Practical outfit choices with a small wardrobe

I am preparing for a local clothing swap next weekend and hoping to make more deliberate choices this time. The last swap left me with attractive individual items that were surprisingly difficult to combine with my existing clothes. I plan to keep photos of my usual jeans, skirts and jackets on my phone while looking through the options. For organizing the color side, I have been exploring color analysis as a loose guide, while leaving room for a piece that simply works with several things in my wardrobe. Should my checklist name a few colors, or describe a specific missing layer that would improve the outfits I already wear? Fit can be checked at the swap, but indoor lighting makes me hesitant to treat every apparent color match as reliable. What simple rule helps you leave with clothes you will actually wear rather than another collection of interesting separate pieces?