Back in the day, before thoughts about feathering a retirement nest entered my radar, I spent every spare dime I had on clothes. Utterly impulse driven, I bought indiscriminately, not worrying if anything went with anything else. If Diana Vreeland once famously remarked, “Elegance is refusal,” I never heard it.

So what did all that shopping get me? Nada. Most of the stuff was never worn or barely worn or was just plain hideous. (It was the ’80s.) I learned a very expensive lesson. These days, I’m watching every penny.

Which brings me to the wish list. Sure, you could think of it as a way to cajole gifts out of loved ones, but how about using it as a style development/culling tool? It forces you to slow down and really think about what you want and, more importantly, need. Try to confine your choices to one page so you can look at them all at once. Be ruthless in your questioning. How often will you really wear it? How many other things does it go with? And does it fill a big, gaping hole in your wardrobe?

But who am I to lecture? Let’s start with my wish list (note: I didn’t put jeans on the list because I have enough at the moment, and I’m not really a big trouser person, so I left them out too):

Hmm. Two jackets and two dresses. I’m afraid one of each will have to go. Refusal, remember? Okay, so I’m worried the Catherine Malandrino is a tad trendy (but I love the color), but the Liz Claiborne seems so, I don’t know…librarian. (No offense to my mother, who is one.) However, I think I can do more with it, accessory-wise. Interesting hose or spiky-heeled boots would spice it up. Actually, just about any type of shoe would work with it—pumps, slingbacks, flats…even platform sandals when the weather is warmer. I could paint my toenails some offbeat color, wear a funky bracelet.

The Malandrino, on the other hand, is a tougher nut to diversify. (Says you!) Maybe a black cardigan over it for an office look. (Yesss!) Then add classic pumps, pearl studs. (Uh-huh, you got it.) But that asymmetrical shoulder business. (Oh, God, I love the shoulder business. PLEASE DON’T TOUCH THAT SHOULDER BUSINESS!!!) It’s so memorable. Maybe too memorable. And is the color really me? (Of course it’s you, idiot. And look at your wish list. Do you want to look like a pallbearer the rest of your life?) Oh, boy. This is going to be a battle.

Now full disclosure: I actually bought the Calvin Klein Jeans velveteen jacket and wear it all the time. I didn’t have a decent jacket, only a windbreaker, heavy coats and thin cardigans. I’m generally indifferent to outerwear. Coats and jackets are never on long enough to matter. But I absolutely love my jacket, and it’s filled a big, gaping wardrobe hole. I keep it on my wish list so I can make sure things work with it. But I also love that L.A. Kitty tie-waist jacket, and there’s a color in the plaid that happens to match the Catherine Malandrino dress perfectly. (I’m just sayin’!)

Okay, now I make a mental note: I could use a skirt. A black one would work with all three tops. And all three tops would work with the gray jacket. And the gray jacket would work with the Claiborne dress. And the bag would go with everything, except the hardware is silver, and I wonder if that’d confine me to silver jewelry or if I’m just overthinking it.

I could always let fate decide. Wait for whatever sells out first, then buy the other, but that doesn’t seem very proactive. And isn’t that the point?

And to think, as an employee of MyShape, I don’t get to enter that $500 “win your wish list” contest. Drat! The Malandrino would be mine…