Color choices for everyday clothes

[AmeliaPa]

While clearing out my wardrobe for a move, I keep finding tops that serve almost the same purpose. The difficulty is that each piece looks reasonable alone, yet several colors seem awkward beside my usual trousers. A compact wardrobe appeals to me, provided it allows a few different combinations instead of one repeated outfit. My first step has been comparing clothes I already own, especially combinations that can work without another purchase. I found a page about color analysis and would like to use the idea as a starting point for these comparisons. Dark blue is easy for me to combine, but I am less certain about cream, rust, and muted pink. Would you begin with two reliable neutral colors, or first identify an accent that works with several existing pieces? I sometimes blame the shade when the real problem might be the fit, and would like to distinguish those issues. For anyone who has made a smaller wardrobe work, what test helped you choose the pieces worth keeping?