This is a misleading title, as I don’t really know how to create a modern wardrobe. It would be more accurate to end it with a question mark, as the following is an exploration rather than a solution, but it’s perhaps useful nevertheless. Everything, after all, begins with the right question.

It has to be said that I don’t find putting together a wardrobe extremely difficult. Raising a child is difficult, brain surgery is difficult, buying some clothes that go together isn’t. Or at least it isn’t when you are relatively well off and in a size that most clothing brands cater to. But as I’ve been getting my closet ready for autumn, I have been thinking about the topic and I believe having a good wardrobe is more challenging than it used to be.

Clothing has become political and ideological in a way it hasn’t been for decades. And while I generally approve of this development, it certainly makes dressing more complex. Most obviously, it has become an environmental question. We all know that the way we consume clothes in the West isn’t sustainable, so the choice of how much and from where to buy has become central. Then there’s the question of privilege: there are certainly people who delight in showing off their Gucci hauls and Chanel binges and others who are eager to watch, but for many this kind of consumption/content seems increasingly tone-deaf. Can owning a 2000-euro handbag be right, under any circumstances? And there’s a feminist angle, too: should we perhaps spend our time fighting the partriarchy, not debating the shade of a new cashmere sweater?

These are valid issues and I do wrestle with all of them. The third one is the easiest, as an interest in clothes and a tendency to analyse them is so much part of my personality that it’s difficult to stop overnight. And ultimately, I think, a woman is allowed to fight patriachy in the perfect shade of taupe. I am less occupied with style than I used to be, though, and not unhappy about it. Certainly, if one doesn’t have an interest in fashion, I see no reason to cultivate it. It does take time an energy that could be spent elsewhere.

On the second topic, I’m of two minds. On one hand, clothes and accessories can cost obscene amounts of money and being too interested in luxury brands always seems like a bad idea to me (also when I do it myself). That said, I think clothes should have a fair price, which certainly means more than they currently cost in most high-street stores. My own strategy is, in very blunt terms, to buy more expensive stuff that would by default limit the amount of things I can buy. Of course, I don’t think expensive is always better, but I want to go for things that have both practical and emotional value – and the latter can also include buying into a brand whose aesthetic and history and image are meaningful to me. (This is why I am currently on the hunt for a small white old Céline Trio bag.)

Which brings me neatly back to the first question, because the best solution to our environmental dilemmas is of course simply to buy less. Which I am trying to do and partially succeeding with, which in turn creates new problems. As you may know, I have never been a big fan of capsule wardrobes, because I generally find them restrictive and boring. But I am forced to admit that if you limit your purchases, a neutral wardrobe – or at least one with a defined colour palette – makes the most sense. It will give you more options for combinations and you will not find yourself in a situation where you don’t have a bag or a pair of shoes that would go with a specific outfit.

But I know myself well enough to be absolutely certain that I would become mentally unstable if I tried to live with 30 pieces of neutrals. So if you are like me, I have a couple of tips that possibly work for you, too.

First, by all means, have a small capsule of classic clothes in neutral shades. This is especially useful for work, but if you add jeans, then for off-duty as well. For me, it means black, white (or mostly cream, actually), different beiges, tan and a bit of navy. Most of these things combine well with each other and at least one of them goes with any other colours I have. Say, white with blue, navy with brown, beige with lilacs and pinks and reds. There are some people who don’t want or need any neutrals in their wardrobe, but for most they are useful.

Second, develop a refined, eccentric sense of colour. If you have a self-imposed rule not to buy a whole new outfit around that mint cardigan you absolutely had to have, you better get creative. Perhaps you have a pair of tan leather trousers? Or a pale lilac slip dress? A banana yellow turtelneck? Or things in other shades of green, for a tonal outfit? Make it work with things that people don’t necessarily think would work – usually you just need a bit of confidence. One of the main drawbacks of buying colourful clothes is that they tend to date faster, they are linked to specific seasons and even if they aren’t, we just gat tired of them once the novelty wears off. But combining items in a fresh ways helps with that, too. Finding a new juxtaposition will make your cardigan look new, too.

And third, don’t throw things away. I know, controversial! I admire people who enjoy living a very minimalist life, but it’s not right for everyone. And I believe that sometimes, this ideal can be counterproductive – people get rid of their things in search of this perfectly curated life, then buy new stuff, then ‘edit ruthlessly’, then replace stuff again, etc. So even if people manage to keep their wardrobes small, they still purchase a significant number of things, as they are stuck in a purge-buy cycle. As I said, this is not true for everyone, but for me, a larger wardrobe works better. It actually discourages me from buying more, as it’s obvious I already have quite a bit of stuff. Also, knowing that I will be stuck with the item I bought for the foreseeable future also makes me think twice. I don’t find getting rid of clothes difficult if they ‘don’t spark joy’ any more, but that’s exactly why I think I shouldn’t – I would just go and buy more.

In the spirit of full disclosure: I am writing this after going through my clothes and getting rid of quite a number of things, which – you may justifiably say – makes me a hypocrite. And maybe I am. But I hadn’t done a clearout in two years and some things no longer worked for me, because my body had changed. I looked at what I have in my closet now and most of my clothes are over five seasons old and some are older than ten years (I have pieces that are even older, but they are mostly occasionwear).

Do you feel that dressing in a way that ticks all the boxes is getting harder? What’s important to you as you select your clothes? Would you want some more specific recommendations for what to actually have in a good wardrobe? Also, I was wondering if you would like to see all my dresses? Or any other category?