How to Know What Clothes You Actually Need Before Shopping

There was a time when I would decide I needed something simply because I liked it.

A holiday was coming up? Obviously I needed a new outfit. I saw beautiful boots on Vinted? Maybe I needed those too. 😀

These days, I shop very differently.

I still love clothes, and I definitely still get tempted by things I don’t need. But before buying, I try to think about the wardrobe I already have.

Because we shop for individual pieces, but we get dressed in outfits.

And sometimes the best thing you can do for your wardrobe isn’t buy more. It’s work out what’s actually missing.

I Notice What I’m Missing While Getting Dressed

Most of the time, I realise I might need something when I’m putting an outfit together.

I’ll have an idea in my head and think, this would work so much better if I had…

But that doesn’t automatically mean I need to buy it.

I wait and think about whether that same piece is missing from other outfits too. If I bought it, what else could I wear it with?

The days when I would buy something for one event, wear it once and then push it to the back of my wardrobe are long gone. 😀

My black Love Moschino bag is a good example of a genuine gap.

I knew I wanted one good-quality black bag, so when I found one on Vinted for €37, I bought it. What I hadn’t realised was just how useful it would become. I take it out almost every time I go somewhere, and it works with so many of my clothes.

It wasn’t one of my cheapest Vinted purchases, but it has been worth every cent.

A Great Buy Can Still Be the Wrong Buy

I currently have a pair of black Tommy Hilfiger rain boots sitting in my Vinted Favourites.

They’re €35, they look like great quality and, to be honest, I’d probably recommend them to someone looking for rain boots.

There’s just one problem.

I already own five pairs of boots — three different low-heel pairs and two high-heel pairs. Several are black. I physically don’t need another pair of black boots in my wardrobe. 🤣

So I’m leaving them in my Favourites, even though I still really like them.

It’s something I’ve learnt from shopping second-hand: something can be a fantastic bargain and still be the wrong purchase for me.

That’s also why, when I shared my 12 things I always search for on Vinted, the final thing on my list was simply whatever my wardrobe actually needs.

I Think About What a New Piece Will Unlock

Sometimes a new purchase makes something you’ve owned for years suddenly more useful.

I’d had a pair of green trousers for around three years, but I always found them difficult to style. Usually I played it safe with white, beige or other neutral colours.

Then I bought a long green cardigan on Vinted.

I actually bought the cardigan to wear buttoned up with leggings and knee-high boots. But when it arrived, I realised it worked beautifully with those trousers.

Suddenly I fell in love with an outfit I’d never thought to put together before.

A really good purchase doesn’t always just give you something new to wear. Sometimes it makes the clothes you already own more wearable too.

I Try Not to Shop for an Imaginary Version of an Event

I’m still learning this one.

Shortly before a holiday this year, I ordered a matching set. In my head, it was going to look relaxed, chic and flowy.

In reality? The fabric was synthetic, the quality wasn’t great and I couldn’t stop thinking that it looked slightly like pyjamas. 😀

I still wore it, but it reminded me why I don’t like shopping under pressure.

Holidays, weddings and other events can create this strange urgency where suddenly we convince ourselves we need something now. And that’s when I’m more likely to overlook the things I’d normally check, especially fabric and quality.

I’ve written more about what I look for in my existing Fashion guide, How to Spot Quality Clothes Before You Buy (Even in High-Street Stores).

The Bigger the Purchase, the More Evidence I Want

I don’t research every white T-shirt for three months.

If I need a simple cotton top, I might go to somewhere like Sinsay and compare the price, quality and how it sits on me.

For bigger purchases — boots, a coat, good jeans — I’ll search everywhere. Vinted, online shops, sales. I’ll compare my options and then, usually, I still won’t buy anything immediately.

I give it a few days.

My Levi’s jeans are probably my most extreme example. 😀 I was preparing for that purchase for over a year.

Eventually I found exactly what I wanted on Vinted: dark blue Levi’s with orange stitching, lovely thick denim, the right measurements — €12.

They’re genuinely the best jeans I’ve ever owned.

I don’t think every purchase requires a year of research. 😂 But I’ve realised that every purchase needs to be supported by evidence in my head.

How often will I wear it? What do I already own that works with it? Is the quality right? Is there a better option?

That’s a big part of how I now shop on Vinted without buying clothes I don’t need, too.

And Sometimes, I Just Wait

Right now, I’m looking for a cashmere scarf.

I want something warm enough for winter but beautiful enough to wear as part of an outfit too. My winter coat is grey, although I’m drawn towards beige and sandy colours, so finding the right shade is proving slightly tricky.

I’d ideally like to spend less than €20, and the scarves I really like tend to cost a little more.

I’ve already found one I like and saved it to my Vinted Favourites.

But I haven’t bought it.

I’m going to keep looking.

Because I’ve realised that knowing what you need doesn’t mean you have to buy it today.

Want Me to Help You Search Vinted?

I’m currently testing a little idea: you tell me what you’re looking for, your size and your budget, and I’ll personally help search for good options on Vinted.

I’m doing it completely free while I test the idea — all I ask for is honest feedback afterwards.

If you’ve been searching for that perfect coat, cardigan, pair of jeans or something else that your wardrobe is genuinely missing, email me at anna@simplewaysliving.com and give me something to find. 😀