The useful wardrobe is rarely the biggest one. It is the one where the pieces know each other.
Start with repetition
If you have worn something twenty times and still reach for it, that is information. TaylorMac favors clothes that become better through familiarity rather than novelty.
The TaylorMac test: Would we still want this if nobody saw the label?
What earns a place
Comfort, proportion, fabric, repairability and whether it works with what you already own matter more than the momentary thrill of a trend.