Issue 54. Can you shop intuitively with a wish list? (Part 1)

Answering a reader’s question, and sharing how I identify high-value purchases

A lovely reader just asked me a great question about using a wish list:

As you focus a lot on intuitive style and shopping, I'm curious if you use a wishlist or do you mostly rely on your intuition? I'm struggling a bit with using a wishlist and wondering if just relying on my intuition would better.

First of all, thank you for asking! I love getting questions like this—feel free to message me anytime!

I do use a wish list, and I use my intuition to populate it! Here’s how:

Start by distinguishing if a prospective purchase is a Need or a Want.

Needs = things we observe are missing, the items we reach for in the morning but don't have. For example, when it’s cold and rainy, we may reach for a cozy jumper but not have one. These items are probably not from a specific brand, they’re a concept. Needs can also be replacements for things that we wore a ton (recently) and can't be worn anymore due to size or item quality. At the core, needs are the things that make getting dressed easier, that address the root challenge you may be experiencing. More on that in a bit.