How to Build a Wardrobe That Works for Your Life
Let’s talk about function—specifically, how to make sure your wardrobe actually fits your lifestyle.
Why does lifestyle matter?
Your lifestyle is what sets you apart from all those dreamy inspo posts. It’s the difference between a closet full of clothes and a wardrobe that works.
When your wardrobe aligns with how you spend your time, getting dressed becomes effortless:
Less overthinking
Less planning
More getting on with your day
Let’s break it down: How do you actually spend your time?
There are 84 waking hours in a week. Start by dividing those hours between all the things you do.
Here’s what it looks like for me:
WFH (Work from home): 28 hours = 34%
Client meetings: 4 hours = 5%
Chill downtime (evenings + weekends): 35 hours = 42%
Now that I know where most of my time is spent, I can reassess my wardrobe and shop accordingly.
What I notice when I work with clients:
👀 The work wardrobe takes over.
A lot of my clients—especially former corporate turned entrepreneurs still invest heavily in their work wardrobe, even though their day-to-day looks completely different now. And while office dress codes have relaxed (no more pencil skirts and stiff blouses), a lot of us are still dressing for a 9-5 they no longer have.
👀 The ‘bifurcated’ closet struggle.
This means your wardrobe is either super formal or super casual, leaving you with nothing in between. If this sounds familiar, check out Building a Wardrobe Pt. 1 to work through editing your closet.
👀 The ‘magpie effect’ with eveningwear.
Special occasion outfits tend to eat up a huge chunk of the budget because they’re fun. You see a sparkly dress, fall in love, and have to have it… only to realize you’ve worn it once. That’s cool and all, but if your formal wardrobe makes up 6% of your lifestyle, should it be 40% of your shopping budget? (We’ll dive into this another time.)
So, what’s the goal here?
A foundational wardrobe that’s functional for the life you actually lead.
‘Functional’ means:
✔ Works for multiple occasions within your lifestyle
✔ Makes getting dressed easier
✔ Helps you feel put-together without overthinking
Now that you know where you actually spend your time, you can invest in pieces that perform in multiple scenarios.
How does this play out in real life?
The pieces that typically get edited out of my clients’ closets:
❌ Single-use items that never feel right for anything else
❌ Pieces that could work, but never get worn
❌ Clothes they’re “waiting for an occasion” to wear (and haven’t touched in years)
❌ The items that sit there, staring at them with guilt every morning
How to make better shopping choices:
Let’s say you’re eyeing a pair of boots. Ask yourself:
Can I wear them to work?
Can I wear them on date nights?
Can I wear them on weekends?
If yes, they’re probably a solid investment.
But if you need to plan an entire trip to Nashville just to justify them? Walk away.
One last exercise to get you thinking
📲 Open your favourite shopping app and scroll through the new arrivals. Look at the pieces that catch your eye, then check in with yourself:
How many of these actually fit my lifestyle?
That’s how you narrow down your shopping list based on functionality—so your wardrobe becomes a seamless, no-brainer part of your life.
💭 And yes, this does take some thinking upfront. But the difference? You’re thinking about it now, not when you’re scrambling to pack for an event and having a full-blown meltdown over nothing to wear.
Your future self will thank you. 😉
If you’re a visual person like me, I created this quick Notion wardrobe planner that helps you map out what you need based on your lifestyle:
