'I have too many clothes, but nothing to wear. Here's the trick I used to shop my wardrobe.'

I have a lot of clothes.

Some might say too many. They might be correct.

And yet, somehow, I also manage to never have anything to wear?? (Figure THAT maths out.)

I have a handful of outfit formulas I tend to stick to — but this translates to me wearing the same looks on rotation e-v-e-r-y day and it's not as cute as I try to tell myself it is. The 'fits themselves are fine — but never deviating from them? Less so.

So I do what any self-respecting person with no self-control has and I buy more.

But what I want — what I really really want — is to make more of the wardrobe I've already got, because I do have some great pieces and frankly, I need to stop shopping because I'm running out of money and space.

Which brings me to... style maths.

Style maths is the art of taking three tops, three bottoms, and three different pairs of shoes, and seeing how many looks you can create, and with the help of Mamamia's fashion team, I've learned to nail this particular styling hack and shop my wardrobe like a pro.

Let's start with the pieces…

Three tops.

A white tank, a cosy grey knit, and a "nice top". Image: Supplied.

I picked up this grey knit jumper from Kmart for like… $25? I think? It was a little while ago now, but I always go to Kmart for simple staples like this. They don't have it in stock anymore, but the All Things Golden The Heavy Knit ($139) is pretty similar.

Next I chose a white Uniqlo Soft Ribbed Tank Top ($14.90). And I know, I know — a white tank isn't exactly the most difficult thing to style, but it IS a wardrobe staple in my books.

Finally, I have this really pretty print cami from Sportgirl, which actually has matching palazzo pants. I literally only ever wear them as a set, so I wanted to throw it in the mix to see how else I could style it. It's an old favourite in my wardrobe, but you can pick up something similar — I like the Camixa CAMI-V linen Camisole Top ($79.90).

Three bottoms.

Wide leg jeans, a corduroy skit and a denim midi. Image: Supplied.

There's a lot of denim in my closet, so I picked my current favourite jeans — Riders By Lee Mid Vintage Wide Leg Jeans ($99) — and a denim midi skirt that I wear far too often. Mine was from Kmart (no surprises there), and while they don't have this exact one in stock anymore, this one is similar (and only $25), or try the Atmos&Here Payton Midi Denim Skirt ($69.99).

I also threw in my Kmart Corduroy Mini Skirt, $9, and am only now realising as I write this how many of my clothes are from Kmart 🫠

Three pairs of shoes.

Finally, the shoes!

I have two pairs of Twoobs The OG+ Platform Sandals ($169) with Thingys, ($29/set of two) — one in 'Down to Earth'. (brown) and one in Piglet (pink), which I grabbed for this maths lesson.

I've had my suede over-the-knee boots for-approximately-EVER, and I couldn't for the life of me tell you what brand they are — I got them on sale from ASOS a million years ago and they are one of the two greastest bargains I've ever nabbed (they were like $100 down from $400). The Betts Ariana Over-the-Knee Dress Boots, $169.99, are similar, though a deeper brown.

And finally, my everyday staple: the white sneaker. Nike Air Force 1 ($170), to be exact. A true classic.

The looks.

Okay so I don't have time to break down every single look that can be created from these nine pieces, so I'm just going to dive into how the tops were styled — but with the addition of some accessories I already had kicking around (a classic brown belt, some fun earrings), I definitely felt like I had a fresh wardrobe after this styling session, no extra purchases required.

The white tank.

The white tank. Image: Supplied.

Look, the fact that a white tank goes with everything isn't ~groundbreaking~ but these are looks I wouldn't necessarily have thought of — especially pairing my OTK boots with jeans and a simple tank.

And the boots + tank + denim midi is now at the top of my "cute date night outfits" list. (Side note: Obsessed with wearing over-the-knee boots with a split midi, perfect trans-seasonal energy for the cooler nights while we wait for summer to arrive).

The grey knit.

The grey knit. Image: Supplied.

Actually, the knit + corduroy skirt + boots is one of my favourite looks ever. I love a chunky knit with a mini skirt, and the OTK boots are always a winner. I would wear this on a cute date or out to a casual dinner with friends (and in fact, I will!).

Look two is a no-brainer — you can always trust a good pair of jeans to go with literally anything! But it's also a refreshing reminder that simple works. You don't have to get fancy or tricksy to look cute: a classic jeans-knit-sneakers look is always a reliable combo.

The cami.

The 'nice top'. Image: Supplied.

I really struggle to imagine outfits. (You know how some people just know things will look good together? I'm not one of them.) And honestly? I would've never paired this cami with this skirt, because I wouldn't have thought these two shades of brown would be… okay together?? But here we are — definitely a look I'd wear again! This was a great reminder for me to try putting together pieces that I don't necessarily think will work!

As for the second look… As a millennial, I was shocked and horrified when it was suggested that I don't tuck the front of the top in when I tried to with my denim midi. But it turns out gen Z might be onto something, because leaving it loose was actually way cuter than I expected. Maybe I don't?? have to do the millennial tuck with every top I put on my body? Idk, I'll need to sit with that one for a bit.

Watch: Style math in action. Post continues below.

So, did style math work for me? I'd say it was a big yes. I not only have a new approach to my wardrobe, but also some new ready-to-wear looks that I haven't tried before. And didn't have to spend a cent.

Feature image: Supplied.