Congratulations on finishing 101! 102 is more focused on what to do AFTER you look at quality. How will you style this, how do I get rid of old clothes? I am not here to tell you what to do on style, you figure that out yourself. But I'm here to give a few pointers that may help in your fashion journey. The rules can be broken once you understand them, but its important to understand them first!

Capsule Wardrobes & Checklists

A "basics/must-haves" list was introduced in 101. There may be more things to introduce into your wardrobe if you have something in particular that you really like. I like to use a spreadsheet or a little grid in a notebook to check off certain things I own or need. For example, I have blouses in my main colours that I need, I have black, white, and ivory. But I may need more in different styles or colours. This makes it easy to see what I need and what gaps I have in my wardrobe.

Stop worshipping brands

Do you like it or is it because of the brand? Would you like this if you randomly saw this at Macy's or in a secondhand store? Are you paying only for that brand name and getting awful quality in return? My advice is to stop caring SO MUCH about brands! It is ok to like one because of their features, their designs, or how they fit on you, but brands can and will deviate from those things. It is still okay to buy designer and certain brands only, but awareness and buying mindfully is key. Once you look past the hype of a brand, you may find that their quality is subpar in general or for the price they are asking for.

Dupes

Dupes hurt brands by ripping off their design. The real product- even if secondhand- supports the brand and shows interest. Dupes fuel their creation furtherm and they are often made with awful craftsmanship and materials that will fall apart in a matter of weeks. This is especially important to keep in mind when thinking of smaller brands that are not worldwide conglomerates. It is important to save for the original designers quality work and not perpetuating stolen work.

Preventing damage in means of storing

Many people do not think of the way they store their clothes. Keeping a dust free closet and room is essential to keeping your clothes moth free. Do not skip your closet when cleaning! Mold can grow fast and unexpectedly. For this reason, I would also NEVER store clothes wet or even partially wet/damp. Some clothes should be folded in drawers instead of hung up, and some should be on clips instead of hung by the shoulders, or even folded over a hanger. It is all by preference and the specific needs of your clothes. For example, I would not hang anything that has elastic in the shoulders, as I wouldn't want it to get worn out. Any delicate fabrics like velvet or velour, I wouldn't use clips on, as I wouldn't want the fibres to get damaged from continuous clipping.

Upcycling/DIY

Is there damage that can't be covered? Or something doesn't fit right anymore? Simply don't reach for something? Consider upcycling! If you cant sew, you can always take something to a tailor. You can find that skirts can easily be turned into capelets, dresses can be turned into a two piece set, and so on and so on. This is a great way to get more wear out of your clothes and extend their lifespan.

"Disposables"

Underwear, lingerie, socks, and tights are all seen as "disposables" because of their delicate and state of constant wear. However, they don't have to be! Soak new tights (before wear) in water and place them in the freezer. This helps strengthen the nylon fibres. Wash these in a delicates bag and dry on low. If you have long nails, you can wear gloves when putting tights on, to not snag them.

Finding your style

I want you to forget everything about brands, colour seasons, price tags, and what clothing suits you best. I want you to think exactly of what you like to wear. Before getting into any style, I really like to research it. Gather kind of a moodboard, and note the shared characteristics and traits of each outfit. Do they all feature legwarmers, sailor collars, or a certain colour? Try to see if you can make something similar with what you already own to try it out. If it truly speaks to you, you will know. I tried pastel colours for 5 minutes until I realized it looked ridiculous on me. Jeans aswell. I tried evry flavour of baggy jeans just to realize they just don't look right on me. Whatever speaks to you will speak to you, and whatever is repulsive will be amazingly obvious. One more thing, 'do you love it' and 'would you wear it' are two different questions.

Overconsumption

Are you starting to have so many clothes that you can't possibly wash them all or take care of them? Do you have 15 purses that don't get regular use? It may be time to get rid of some. Try to not buy more than what you need. Clothes are meant to be worn and they're really not doing their job if they are left unworn and just sitting in your closet.

Closet clean out

If you feel disgusted by something in your closet, or you find that you forgot you owned something, it might be time to get rid of it. You can donate, sell, or give away your wardrobe. There are a myriad of selling platforms online that you can use, but I would research peoples experiences with each, and really read their terms of service. For example, I stopped selling on Mercari because they had awful selling fees. You can also donate at Goodwill or even take your stuff to a consignment store. Swapmeets are a great place to sell and trade, aswell! I personally love giving my clothes to other people I know personally to see my clothes live on with someone who will continue to love them more than I did. Not sure about getting rid of something? Put it out of sight for a couple months, and see if you even think of it. If you haven't worn something for a couple years, but its still hanging up, it may be time to get rid of it.

Selling your clothes

Make sure to get clear photos in good lighting, and mention every single piece of damage. Praising the garment in the description can really help convince someone to buy it. Do not participate in price gouging! If something is heavily damaged, and you are selling it for its new retail price, that is not okay. Sometimes you just have to take the loss of money.

Colours

As a general rule of thumb, its good to have a few "main" colours and a couple accent colours. For example, you can have a neutral black and white wardrobe with brown, gold, or red accessories. That ensures that everything you have matches. This is especially helpful when you are just starting out with building a wardrobe, but can be broken once your wardrobe grows more. Maybe you'll find some odd but good colour combinations, like purple and red.

Even more deciding factors when buying

If your own preferences on material, fibres, and quality didn't raise enough questions on whether or not you should buy something, here's some extra questions that will help!
"Am I only buying this because its cheap?"
"Where would I wear this? Will I actually use it?"
"Does this fit in my wardrobe and would it work with pieces I already own? What would I wear this with?"
If the answer is no: "Am I willing to buy more things to match this?"
"Do I really need this?"
"Can I get something similar in better quality/lower price/desired materials elsewhere?"
"Do I own something similar already?"
If damaged: "Is this salvagable enough to fix? Am I prepared to pay the price in time, effort, and money, to do so?"
"Does it look and feel good on me?"

Accessorizing

Accessories make every outfit complete, and can really balance an outfit out! For example, a simple black and white dress with oxfords can work on its own, but with textured tights, a houndstooth jacket, and minimalistic hairclips can really elevate your style. My advice: EXPERIMENT! Play dress up in front of your mirror. Sometimes things won't work as well as you thought they would, or would be much better than you expected! My favourite thing to do is to wear things in an unexpected way. Bracelets as anklelets, detachable trains as overskirts, ties as head coverings.

Proportions

General rule of thumb, covered arms usually do not go with uncovered legs. For example, you can do covered legs with uncovered arms, but it usually wont look right the other way around. For a better example, a square neckline wouldnt look as good with a necklace that reaches down to your torso. It would look much better with a necklace that stops at the collarbones.

Vintage requirements

Some pieces are only meant to be worn with a certain topper or undergarment. For example, many 1950s clothes would only "work" with a bullet bra, or victorian clothing with the correct toppers or undergarments. Some dresses look best with a certainly shaped petticoat, and some skirts can look better with some short, fluffy bloomers.