How to Create More Outfit Choices With Fewer Clothes

We all want a bit of variety in our outfits, since we don’t want to be sporting the exact same look day in and day out.

Most guys try to add variety to their wardrobe by filling their closets up with tons of clothes. This isn’t necessary.

In fact, having a wardrobe bulging with clothes is very impractical. It will take you a long time to find what you need, and most of the clothes in there will hardly ever be worn.

Seriously, open your closet and take out every piece you haven’t worn in the last 3 weeks. I bet you’ll find a lot.

It doesn’t have to be like this.

You can actually have a lot of outfit variety with just a few clothes, as long as you pick the right ones.

The Flawed Assumption: For More Variety You Need More Clothes

Most people assume you need a full wardrobe to have a lot of choice.

The reason they assume this is that their current clothes only work well in a couple of outfits.

They go shopping, see a really cool shirt and buy it on impulse. Then they start looking around for items that work with the shirt, until they feel they have compiled a good outfit.

This seems like a smart shopping method, but it’s usually applied very inefficiently.

While they may add a really great outfit to their wardrobe, they’re not adding a lot of variety.

Why Your Clothes Aren’t Adding Variety to Your Wardrobe

The thing about most guys is that they don’t want to wear “bland” outfits, and they think bland outfits are created with bland clothes.

So when they go shopping for something new, there has to be something about it that sets is apart.

Then, when they have made a purchase, they start looking for something to combine the piece with.

But of course, this item can’t be too dull either.

Let me show you why this system doesn’t work.

For example, Imagine a guy buying a really eye-catching red graphic tee.

He wants to have something to combine it with, so after searching a while he comes across this cardigan:

Now he goes home feeling great about the wicked new clothes he’s bought himself, and adds them to his wardrobe.

So what has this guy achieved?

Since this is his usual shopping method, you can be sure that neither of the two items will match with the rest of his wardrobe very well.

He’s purchased 2 items, but he’s only added 1 outfit to his wardrobe.

There’s got to be a smarter way of doing this, right?

How to Increase Your Options Exponentially with Each Purchase

The secret to adding maximum variety to your wardrobe with each purchase is to invest in versatile items.

You want to buy clothes that can be matched to as many other pieces as possible, rather than just what you buy them with.

The more versatile clothes you have, the more outfit options each purchase will add.

You’d be amazed how fast your choice can grow with just a few wardrobe additions.

Check out this guest article I did for Image Granted to get an idea.

If any item you bought would add 12 (or more) new options to your wardrobe, how many clothes would you really need?

And now, you can add colored or patterned items to your wardrobe, and always have something to wear with them. For example, you can easily add a pair of green pants to your wardrobe, because you have a lot of pieces that you can wear with green pants.

Action Step: Invest in Versatility

What I want you to do is create a list of Grade A versatile items that you could add to your closet.

List items from different categories of clothing, such as shirts, pants, jackets, etc.

Then, go out and buy them.

Items you may have previously considered “bland” can be used to create very interesting outfits. It just takes a bit of creativity. Try mixing and matching them in different ways, and you’ll quickly develop a couple of looks that you like.

Investing in versatility will guarantee you a whole new bunch of outfit choices with every purchase you make.

Not only that, but you’ll be able to buy whatever you like, and you won’t have to scour the shops for any matchable clothes. They will already be present in your wardrobe.

How great would you feel being able to make any purchase you like, knowing you have plenty of clothes to combine it with? Let’s hear it in the comments!