Over on Astrid's fascinating thread about minimalism (well worth a read), thimbelina made a point that really resonated for me:

I think a lot of the current small 'capsule' wardrobe blogs & systems mimic North American food neuroses around purity, shame and, ironically, asceticism via consumerism.

And it made me wonder, do our attitudes towards clothing and our wardrobes more generally mirror our attitudes towards eating and nutrition?

I think in my own case, it might be true.

For example:

  • I don't like counting calories; I prefer to estimate portion sizes.
  • I don't really want to aim for a specific set number of items; I prefer to "guesstimate" my wardrobe size, based on my storage capacity (which is relatively small).
  • I don't really like tracking what I eat, but I have done it for short periods in order to learn something specific about my habits and needs.
  • I don't really enjoy counting my clothing or tracking CPW, but I am doing it now in order to learn something specific about my habits and needs.
  • I like variety with some consistency, i.e. I love to eat lots of different veggies but I often eat them in the same or similar combinations and don't mind some repeats; I have FFB meals.
  • Same is true in my wardrobe.
  • I will spend extra for quality and even luxury if it is within my budget.
  • Ditto for clothes.
  • I tend to focus on nutritional "essentials" and don't pay much attention to trends.
  • I tend to focus on wardrobe essentials. (Although I hope YLF helps me pay more attention to trends here.)
  • I don't like "diets" that make me feel deprived. So ruling out foods is no good for me. I will only eat more of them.
  • I don't like "shopping bans." They make me feel rebellious. And tempt me to shop more.
  • I don't like an overflowing or stuffed fridge or pantry. I like to shop often for smaller amounts and use up a lot of what I have before going shopping again.
  • I don't like an overflowing closet and prefer to edit out what I'm not wearing.
  • I sometimes feel guilty if I have to discard spoiled food. I hate to feel wasteful.
  • I sometimes feel guilty about passing along "spoiled" (i.e. unloved or infrequently worn) clothing.
  • I want to enjoy and take pleasure in what I am eating every day. I don't want to "save up" for a special occasion and eat dry toast in the interim.
  • I want to enjoy and wear my beloved clothes as often as I can. I don't want to save them for special occasions.
  • I prefer to eat fresh, homemade food, but I'm not above eating leftovers and often prepare a big meal with the understanding that we'll eat it again later in the week, perhaps with something else to update it.
  • I definitely show a preference for my "fresh" brand new items, but I'm not above wearing them with my old things. What's more, I'll even wear somebody else's "leftovers" on occasion.
  • I don't really read food blogs or the like except if I am looking for recipes (often how to use a specific ingredient).
  • I don't really read fashion blogs (apart from this one) unless I need specific inspiration for a new item.

I am sure I could come up with other parallels, but that is a start. It actually surprised me to see these overlaps!

How about you? Do your attitudes to your clothes and wardrobe reflect your attitudes towards food, eating, cooking, nutritional habits in general?