I strongly believe we do not need a huge wardrobe to look good. What you do need is a good selection of basics that mix and match well and can transition easily between seasons.
Build yourself a capsule wardrobe that works for you. This will vary for everyone depending on your lifestyle. If you work in the corporate world and wear suits for work then you will need most of your wardrobe to reflect that with a few casual items for weekends. If you work from home you will need most of your wardrobe to be smart casual so that you are comfortable but can run errands without looking a mess.
Don't invest most of your budget on something you will hardly wear. We have all done it. Fallen in love with an item and bought it then it has sat in the back of the wardrobe gathering dust because we don't need it.
I do think it is very useful to have one item that can be worn for an occasion but unless you are out every few weeks then one is probably enough. You could have a lovely black dress that can be dressed up or down with shoes and jewellery etc that will get you through most things. Gentleman may decide on a good suit. This could be worn separately too so that you get more use out of it.
Know what suits you, what looks amazing on your best friend may not suit you at all. Develop your own style. Once you know what works stick to it. You can add little accessories etc to change it up a bit or include a trend you like but stay true to your individual style. The same goes for what suits your shape. What looks good on one person may look ridiculous on another.
I personally like to spend a little bit more on the basics because they get used so much. This way they last me longer so cost per wear goes down and becomes more of an investment. I don't mean you should buy designer. But I steer clear from the really cheap fast fashion as they tend to look awful after a few washes.
Try and buy items that can be worn for at least most of the seasons. So for example the dress that you wear in Summer may look great with a blazer over it in Winter. Or the the skirt and camisole you wore in Summer can be a skirt with a beautiful cosy knit in Winter. This will ensure you get the most use from your wardrobe and limit the "I have nothing to wear" moments.
I avoid a lot of pattern. It is much harder to mix and match and will really limit you on how and when you can wear it. Some patterns can be very unflattering too. I have a couple of striped tops and a couple of wrap dresses that have a pattern but that's all. Dresses are a bit easier too as they are an outfit in themselves so don't need to match anything and the patterns I picked are classic such as polka dot. The rest of the items in my wardrobe are plain, mostly neutral with a few pops of colour that go with most other items. This makes my wardrobe incredibly versatile.
As you can see, these Zara trousers work for all seasons and are a regular favourite in my wardrobe.
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