Use lists to guide your style choices
I find this Three Lists exercise incredibly useful as a reset when life changes and I’m trying to work out how I want to show up in the world. This exercise suits people who are more into words and lists than images and moodboards.
If you have trouble letting things go, this process might give you a concrete method to whittle down your wardrobe or make decisions about new items. Focussing on your values and needs gives you a clear but not prescriptive way to make decisions.
List what you value and need and get real about your life as it is right now
Here’s how I do it. It’s super simple. Make three lists: values, needs and real life.
Here are lists belonging to an imaginary person.
List 1: your values
Write down what you value in the world and in your outfits and clothing.
You can see from the list above that this person values supporting local makers, buying second hand and owning things that last. They also value delightful or clever design.
List 2: your needs
Jot down what your clothes need to do for you and your life. What do your clothes have to do (or should NEVER do) for you to be happy and comfortable?
The list above tells us that this person isn’t an ironer, they want to wear their everyday clothes to ride their bike and they don’t want things that can’t withstand cat claws or fur.
What are your needs? No itchy labels? Nothing too tight around your neck? No stripes? No white clothes?
List 3: your real life
What kinds of activities do you need to dress for in your real life?
I say ‘real life’ because often we can get stuck buying clothes for a fantasy life we’ve seen in catalogues or online, or we hang on to clothes from our previous lives.
You might have had a high-powered office job and own some very nice, expensive suits. But if you’re now living in rural Queensland running a station and it’s time to decide what QLD-You wants and needs to wear to feel terrific, while getting things done.
For this exercise: make a list of things you do in the life you’re having right now.
You’re allowed to do a little crystal-ball gazing and think ahead to events you’re likely to attend, e.g. weddings or funerals, however do be honest about how many of those things are likely to occur. Do you need three cocktail dresses? Can you just get one from a consignment shop or op shop when you need one?
Use your three lists to guide your choices
Your lists give you a reference for making decisions about what’s in your wardrobe and what you might need to find. A lot of people find their lists help them catch up to what their life is like right now, rather than living in the past or casting ahead to an imagined future.
If you don’t have a clear picture in mind of how your style needs to look, e.g. some people might have a clear personal aesthetic - ‘I want to look like a mid-century sailor who also makes pottery,’ using your lists will help you make decisions about what you keep or move on.
Here’s how our fictional person might find their style using their lists
The fictional person who made the list above, might end up deciding on:
straight-leg pants made from a sturdy denim or twill fabric. These won’t flap around and get bike chain grease on them and their cat can’t wreck them. The pants need to be classy looking, rather than extremely casual or fashionably ripped, so they can wear them when they cycle to client meetings.
they want their clothes to last, so they might invest in a well-constructed pair with some beautiful details, from a local maker – this ticks three items off their list
shoes that are comfortable and can be easily cleaned (to remove any road dirt from cycling). Stiffer soles make bike riding easier, however you can really wear any kind of shoe on a bike, so long as it doesn’t slip off or flip around when you put your feet down.
stretchy tops that are wash-and-wear to fit the easy-care and non-irritating criteria, while also giving them room to move on their bike.
tops with really beautiful colours and flattering necklines will be good for video calls while they work from home, as well as for in-person client meetings and friend dates.
You can see how these criteria simplify a lot of their decisions.
If you’re ready to go a little further, you might enjoy the three style words exercise, which gives you words you can use to guide your style choices and evolution.
Have a go! Good luck.
Want to read related articles?
de-schlumping your style by focussing on just one garment
stopp looking at aliens (aka fashion illustrations or pictures of models) and find a way to see and dress your body as it is right now
do a style reset and find images of cool, real people to inspire your style instead
choose three style words you can use as a filter when looking at outfits