Building a wardrobe of thirty pieces

Start with the things you actually wore last month, not the things you meant to wear. That list is your real wardrobe.

Pick a base of two or three neutrals that all sit together — our own default is black, stone and navy — and let colour arrive through a handful of pieces rather than everything at once.

Buy the layer, not the outfit. A well-cut overshirt works over five different tees; a printed one works over none.

Replace rather than add. When a tee goes thin, buy the same tee. Familiar cuts save you the sizing gamble and keep the wardrobe coherent.