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More minimimal than I thought

Suz

(website)

Veteran

So...now that I'm in inventory mode (and with Mo's great post still ringing in my ears along with several 333 posts, like Alexandra's) ... I just did an overall count.

Articles of clothing -- not counting shoes, bags, scarves, etc. or gear items, or sleepwear, undies, strictly layering garments or hose. Or coats. Or strictly "special occasion" wear.

87.

That's for all four seasons. Or all 6 seasons. Whatever you want to call it. It includes: pants, shorts, skirts, dresses, tops of all kinds, sweaters, jackets. And also includes more than a few items that I suspect I'll purge. (A few "maybes" that I left until spring to decide upon.)

Okay, I am hardly in Claire's league. But I thought I had more than this.

Can I go shopping now?

Dressing

39 replies

Latest reply was from Suz

catgirl

Veteran

That is impressive but I am not surprised. You remix so well and pick so carefully that it all is seamless.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Well...and to be fair, in climates like ours, coats and footwear (boots) could make up another 100 items, easy! But the truth is, I only own 3 cold weather coats. And 3 tall boots. So I'm not really going overboard in that department (yet...there is still plenty of time for that, heheh...)

Caro in Oz

Veteran

I counted my coats & evening wear in my total. I have x 2 tall boots & lots of booties & it hardly gets below freezing here never mind snows

Amy

(website)

Veteran

That is impressive! You've curated your closet so well!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Ha, Amy - it actually feels more like a constant process of weeding. And then the darn things continue to sprout!! How does that happen, I wonder?

Caro, thank you for permission to go and add a few more coats!

I have lots of booties, too, now. You notice I did not mention my number there.

Beth Ann

Veteran

I'm not surprised either. I suspect you may rotate a higher portions of your wardrobe items year to year than many minimalists. I find that, as a creative worker, I like having creative pursuits in wildly different disciplines, and fashion is one of these. Being creative in a non-risk way like dressing seems to free up more imagination in my musical work, too.

It seem like you're pretty close to your right sized wardrobe.

I'm feeling a purge coming on.......... I hold onto to too many things that have outlived their usefulness.

Caro in Oz

Veteran

Anytime

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Beth Ann, I think you are right...which is sort of embarrassing, or at least it is when I think of the cost to the environment and the ethical implications and all of that. I mean...if I basically buy a whole new wardrobe every season (or every second season, or whatever) how is that being minimal? Even if the numbers are relatively low?

Not that my goal is to be minimal for its own sake. I don't really care one way or another -- I want a wardrobe that works. But I do care about the costs to others of constant buying and recycling. Hmmm. Something to ponder. Maybe amassing more and culling less is actually a more ethical choice? But in my case, i think I would just leave the stuff sitting there unworn, rather than putting it in rotation.

Neel

Veteran

That's it? Wow! But you have the best 87 pieces Suz and that's brilliant!! Having a closet full of clothes that you love is an achievement in itself!

anne

Veteran

Hmm. Just had to rush home and do the count. By the same criteria I am currently at 79 will add in more when sort the washing. Hard to draw the line between gear and lounge wear, I am finding. I didn't include 3 too small right now item that I hope to fit again

E

Veteran

Wow! Using your criteria I'm at 149, which seems to work for me. I'll probably do a post breaking things down one of these days, because I am a nerd and love to analyse things. hehe Since you rotate seasons, how many items do you usually have active at one time?

Joyce B

Veteran

You gave me the idea and now I will have to count. I will put in my count just the dressier stuff and not the regular turtlenecks though.
I think that if you decide to purge the garments you have on hold until Spring you will find happy receivers when you donate them. That is the good side of just passing on what we don't need. I need to follow what I just wrote...
Great idea, to count one's clothes. That should put things in perspective for me.

Astrid

Veteran

I think I'm going to do a count too, just with the things I'm really wearing right now, it should be interesting.

That you have fewer pieces than you thought just goes to show that you already have a wardrobe that's pretty remixable.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

Er, your post led me to Mo's post which led me to consider a closet inventory. Luckily I was quickly distracted. But I want to count. Maybe after a glass of wine. And yes, by all means, go shopping!

gryffin

Veteran

Suz - that is amazing!! will you come here and organize me!!

Glory

Veteran

Wow I think I should drive down the highway for a shopping trip with you

Suz

(website)

Veteran

As far as items I'm actually using in season?

47.

That number doesn't count purely layering tees and thermals -- Cuddleduds type stuff.

It does count a few items that are transitional (e.g. Kamalikulture t-neck dress) that I don't really wear outside the house in current temperatures (not warm enough...but warm enough to wear for an evening at home.)

Okay - and looking further, of those items, there are 6 button up shirts that RARELY see wear. To be fair, I tend to wear crisp button ups in our transitional weather, so they are just falling out of season for me. But I never really wear a lot of them.

So it looks as if I am wearing about 40 items (minus coats, footwear, scarves and bags) as my normal wardrobe.

Which is just a few more than the 33 of the 333 project!

As the seasons change, I'd have slightly fewer items in rotation (but my summer is much shorter).

This is precisely what I'd estimated a few months ago just by doing rough intuitive calculations.

Also, it is "enough" clothes in that I always have something to wear. I don't really run into laundry blockages that often.

But it does not feel like "enough" in a couple of other ways. How so?

Maybe that can be the subject for another post.

carter

Veteran

Wow. You do so much with a relatively small (to me anyways) wardrobe. I really need to demand so much more from my own wardrobe.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Anne, I am surprised....I thought I had lots more clothes than you do. I definitely didn't count gear -- hiking snow boots, running shoes, fleece running hoodie, running shorts and tees, etc.

amiable

Veteran

Wow! Way to go! I'm currently frustrated at my wardrobe for being too big! (And I just added to it - argh!) Probably some serious culling is called for.

Anonymous

I counted mine this morning. Not counting pajamas, underwear, socks, gear, winter coats, shoes, scarves, belts etc, I have 95 items (all four seasons), but about 20 of them need to go.

donnat

Veteran

I have to say i am impressed. I thought you had more items than that. I guess you have a well curated wardrobe.

Lisa

Veteran

Can I steal your entire closet? That's an impressive number! I would have guessed it was higher, closer to mine since we are both 4 seasons. This is a number I'd love to be at in maybe a year or two from now.

I was at 150 items (this includes shoes but no gear or thermals or outerwear) until the last two shopping binges. I haven't been one-in/one-out as much as I should and it's now crept up to 180. Sigh. Clearly I have work to do.

And knowing how many items you are using a season is very helpful. This is one of the numbers I hope to figure out during DH's challenge. I knew going into it I had too much clothing but just how much is too much?

Two things that I think will affect wardrobe count is 1) how long is the season one is dressing for, the longer the season, probably the more items that will be required for it either because of heavy wear or just boredom and 2) tying into boredom further, how much remixing does one like to do? I already have half a post planned as I work on my week 3 analysis for DH's closet update to post on the forum this Thursday. I don't want to give away my whole post but how much remixing do you like to do? I would suspect a fair amount on a regular basis since you are using 47 items in a season and there are many seasons for you. A bulk of these items must carry over into multiple seasons. How much of your total number is that? Half? One-third? I'm finding with the right underlayers, some pieces can work much longer into a season than I originally thought. Sorry for the rambling, I'm just really excited discussing wardrobe sizes right now.

E

Veteran

That's impressive that your intuitive idea of your needs & your actual needs ended up matching up! I would love to see you expand on your feelings of enough, or lack thereof, as it's something I was mulling over as I counted the 54 blouses hanging in my closet. heehee

Mo

(website)

Veteran

I figured that was about the size you'd be at. As long as, like Goldilocks, it's just right, the number is not important. (I have that amount here with me in FL, by the way - 80).

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Yup - that's it, Mo. I don't feel I'm quite at my right number for winter. Because winter is long. And I have a few holes.

I could use MORE of a few items.

And FEWER of others.

Lisa touched on the reasons.

More to come!

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

It seems like more Suz based on your brilliant remixing of items to create so many wonderful outfits. Like you, our winter is long and I always find more holes for that season than any other and could always use one or more pieces.

I now have for winter coats my citron short puffer (although that's no longer warm enough once we hit -20), my new berry cashmere-blend knee length coat (which I wore yesterday and today and am in love with it!), my long red LE puffer coat for when it's really cold and soon to arrive, my cobalt leather short puffer coat. I have three pairs of tall boots (two black and one cognac). And yet I could do with more...

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Well, that's it, Shannon. I didn't count coats and boots in my numbers but I don't have a lot...and I could definitely use more of those when I find the right pieces. I don't think they would ever go unworn. In fact, right at this moment I am wishing I bought that cool Danier coat... hmmm....

Anyway...I'll post tomorrow with a few more specifics.

I know for sure that even once I get my numbers sorted, I will need to account for mid-season additions in both summer and winter, to help me deal with the boredom.

Joy

Veteran

I'm getting ready to switch from fall to winter in my closet, although there will be lots of overlap. One capsule that comes out now is what I especially wear for the holidays, like metallics. Do you have some of these items? Do you count them in or are they special occasion? This year we have an abundance of events and I don't think I have enough, yet hesitate to spend in this area right now.

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