At this time of year we indulge too much. In the new year the pendulum swings the other way and we promise we’ll read more, drink less, master the art of Argentine grilling and all the rest. Well let’s get a head start and think clearly about sartorial matters and arrange our wardrobe for a good year. It takes a certain amount of foresight, discipline and honesty. But together I think we can do it.

1/ Know What You Wear. I have a weakness for lovely printed ties. I admire them, sometimes I buy them, but I rarely wear them. Why do I do this? It makes no sense! They’re so gorgeous, I can imagine how nicely they’ll look with a grey flannel suit. And yet I choose a solid knit or woven tie every time. The lesson is not that it’s boring. The lesson is to focus on what you actually wear and aim your acquisition budget on that.

2/ Narrow Your Options. This is related to resolution number one. Now it’s common for a loved one to helpfully ask, Don’t you have a brown knit tie already? You sigh wistfully before patiently pointing out that this brown tie is more of a deep chocolate while the other has a hint of rust and is much wider, and we haven’t got all day to discuss these nuances! The point is to embrace what you like—naturally they’re related. It’s perfectly fine to have a stack of chambray shirts or a row of suede loafers, if that’s what you live in.

3/ Forget Being Interesting. Sometimes we’re struck by a different way of doing things, usually while traveling abroad. Under the romance of the old country we imagine adopting the Tyrolean style when we return home. Bad idea. If it involves a local hat then even worse idea. Everything I have that I don’t wear involves experimentation that’s on leap too far from my comfort zone. Now sometimes we inch toward a more daring option—otherwise we would never wear seersucker, white bucks or madras. But go step by step, lads, no sudden lurches.

4/ Interesting Accessories Impress. Now despite number three, sometimes you do need more verve. That’s why they invented the scarf. An interesting thing about subdued clothes, they make a dashing scarf look that much more dashing, and the contrast can suit you well. If you find a silk scarf that’s speaking to you then listen.

5/ Make Wise Tradeoffs. We talk so much about buying less and buying better that it’s almost lost its impact. But I really believe a great pair of shoes you wear every day, from Crockett or Alden is worth it. Yes, that’s $600. But that $600 is so much better spent than a stack of shirts on sale and other impulse acquisitions. Which is related to the next point.

6/ Beware Sales. If you’ve been lurking on the RRL site and finally your favorite shirt goes on sale then great, it’s time to pounce, like a hungry mountain lion. But if you’re in the deep end of a Mr. Porter sale your judgment can’t really be trusted. You end up convincing yourself something is worth it just because it’s marked down, sometimes way down. You don’t want to hear yourself saying 70% off they’re practically giving it away! Don’t focus on the money you’re supposedly saving. Focus on what you’re actually spending on something you didn’t know existed five minutes before. There was a reason you didn’t know you needed it. You don’t need it!

7/ Take a Formal Inventory. You don’t need a lot of dress shirts but you do need a good one. Likewise dress shoes. You don’t want to fear getting ready for a nice event. Break out the whole ensemble and give it a test drive. Does the suit still fit? Shirt still comfortable? Everything look good together? In 2024, let’s make sure it does.

8/ Breathe New Life. Everything in your wardrobe should be ready to go. Sew on buttons. Patch holes. Re-sole shoes. Address stains. Get the professionals involved. If that’s not worth it then it’s time to say goodbye.

9/ Learn Your Measurements. I buy shirts on eBay and since sizing is so variable, even within a given brand, like Polo or Barbour, it’s good to know what fits before getting emotionally and financially involved. You don’t even have to know your measurements, it’s just good to know the (ahem) pit to pit size of shirts you like.

10/ Embrace Simple Alterations. If you are doing something complicated on a suit then you require a tailor. But if you’re shortening sleeves on a military shirt or just hemming chinos then go to your trusted dry cleaner. This makes the eBay game much more fun.

11/ More eBay Enlightenment. I find the eBay suggestions very helpful. I try to be specific about what I’m looking for, say Ralph Lauren Polo Chambray Shirt. Then I choose a color, a price range, maybe a few sizes. When I click a shirt that I like the suggested options are usually really good. I’ll look at those and try to help build a useful algorithm and eBay obliges. I’m always on the lookout for Wallace & Barnes, Ralph Lauren Purple Label shirts (sports shirts not the dress shirts with stiff collars), any sort of chinos and field jackets. Also: solid color LL Bean totes, the Abercrombie & Fitch Safari collection from the 1970s and whatever comes up when you type in ORVIS CANVAS VINTAGE.

12/ Commit to Favorites. If you’ve settled on an ideal Oxford cloth button down, then buy as many as you can afford. If you love a pair of chinos, then be proactive and don’t wait to get a backup. It’s perfectly logical, and probably inevitable, that your wardrobe will end up having many examples of fewer things.

13/ Divesting Discipline. The flip side to the previous rule. You will never wear your fourth favorite version of something. Why would you? You have three options you prefer. So give it away. You might think that a rare occasion will come along when the weather will be cold and you’ll be at exactly the right lodge for this sweater to make sense. Spoiler alert: That day will never come.

14/ Aim High. Sometimes we want something that feels a little indulgent. I love Belgian Shoes, but we can all agree that they’re a bit frivolous. That’s part of their appeal. Maybe you see a lovely overcoat and decide that you will never reach your full potential of charisma and swagger without it. If there’s something you really want this year then aim for it. Focus your attention on that. Forgo lesser things. It will certainly be worth it. In all likelihood you’ll never go back to the old way.