How to build a wardrobe: from nothing to wear to a closet you love

“I have a closet full of clothes, but nothing to wear.” Sound familiar? Your closet is bursting, yet there seems to be nothing in it you really want to wear. Some pieces do not go together, others make you look washed out, and then there are the bad buys that have been hanging unworn for months. Learning how to build a wardrobe does not start in the shop, but in your own closet.

The good news: you do not need a huge wardrobe to look good. What you need is a closet that goes together and suits you. Below you can read step by step how to build it, with color as the base.

Why you have lots of clothes, but nothing to wear

More clothes do not automatically mean more outfits. Often the opposite is true. These are the most common causes:

• The colors do not go together. That makes pieces hard to combine.
• Some colors make you look washed out. You unconsciously wear them less often.
• Trend pieces dominate. They were fun, but do not fit the rest of your closet.
• Impulse buys pile up. Lovely on their own, but without a place in your wardrobe.

The solution is not a new closet full of clothes, but a wardrobe in which everything is coordinated. And the easiest way to do that is through color.

Step 1: first look at what you have

Before you buy anything new, take stock. Take everything out of your closet and make three piles: what you wear often, what you wear sometimes and what you never wear. Look at that last pile especially critically. Why do you not wear it? Often the answer is: the color does not suit you, or it goes with nothing. With a color fan you quickly see which pieces fall within your palette.

Keep what you love wearing and what suits you. Doubtful pieces can go into a box for a while. If you have not taken them out after three months, you can give them away with peace of mind.

Step 2: choose your colors

A wardrobe that works has a clear color plan. You do not have to use your whole palette. Choose three groups from your palette:

Because all these colors come from the same palette, they automatically go together. Do not know which neutral colors belong to you yet? Then read wearing neutral colors.

How to build a wardrobe: an example per season

Step 3: get good basics

With a few good basics in your base colors, you can vary endlessly. Think of:

• one or two pairs of trousers that fit well;
• a skirt or dress you can wear both casually and smartly;
• a blazer or cardigan;
• a few plain tops and T-shirts in your lightest neutral;
• a coat that goes over almost anything;
• shoes and a bag in a base color.

Invest mainly in these pieces. You wear them most often, so quality and fit pay off fastest here.

Step 4: add color

On that base you add your main and accent colors. This is where it gets fun: a sweater in your most beautiful color, a print with colors from your palette, a scarf that brings your face to life. Find color daunting? Then read how to wear more color.

Step 5: shop with a plan

The biggest pitfall when building a wardrobe is impulsive shopping. That is why it helps to shop with a plan:

1. Make a wishlist of what you really miss, for example “a navy blazer”.
2. Take your color fan with you and check every garment against the rule of thumb: does it clash, yes or no?
3. Ask yourself whether you can combine it with three things.
4. Unsure? Leave it on the rack. You usually recognize right away what truly suits you.

That way you build a closet you love step by step, and you spend less on things you do not wear. You can read more about this in color analysis cost and what it gives you.

Do not know which colors belong in your palette yet? Take the free color test or get your colors analyzed. Your Style Guide also contains styling advice to get started right away.

How to build a wardrobe and keep it in order

A good wardrobe is never completely finished. So plan a moment twice a year, for example when you switch from summer to winter clothes, to go through your closet. What did you not wear last season? What is worn out? And what are you still missing? That way you keep an overview, prevent your closet from filling up with doubtful pieces again and know exactly what belongs on your wishlist.

Looking for inspiration? On our Pinterest page we collect outfits and color combinations for each seasonal type.

Frequently asked questions

Read also: Refresh your wardrobe and How to combine neutral colors