Most wardrobes are not too small. They are too loud. Forty pieces that each want to be the centre of attention give you fewer outfits than ten that are happy to share the room.
Start with the coat. In Auckland that means something that can take a squall on Queen Street and still look right at dinner in Ponsonby. A single-breasted wool overcoat in camel or charcoal does the most work for the most months.
Start with the coat.
Then the foundations: two shirts, one trouser you can wear four days a week, one pair of dark selvedge and a knit that layers under the coat without bulk. Our stylists keep coming back to merino here.
Footwear is where most people over-buy. You need two pairs: one clean leather sneaker that goes with everything, and one boot that can be dressed up.
The tenth piece is the one with personality. Choose it last, once you know what the foundations look like together. Every new purchase should work with at least three things you already own.
