4 steps to create a closet of pieces you'll love wearing!

I had to have them: the sexy suede knee-high boots that fashion magazines assured me everyone would be wearing in the fall of 2017. I clicked Buy, feeling elated as I imagined my glamorous future self striding along Park Avenue on a crisp autumn day, cashmere coat swishing, kitten heels clacking confidently…

Except that, on all but one stunning fall day, those boots languished in the back of my closet, an uncomfortably expensive reminder of my tendency to wishfully over-shop when anticipating something novel, like a new season, job, or vacation.

For years, I fell into the same trap: assembling an entire wardrobe I was sure would be perfect for my exciting new life but was then hardly worn because I misjudged what the future would feel like.

Does this happen to you? It’s not our fault! Humans are notoriously bad at predicting how we’ll feel in the future.

When my closet is stuffed with things I never wear, I feel inept and guilty: I know that fashion manufacturing is bad for the environment, and I want to buy quality pieces that last.

And so, to counteract this tendency, I now refresh my wardrobe using a strategy I call “shopping in the present.” Here’s how it works: instead of buying clothes for a new phase that hasn’t yet happened, I buy things for the time and place I'm in.

For example, years ago, while running around after my two small children at a beach resort and constantly adjusting my swimsuit to cover my bottom, I happened to glance across the pool to see another mother in the same situation wearing a gauzy, swingy, three-quarter-sleeved knee-length cover-up dress—with pockets!—over her bikini.

It was exactly what I needed, and the next free moment I got, I conducted a hyper-specific online search for that very thing. Before the trip, I had busily shopped for swimsuits and cute evening outfits, having assumed the vacation would involve more adult relaxation than is realistic with active kids. The cover-up I bought on that trip has been a closet staple ever since, and if I’m heading to a pool or beach, it’s the first thing I reach for.

Now, I follow a four-step process whenever I feel pressured to buy clothes for future me:

Resist the rush! While advertisers excel at creating a sense of urgency, especially at times of heightened emotions, like “back-to-school” and “holiday party season,” I remind myself that there’s plenty of time to buy things for a season that hasn’t yet started and will last for months.1
Shop my closet: I assess what I already own to find pieces I feel comfortable in and know I’ll wear so that I have a few key things I love going into a new season, activity, or phase of life.
Pay attention: Then, I note what my schedule, weather—and the vibe—calls for, taking inspiration from what people around me wear at school drop-offs, shops, airports, restaurants, and on the street. Soon, it becomes clear what my real life requires: whether its more workout clothes, warmer sweaters, more comfortable pants or shoes, or nicer outfits for going out to dinner.
Get specific: Once I have a list, I’ll have fun buying those things in the latest colors, patterns, or styles, confident they won’t lurk unworn in my closet, mocking me for my bad decisions.