Shopping my mood board: Part 1

The pieces on my short list + lots of jacket links

As I build up my wardrobe basically from square one, I am determined to procure an edited-but-functional closet of things that are both lovely and fun to wear and also practical for my day-to-day life. But I need so much. Because I have so little. So it’s felt a bit overwhelming until a few days ago when I figured out a way to prioritize what to buy.

I think this method would work pretty universally regardless of how much you own or how many pieces you’re looking to buy. It’s just an easy way to get clear on what you want to wear and which key pieces are missing from your wardrobe.

STEP ONE

I made a mood board to get a feel for the colors and silhouettes I want to wear. I chose looks for everyday, not special occasions. These are outfits I’d wear over and over for most of the year - versatile, season-less, functional. But also not plain. There’s color and texture and personality.

STEP TWO

Then I ID’ed the items that appear more than once on my mood board. The pieces that are important elements of the looks I’m drawn to and want to wear. If you have more clothes than I do, you’d now cross check with your closet and remove items you already own from the list.

Based on that criteria, I landed on these four things, which I’ll source first.