I am looking for clothing advice for 3-seasons in Colorado. I keep looking in the F/S sections of various websites and I find items that I like, but never pull the trigger because I just cannot make up my mind if they are items that I will actually need. I don't want to spend a lot of money on clothes that will just sit in my closet-- so I am looking for help on a definitive list, or at least some possible suggestions for purchases that would suit my three-season needs.

I have a standard Marmot fleece and a Marmot windproof softshell, which I am satisfied with for mid-layer insulation. My fear is that the fleece could be a little bulky, so just out of curiosity, are there any relatively affordable alternatives?

For base-layer tops I was considering the MTS crew, Capilene 1 or 2-- are any of these adequate enough for my needs? Too light, not heavy enough? Any other alternatives, suggestions or combinations?

For a rain jacket I was just going to opt for either a Marmot Precip or REI's Taku, the latter of which was offered to me for around the same price as the Precip. I'm looking for advice on what to go for?

I am also looking for advice on outerlayer pants. If you was only purchasing one pair for three seasons in Colorado, would you go for a pair of rain pants like the Marmot Precip or REI Ultra Light Pants, or would you go for some quick drying pants like the REI Saharas?

I am really just looking for some guidance on what to buy or items to consider. Thank you in advance for your time.