Q&A | How I decide if I need a new clothing item
Hello from the winter wonderland that is the eastern side of the U.S. right now!
We weathered the storm just fine, and I am super delighted to report that we never lost power. I think this is at least partly due to the fact that this storm brought really dry snow, which didn't cling to anything but evergreen trees.
Less snow on trees = less weight on trees = less breakage.
That's actually a pretty tall split rail fence...the bottom rail is just hidden by all the snow.
So, yay! I did make chicken noodle soup the day before the storm, thinking that I could heat it in the crock pot, which we could run off of the generator. But we got to heat it up on the stove! In a warm house!
All was well.
For today's edition of Q&A, we have a question from a reader who's having trouble minimizing her wardrobe.
Hi! I desperately need help maintaining a minimalist wardrobe, partly based on need and partly based on wanting less laundry. 😉 How do you decide if you need an article of clothing? I find myself thinking I "need" a new shirt because I don't have one like it, or I have one like it and I really like it, or it's too good of a deal to pass up... basically, I have no rules and it turns into not having a minimalist wardrobe. At. All. I know everyone has different needs for their wardrobe, but could you share how you decide whether or not to add another article of clothing?
Thanks!
Jen
I'm sort of a quasi-minimalist when it comes to clothing. I don't have a stuffed closet, but I'm also not getting by with 10 items or anything like that. I do have a small enough wardrobe that both seasons fit into one dresser and one side of a regular American closet (not a walk-in!), though.
When it comes to clothing, my decision-making process comes down (as it so often does) to one question:
How much can I regularly and thoroughly use?
This question is useful in all sorts of scenarios (kitchen equipment, sports gear, house size), and I think it works pretty well for clothing too.
Basically, I want to own the amount of clothing that I will regularly use.
If I have too much, I end up only wearing a small portion of it, and it's just taking up extra space in my house.
So, when I'm shopping, I ask myself if the item is something that I will wear regularly, and if the answer is no, I don't buy it, no matter how great of a deal it is.
The amount of clothing a person can regularly use will vary greatly, which means the amount that works for me might be all kinds of wrong for you. And that's why I like using this questions rather than following rules, like a prescribed number of items...it's super flexible.
(Note: I do also think about things like item quality, whether the color is good for me, and so on, but really, all of those questions are sort of sub-questions to the one above. I will wear something regularly if it's a good color, it's made well, it's practical, it fits me properly, etc.)
Answering that main question should help you on the shopping end of things, but I'm guessing you probably also want to do some minimizing of your current clothing collection.
When it comes to paring down what you already own, you can certainly look through your closet and cull the items you know you haven't worn/won't wear.
But beyond that, I've found it helpful to go a step further and do a test. I pile one category of clothing (say, winter shirts) on top of my dresser and select items from the pile each day when I get dressed.
Once an item is worn, I launder it and put it back in the drawer. At the end of a month or so, I figure that whatever is left on top of the dresser isn't all that necessary, and I donate it (unless there's an extenuating circumstance...like a shirt I wear in the snow, but it hadn't snowed that month.)
I know people turn their hangers backwards in their closet at the beginning of a season for the same reason. All the hung items that are still backwards at the end of the season get donated.
So, maybe give something like that a try as you clean out your current wardrobe, and then as you shop in the future, give some hard thought to whether or not you can really use a new item to its fullest potential.
Hopefully the combo of those two tactics will help you end up with a wardrobe that is right-sized for you!
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Readers, weigh in! What's your process for deciding whether or not you need a new clothing item?
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P.S. "How much stuff should you own? The answer is simpler than you think." talks more about this "How much can I really use?" question.
P.P.S. Joshua and I have week two of our 52 project up on the photo blog. It's landscapes this week, another weak area of mine, so I did kind of cheat (apparently landscapes are, technically, shot from a wide angle. Whoops.)
I like this concept too, rather than having a set number. I have a small wardrobe (not sure of the number of items), but everything is used on a regular basis. Like you, if something is not being used or I no longer care for the item, I donate it.
Oops! I guess I really didn't answer your question. I usually purchase items at the beginning of spring/summer and fall/winter. Since I have a small wardrobe, a few of my items are too worn to be carried over for another season. I look more for replacement items such as a new skirt, if one is too worn to wear, rather than purchasing a new skirt because I don't have one in a particular style.
When something wears out, or if needs change--new job, move from climate area--it is time to replace. Occasionally there is a visible or felt gap--such as attending a fancy wedding in summer and having nothing appropriate. Otherwise, once you have a number of items that fit well into your dresser/closet and lifestyle, the challenge is not to shop unless you want bulging storage and a confusingly large wardrobe partially unworn.
If you already have that overly large wardrobe, give away what you don't use. I don't think you need any clever tricks to figure out which items they are. Many can use those items; charity feels good! And a smaller, useful closet of clothes is so much easier for you.
Totally off topic, but do you have a rolling pin you recommend. I have a nice old one but I am thinking about getting a French style (too much Great British baking Show watching).
Thanks
I'm a professional baker, I recommend that you spend your money on the extra large ones used in bakeries. the extra length and weight make rolling a breeze. One problem, they are too big to fit in a kitchen drawer so storage might be an issue.
See if you can try different styles. I bought a French style one and my Mom thinks I'm crazy because she's always only ever used the classic ones with handles you hold steady. But I love mine! (It's also made in Australia of Tasmanian wood by the son of someone I got to know at a conference. How cool is that?)
Joy the Baker semi-recently profiled all the rolling pin options - here's the link http://joythebaker.com/2015/12/which-rolling-pin-is-best/
Very handy!
Thanks for sharing the link! I just have a cheapie wooden rolling pin that is nothing special, so I'm not a good resource for this.
I've decided that I will have a "signature color"- in my case it's black. It's what I wear anyway even if I have brightly colored things. It makes buying easier (for me) but doesn't limit my items. But I pretty much live in my jeans (not black, I should admit) and my yoga pants so I don't really buy much.
It took me several years to arrive at a small enough wardrobe. Doing KonMari helped a lot. The most important thing for me know is understanding my needs, and only buying what I need, rather than being distracted by a bargain (which I still find really hard at times) or my "wants".
One in, one out is a good rule once you have arrived at a place where you are content with the size of your wardrobe.
I like the KonMari method of purging and sorting and storing. She is at her best with her storage tips. However, she completely sidesteps the issues of spending and the Japanese (and American) obsession with shopping. I think that "sparking joy" is not going to happen with some basics that are worn every day and stretch one's wardrobe through extreme seasons: long underwear and skinny T-shirts/turtlenecks that turn mild weather clothes into winter outfits.
Something that I haven't seen mentioned thus far is to not shop! If you feel like you have enough (or too much) clothing, then stop shopping. Find something else to do for entertainment. 🙂
Personally, I don't have a set number of clothes (like the 10-item wardrobe) but I do laundry about once a week. If I can go for that long, then I feel like I have enough clothes. Right now, I have one pair of jeans and they are getting holes in them (not in cool places 😉 ). So I need to replace those. I popped into a thrift store to see if I could get a pair of jeans and only looked at/tried on jeans. (I didn't find any that day, so I have to keep looking. However, my 6-year old daughter ended up with two dresses and a pair of flip flops. LOL)
Glad the storm left you unscathed! This link http://bit.ly/1RItOxK is to a project dedicated to buying nothing new. I was basically doing this since I semi-retired 3 years ago. I know it is more challenging for those who work outside the home and those with large families but aiming to buy nothing new has helped me tremendously!
These are great tips. I, personally, only have 33 items in my wardrobe (including shoes, hats, accessories and coats). It keeps things really easy when it comes to getting dressed. For me, though, when it comes to buying new items I make sure I have nothing like it, it is something of very good quality (so it will last a long time), and it is something I can wear with 5 outfits. If it fits those categories then it comes down to whether or not I have enough cash to pay for it. If I don't have cash on hand then it doesn't come home with me 🙂 No cards for this gal!
My family moves frequently which complicates the issue. We have a great supply of outdoor winter gear from Alaska that we don't need in our current home, but we could move back to Alaska, and it would be a tremendous waste to discard expensive items in good condition still. Additionally, we are adding children to our family so I feel like I need a wardrobe for pregnancy and post-pregnancy in addition to my normal size. I don't like how many clothes I own, but I feel like it is more expensive to Declutter and buy again every time there is a change.
This is so true. Minimalism needs to be balanced with frugality.
Having very little is easy if you can (or choose to) afford to buy what you need, when you need it instead of waiting for a good price or using what you've kept. The Tightwad Gazette family had, literally, a barn full of potentially usable junk, gathered when it was free.
I think that's why there's no single good answer for everyone, and one of the benefits of the frugality journey is knowing what your plans and your needs are. I'm childfree and have a job that requires serious businesswear. My needs would be very different if I farmed, or hoped to have several children, or had a medical condition that caused major fluctuations in weight (e.g. requiring intermittent steroids).
I think these are great ideas. I paired down my wardrobe after my first pregnancy. By the end I could fit in a total of three outfits. I realized how much easier it was to live with fewer choices, but it took me having the experience to figure it out. I wouldn't recommend having a baby for that reason alone. 🙂
I would caution the reader that fewer clothes don't mean less laundry. I guess I avoid having piles of laundry at a time, but I do a load of laundry every single day for our family of five. There are ALWAYS clothes to put away in this house.
I would echo one of the comments above that talks about laundry. The number of outfits you wear in a week is not going to change with a smaller choice. In fact you may have to do laundry more often if you have fewer clothes; it will just mean your loads will be smaller 🙂
One way to actually do less laundry, though, is to re-wear whatever items you can. For instance, I don't wash my work trousers every time I wear them, because I work short hours and they don't really get dirty. I launder them once a week or less (unless I spill something on them). Hanging them up as soon as I return home allows the creases to fall out. And if I feel I want to freshen them up, I put them in the clothes dryer for 5-10 minutes with a damp facecloth; it kind of steams them. Or iron them with a pressing cloth. Yes, both of those use electricity, but not as much as a full wash/dry/iron. The same thing applies to jeans and sweaters - if they're not worn next to your body, chances are that they can be worn several times before needing to be laundered.
Good luck with your paring down process! And just know that it can be hard at first, but as you practice, it gets easier!
Oops, meant to post at the bottom! I was referring to Amanda's comment, of course 🙂
I think one big difference is that you can only get so behind on laundry. I can't possibly be 20 loads of laundry behind because we don't own enough clothes to make 20 loads, you know?
So, a smaller wardrobe forces you to stay caught up on laundry.
I keep a small in ventory. But I don't have a rule about how many items. I would say I function well with 3-4 pairs of pants, 8-10 shirts, 2 pj, workout clothes (2 change at least) and underwears-bra-socks. I use my clothes until they start fading or get damaged, and then I look for new-to-me (used) clothes once in a while, when I need something. It's fluid for me. We do laundry about once a week, so I need to have enough for the week.
Same for my girls. They have a lot (!!!) of clothes so I'm trying to slowly bring this down as they are outgrowing the clothes. My husband is a clothes hoarder! He has sooooo much, it's crazy.
Using your wardrobe is kind of like meal-planning when it comes to making a menu and using what you have in your closets and cupboards to the fullest. If I plan ahead what to wear the following week and take the time to iron a few shirts, I rotate through my clothes more efficiently. Otherwise, I just throw on an old t shirt and wear the same clothes over and over. I work from home, so it's easy to fall into a rut of not caring what I wear. If I were to get rid of all my better shirts that I wear less often, I would end up with a handful of old, worn shirts that I wouldn't want to wear in public 🙂 Clearly, I should replace these more often! I do have (mostly bought from consignment) dress clothes that I need for the office, and some dressier shirts that require ironing for social occasions. If I discover that I no longer feel good in a piece of clothing, then I decide to get rid of it, but I have a harder time getting rid of those old comfy t shirts...
Maintaining a small wardrobe takes planning and thought, especially if you work in an office setting. I think it really helps to limit your color palette and think about how many potential outfits you can create so you don't feel bored and can still present a professional appearance. I used to worry that people would comment on me wearing the same items over and over but one day I did a simple exercise where I tried to remember what my coworkers had worn yesterday, the day before yesterday, etc, and I realized I couldn't remember what anyone wore unless it was extremely distinctive. My current wardrobe has gray, black, and navy for neutrals and jewel tone blues and purples as my colors since these shades make me feel my best. There is also a particular silhouette I like best on myself so that also helps limit the pieces I buy. A little self knowledge really goes a long way, but I admit it took me years to get to this point. These days I log every clothing item I buy, the price, the store, and what I donate/discard. This really gives me a sense of what is working/not working and why. Since I'm at a point where I don't buy that much, this isn't as tedious as it sounds and the process of logging will let you know whether you might have impulse buying issues! And of course it helps me stick to my budget. 🙂
After I had some surgery, I only had one pair of pants that wouldn't bother my new scars, so that's what I wore almost exclusively for a month. No one in my office noticed. This led me to realize that we need far fewer clothes than we think. My wardrobe is still bigger than it needs to be, but I am working on it. My next task is to tackle my closet.
I live in an area where we have four distinct seasons. IMHO, that leads to a bigger wardrobe.
Especially when it comes to bottoms, I think that holds true. One pair of jeans/pants isn't usually CRAZY different from another, you know?
We definitely have four seasons here too, from swimsuits to snowpants.
You definitely need a bigger wardrobe if you live somewhere with seasons. I'm in Southern California, and my winter wardrobe is basically my summer wardrobe with a cardigan over it. I do have waaaay too many cardigans though!
For sure those with 4 seasons have more clothes unless you can wear summer clothes all winter (my son wears shorts a lot in winter). Also throw in menopause and it turns to 5 seasons. Ha! With menopause I wear spring clothes all the time and wear a jacket that goes on and off about 5 million times per day. I am hot..cold..hot..cold. Very annoying! 🙂
In a couple of years if this continues I will get rid of all my sweaters which I can no longer wear.
I did the log for a year and was appalled at how much I spend and then compensate for by donating.
You're my twin. My small wardrobe is also gray, black and navy. My accent color is red. Shoes are black, navy and sneakers. I do wear jeans. Jewelry is silver. Nobody notices or cares and everything coordinates. I call it garanimals for adults.
Paring down my wardrobe is one of my goals this year. I have a few distinct categories of clothing: 1.) Day job 2.) Casual comfort/work clothes 3.) Farm clothes Luckily, my day job and casual clothes can be combined most of the time because I can wear jeans to work (yay!). I also am a huge fan of wearing the same thing several different ways. I have 5 or 6 cardigans that can be pairs with basically any under shirt. Wearing a different shirt with a different cardigan and maybe adding a scarf can drastically change the way you looked when you wore that same shirt with a different cardigan...versatility!
I just got my Mighty Fix bottle and I LOOOVEE it! I dropped it this morning on the pavement and was delightfully surprised when it didn't break!
I agree with not shopping for a while, if you feel you have too much already. Just wear what you have for a year (or 6 months, 18 months, whatever you decide), notice what you aren't wearing & get rid of it, and make note of any gaps that you really need to fill & at the end of the year (or 6 months or whatever), if you still feel you need those items, look for a good value (good quality, decent price) and buy those things only.
Well, we moved from Indiana to Nevada and back to Ohio in eleven months, so my wardrobe shrank from sheer necessity, but I will never go back to the old days. I do laundry once a week, and if it goes two cycles of laundry without being worn, it goes in the donation pile. This doesn't apply to special occasion clothes like a dress for summer weddings, a black skirt I keep on hand for winter weddings and year round funerals, and I don't count out of season clothes.
I stay home with my kids so my wardrobe is all jeans and casual shirts,
I am so bad in this particular area.I only have a couple pair of jeans, a few sweaters, 2 or 3 pullover shirts, about 5 pair of panties, 2 bras, 2 scarfs, several pairs of socks, 3 pair of shoes for winter with 2 pair of sandals/flipflops for summer, and 3 jackets/coats. I just don't have a lot and it really doesn't bother me. If I want to look a little dressier I usually just add some jewelry, wear makeup, and fix my hair instead of the usual messy bun on top of my head. I do take off my better clothes as soon as I get home to maximize the wear out of them.The process for deciding when to get something new is it has to be something I will get lots of use out of so it can't be "on trend". I usually stick to basic styles that are made well and won't go out of style. I mostly don't buy new until my stuff is worn out. To be honest, this is a difficult topic for me because I rarely by myself anything to wear so I am struggling to come up with a process.
Kristen, what about when you take vacations or something? How will you have enough extra clothes to pack? That's my dilemma.
Val,
My family of 4 takes quite a few longer vacations and I struggled with this and always packed way too much stuff. Now, if my trip is longer than 1 week or so, I plan on spending an hour at the laundromat at some point in my vacation. I usually plan this around having a "picnic" lunch while we wait so it doesn't fell like I'm stuck wasting time.
It has made my life (and packing all those little people clothes) a lot easier.
Sara
Luckily for me, we've always vacationed in condos, so we've been able to do laundry while on our trips. This is a lifesaver with 6 people!
I do have enough clothes to last me for a week, though, especially if I wore my jeans for two days a pair.
Loathe as I am to disagree with FG, I don't think that putting unused clothes in view and used clothes away is the best idea. That makes the unused clothes more obvious and therefore more likely to be used. The backwards-hanger (or turned around folded clothes) strikes me as a more "fair" test.
My clothing goal is to have few enough so that I don't need to seasonally rotate and many enough so that I don't have to shop often. So I have a dozen suits (good quality and good for a decade) but 3 dozen pair underwear (identical, natch).
Hmm...well, what would you do with your clothes in the dresser, then? Most of my shirts live in my dresser drawers. 🙂
I've done this several times before, and interestingly enough, there are still always plenty of clothes left on top of the dresser at the end of the experiment. Even with them being more handy, I will still tend to wear what I want to wear, even if I have to open a drawer to access it.
I have a tiny wardrobe and am aware of everything I own. So even if my blue shirt were in the chimney, I'd intentionally go for it. Kristen's method would work for me.
Maybe do it the other way around? If you wear it, put it on the dresser. Or turn the folded clothes so that the fold is one direction (say, to the back) and if you wear it, put the fold in a different direction.
Oh, here's another idea: use a cloth napkin or clean rag to mark the top of the stack of clothes. When you wear something, put it on top of the rag. After a while, the clothes you wear will be on top, the ones you don't will be under it.
I keep trying to pare down my wardrobe and will purge, only to find myself a few days later staring at a closet with things that that don't go with each other. I need to coordinate my wardrobe much better, which might lead to more purchases, which means I will have to do yet more purging -- it's a tiresome cycle. I also work outside the home, and I have to dress reasonably well at work, so those work clothes aren't usable to clean house and hang out in. Add in church clothes, the occasional funeral and wedding (we had six weddings to attend in the last 18 months!), and some seasonal clothes (it can get in cold in North Florida) and I have more clothes than I can easily fit in my closet. I hate that.
I thought this too when I did a big downsize of my clothes. I did a modified KonMari. I only kept the clothes that sparked joy. Then I decided I would only keep the colors that I look really good in. As a fair skinned brunette that meant red, white, blue, black, grey, pink and green. No purples, no oranges, no yellows, no browns. While some shades of the latter colors look ok on me it was more hit and miss. I found by paring down and keeping neutral bottoms (navy, grey and black) most of my wardrobe just goes together. I did the same color treatment for the most part to my scarves. My jewelry I kept very colorful as it will be the counter point for my wardrobe colors. I did keep a pair of brown shoes to go with the navy pants and brown jewelry. I thought it would be nice counterpoint to a cream/white top and navy/denim bottoms. It is more casual than black but still chic. Hope this helps.
Glad you had a "good" storm experience. Bet the kids have had fun in all that white stuff.
I love clothing too much to ever be truly "minimalist" ... but having said that, and assuming you are not talking about coats/boots, etc., I would say:
Bottoms:
2-3 pairs jeans
1 pair any-season dress pants in a neutral color like black or navy, at a good length for a small heel
2-3 pairs shorts or capris
1 any-season skirt (black knee-length is classic)
1 pair black leggings (optional)
Tops:
3-4 long-sleeve t-shirts
3-4 short sleeve t-shirts
1-2 dressier shirts
3-4 warm sweater and/or fleece tops (if you live in a cold climate)
1 classically-styled cardigan in a neutral color (tan or black works well)
Possibly a classically-styled blazer
A classic A-line or sheath style dress which you can wear under the cardigan or blazer
Exercise (if applicable):
2 pairs bottoms of your choice
2 shirts (you may be able to get away with your t-shirts)
Footwear:
Good quality tennis shoes
1 pair of all-season classic dressy shoes (black pumps)
1 pair sandals/flip flops
I really love the Skechers GoWalk shoes--casual but look nicer than tennis shoes, comfortable, and there are many styles which can be worn in a variety of seasons--this would be optional
Accessories:
1 shorter necklace
1 longer necklace
1 scarf
Unmentionables:
5+ pairs underwear
2-3 bras
Depending on your body type, it may be a good investment to purchase a smoothing undergarment--camisoles, slips, long panties--these can make a world of difference in how your clothing looks on you.
1-2 belts--I have belts (purchased from Target) where the buckle can be switched from the black side to the brown side, which gives me 2 belts in one--since I don't wear them often, this works well for me.
Keeping the "big" pieces in similar neutral colors (bottoms and cardigan/blazer) will allow you to coordinate your tops and accessories. I save patterns for tops and scarves. It's less expensive to update my wardrobe if I stay with classically-styled bottoms--I can pair a trendier top with them.
I try to shop off-season to save money, especially if I want to buy something trendy that will only last a couple of seasons. This is easier than it sounds--winter clothes typically start being clearanced in January, and summer clothing, in July (after the 4th of July holiday). That being said, I would recommend spending the money to buy quality items on dress pants/skirt/possibly jeans, as these typically seem to be more vulnerable to heavy wear. You may also find that spending a bit more money results in a better fit--it is less tempting to buy more clothing if you feel that what you own looks and feels good on you.
Can they really be called unmentionables since you mentioned them, lol. Sorry, I am corny and thought that was funny!
Yes, you can laugh at "unmentionables"--it was tongue-in-cheek humor for me. 🙂
That is a good way to decide if you really need something or not. I struggle with that sometimes.
I'm glad that you didn't louse power from the storm. I'm in Rochester, New York, so it totally skipped right over us. It wasn't bad!
Over the years I've found having less clothes helps me better keep them organized (i.e., actually put them away after washing rather than leaving them in baskets). I could never be a true clothes minimalist, though - living in a state with 4 distinct seasons (sometimes all four happening within weeks of each other!) and needing a professional wardrobe and a casual wardrobe means fun challenges like the Project 333 are out for me. So, I just try to keep the amount of clothes small and manageable and simply full of the things I truly love and will wear regularly.
Love this post! I like to keep a small wardrobe as well, but I think being able to do so really means a paradigm shift about the way we think about clothes. FG, I think you read Overdressed: The shockingly high cost of cheap fashion. After I read this, I really didn't want disposable stuff anymore. I decided to just keep a few pieces that I want to wear for years. So, if I don't absolutely love it and want to wear it all the time, I don't buy it, or I don't keep it.
Thank you for this comment. When we look at the "cost" of our goods, we forget to factor in human misery and environmental destruction. I "splurged" this year on a bespoke floor-length kilt woven in my family tartan, also custom woven my an artisan in Scotland. I am sure they made this object with joy as they were paid directly for it.
I find I have way too many clothes, but hate to part with them for the "just in case" factor, but I know they take up so much space. I would love to just give loads of clothes away, but then I think "will I have any clothes left." Haha.
I love the idea of turning the hangers backwards. I heard that somewhere else, but just haven't tried it. It seems simple enough though and I don't have a big closet, so I have to switch out clothes every season. This would really help me to visually see how much I am truly wearing. We all gravitate to comfy clothes anyway. It is time to donate and let others be blessed. 🙂
Thanks for the post! I enjoy reading them.
Capsule wardrobe is the term for what everyone is describing above. I love my capsule wardrobe. It's full of clothes I love to wear and nothing that I'm just "ok" with. It's one of the "rules" of a capsule wardrobe. Here's a link to a blog where she even has worksheets to work through your style and what clothes you should include in your wardrobe. http://www.un-fancy.com/category/capsule-wardrobe-101/
It's important not to pare back your wardrobe without trying everything on - you need to make sure that what you're left with makes usable outfits. Once you've done this, only shop with a specific item in mind, such as a neutral long-sleeves v-neck sweater (and don't buy until you've found it).
I have two pairs of jeans (one skinny, one boot cut), two neutral casual skirts and two neutral work-worthy skirts, two neutral cardigans (navy and black), 10 bright tank tops or t-shirts that get me through spring/summer; two work-worthy dresses for each season (for a total of six - some work multi-season) that can be dressed up or down, five cozy but stylish sweaters for winter work days, five undertanks in bright colours for layering, and five long-sleeved knit tops that get me through spring and fall.
Add one funky blazer for interviews, a designer LBD for formal cocktail events, three pairs of brightly coloured ballet flats, a few scarves, a great leather jacket, and two pairs of neutral ankle boots and I'm set for the year.
Pick one or two neutrals as your base (mine are black and navy), plus a handful of complementary colours (so I wear shades of purple, pink, blue and green) so that you can mix and match your outfits. Also don't be afraid to pick bold colours for your anchor pieces like shoes and scarves - I have a pair of neon pink ballt flats which rather unexpectedly work with huge swathes of my wardrobe (which is not always pink!)
In the past I have kept Numerous closets full. After losing everything in a fire, I have found a way to not fall back into that pattern of buying.When I find something I think I really want,I ask myself if I had to quickly evacuate from a hurricane is this something I would consider putting in my car to take off with. Big difference.
Clothes are a great source of stress for me. I hate trying on clothes. Luckily, my sister in law brings me clothes. I just wear things till they fall apart.
I have a lot of clothes even though for the last year I v bought very little only white shirts for work and yoga pants for home & gym..If I havnt worn something in a long time and it does nothing for me I donate it, somebody else will get wear out of it. Before buying a house -pre mortgage and having a baby I really loved clothes & fashion..as a result I have plenty of everything. But I definitely think twice now before I buy and use everything that I have as much as much as I can.
It's generally pretty obvious when I need a new item (or items, since I shop so infrequently). The old one has worn out or doesn't fit or I just don't have the needed item to wear when I need it because it's in the wash (so I need another) or I have a bunch of complementary items that aren't worn because they need the missing piece (ex. black pants). I shop when I have a hole in my wardrobe that needs filling.
Shopping with that method is a great way to keep the items of clothing under control. The problem is that if you're trying to save money by shopping clearances or thrift stores or yard sales, you sometimes are having to shop a little ahead of need, you know? Then it's a little trickier to get it exactly right.
But yeah...not shopping is super helpful for keeping wardrobe clutter down. You can't buy too much when you're not shopping!
I wear three pairs of pants, six shirts each for summer or winter, five hoodies/blazers, and a pile of scarves. It amazes me how changing my scarf can make the outfit I'm wearing today look different from the outfit I wore yesterday even when it is the same shirt and pants. Yes, I will wear a shirt two days in a row if I didn't spill on it or sweat in it. Plus, if I did spill on it, I might spot clean it and wear it again. Airing and spot cleaning used to be a common thing to do to keep from wearing out your clothes by washing them too often.
I love your system, Kristen. I am totally NOT into counting things, and there are just sooo many lifestyle variables (weather, jobs, etc.) My general rule is that if I'm regularly running out of something before I have dirtied enough things to make a reasonably sized load of laundry, then I need more of that item.
I've had to re-assess this one. First, I lost weight and I'm still getting used to my new body. I've altered what I can, but some items needed so many alterations it wasn't worth the effort or expense. Buying new, well-fitting clothes has been a great opportunity to consciously plan my wardrobe and what I truly need.
Also, due to a chronic medical condition I'm really losing sensitivity and fine motor skills in my hands. I'm buying front-closure bras and making some other adjustments for the sake of not starting each day feeling frustrated and incompetent by not being able to get dressed.
Congrats on the weight loss! But I'm so sorry about the medical condition.
Whoa, I am so on the opposite side of the spectrum! I have a lot of closet space, and a wide variety of clothing inside. I grew up wearing school uniforms, so I did the minimalist thing until I got my first career job. In retirement, I thought I'd need fewer clothes, but so far that hasn't been the case. I don't shop often, but when I do, I tend to stock up. I buy a mixture of new and used. My weight is fairly constant and I take good care of my things, so they seem to last*. I don't have any words of wisdom to offer. I'm okay with being an outlier on this subject. Just chiming in to represent the "other side".
*I was surprised to realize the other day that I still wear two pair of black tights and two pair of long black leggings that I bought at Nordstrom when I worked there in the 90's. Wow!
I enjoyed your comment as well as all the rest. I just wanted to say how jealous I am of you with your large closet! We have 3 adults and 2 teens in a 1200 sf house and my husband and I share one 5' wide closet and we each have a freestanding storage unit about 14" X 4' tall. I swap my winter and summer wardrobes so what I own for each season must fit in two totes. Lucky you!
How do I decide whether or not I need a new clothing item? I shop with a toddler. Is it worth the effort and potential store meltdown to browse, find something, and maybe even try it on? If it is, then I most likely need it. 🙂
I am really struggling with this one as well. A year ago we moved from Michigan to Southern Texas. Big climate change. We also moved from a full-size house, each having a full-size dresser to an RV. We share a small closet and I have 4 very small drawers. I keep two full space saver bags with addition clothing under the bed. There just is not a lot of room. When we first downsized I did really well with pairing down my clothing but over the year I have accumulated more. I need to take another hard look at what I have because I am overflowing and it can be overwhelming.
I could never limit myself to a certain number of clothing items, and I know I still have too many clothes, but I just happen to love fashion! I don't care about following trends, I just love pretty clothes that me me feel good about myself. I am pretty frugal and many of my favorite clothing items come from thrift stores and clearance racks. I am particular about quality, I don't like throw-away items, and I can often find clothes that are much better quality at thrift stores for much less than discount store clothing. I also can sew and make repairs and alterations if needed. We live in a four season area, and I switch out my clothes in the spring and fall, which I love doing because I feel like I'm getting new clothes and it also gives me the opportunity to try on and evaluate things to see if I want to keep them or donate/sell at consignment store. I've gotten better about being more particular and realling thinking about whether I really need/love something or not before I buy. I kind of use the size of my closet as a gauge as to whether I have too much, if it's getting crammed, I know I need to pare down. I'm also trying the backward hanger trick this winter, which forces me to be more creative and reach for different clothing items instead of the same few things over and over.
I enjoy shopping, and I enjoy new things (thankfully, I enjoy clearance shopping!). 🙂 But when I feel that my wardrobe is starting to get out of control, I go by the "one in, one out" rule. One old thing has to go for each new thing I bring home. Often, I'll find that I'd really be okay getting rid of two things instead of just one.
I consider myself to be a frugal clothes shopper. I dress professionally during the week, casually on the weekends and sporty when I coach. The questions I ask myself, once I've identified a clothing "need" are: Does the item flatter me? Do I LOVE how this item looks on me? Does the item make me look and feel great? I have items from Value Village and I have items that are expensive. No matter where I shop, the answer must be YES to these questions or else it's not worth it. I don't want a "bargain" shirt if it's just going to make me look BLAH and end up sitting in my closet unused. That's a waste of money...no matter how little I had to spend. When asked what I want for a gift (bday/Christmas) I'll answer "giftcards" to my favorite clothing store. That way I can go shopping for something I need at a place I love. Win-Win! To identify a need, put a little note in your phone. Each time you feel yourself saying "I could really use a pair of ________" put a mark beside it. If you find yourself with several marks beside the item....you probably need it. Case in point: Winter boots! Glad to hear you survived the storm! I am writing to you from Northern Alberta, so shovelling snow is a regular exercise around here! LOVE your blog!!
Those are great ideas!
When my husband and I travel, we limit how much clothing we need to take by hanging up the outfit we wore to travel to the destination and then re-wear it back home. Everybody in an airport looks kind of crumpled, so it works.
I'm trying to go for just as many clothes as I need to do laundry once a week, with a couple extra shirts/undies just in case.
So, when I found my absolute favorite t-shirts, I got rid of my other t-shirts, because I want to wear these all the time. Did I really like some that I got rid of? Yes, but I like these even more!
I have a few too many long sleeved shirts (which are practical in FL for only a few months of the year, too). Haven't some trouble paring those down because the ones that are the worst fit (baggy, from 5K walks we did) are my favorites but can't be worn to meetings and I usually prefer to wear something nicer to the doctor or other appointments. Still trying to figure this one out.
One thing that has also worked is that I make bags out of the old shirts. Cut off the arms, make a scoop neck (using a bowl, perhaps)--at this point, it kind of looks like a scoop-neck tank top. Sew up the bottom and you're good to go. Sometimes I reinforce the shoulder seams, but for the most part, they've held up. If it's good t-shirt fabric, you'll be surprised how many groceries fit in the shirt and it doesn't break!
I live in Chicago so I need clothes that go from 95 degrees (I just have fans, no A/C) to -5 degrees (though not this winter). I work from home and have set a maximum 75 pieces year round(not there yet). If I think I need something I write it down, along with what seasons I can wear it and what situations I can wear it in. Then I don't buy it. If I return because I'm feeling every week like I need that item I'll then buy it once I can get a sale or find it secondhand. Example being I had a good amount of T-Shirts, 1 good flannel and then 2 light and 2 heavy sweaters. I finally decided to buy 2 long sleeve shirts for warm winter days and I'm sooo happy I bought it.
I did a very heavy pare-down of my wardrobe after I finally stopped lying to myself about oh I'll wear this eventually and whatnot and it was so freeing! I was able to sell some and gave a ton of work clothes to a friend who needed them. I still do the hanger thing and I have a collection of lazy/housework T's and 2 painting jeans so I don't ruin the good stuff.
I agree with not shopping for a while, if you feel you have too much already. Just wear what you have for a year (or 6 months, 18 months, whatever you decide), notice what you aren’t wearing & get rid of it, and make note of any gaps that you really need to fill & at the end of the year (or 6 months or whatever), if you still feel you need those items, look for a good value (good quality, decent price) and buy those things only.
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