pants that work with them.

When you know what your wardrobe is missing, it's much easier to walk away from purchases that don't serve a purpose.

That doesn't mean you can never buy something simply because you love it.

If you genuinely love a piece, can style it into an outfit and have somewhere to wear it, go for it.

But asking yourself these questions will help you make better decisions and avoid purchases you'll regret later.

Most wardrobes aren't incomplete because they need more clothes.

They're incomplete because they don't have enough finished outfits.

The 20 Outfit Wardrobe E-Book will show you how to create those outfits, identify what's missing and build a wardrobe that works for your real life.