"Happiness makes up in height / For what it lacks in length."

Much as I am enjoying all the different ways people crunch numbers and otherwise evaluate their closets, I agree wholeheartedly with those who feel that you have no apologies to make to anyone for your amazing style and how you achieve it.

Did you get the shorts? What do you think about tights, or pretending they're a knee-length skirt and wearing with a long duster, as shown in the link?

I also don't calculate CPW. I do have a spreadsheet with my wardrobe and try to track there what I wear per month but this is more to help me understand waht does not earn a place in my wardrobe and what is a candidate for "one in - one out" policy. I also use it to identify possible orphans and see if I can blow a new life into them with a new styling -but this is the extent of my numbers.
I am all for doing what feels right for you - and I love the shorts!

Nobody is pushing you Anna to participate in any of those threads they don't resonate with you. I also don't calculate CPW but am bad at culling, and always lack of place! Plus, I (would) like to have an all functional and neatly organised closet. Hah, dreaming...:-)).

Hi Anna! Thanks for posting this. I have been hesitating to chime in on the CPW and counting threads because I just don't do that! LIke Angie, I have a strict one in one out closet management system. And beyond that, I don't do any counting or calculating. It's just not fun for me. By the time I get it all sorted out, I would have a bunch of new things or a bunch of old things would be gone. And I do not like to re-do tasks. I think having stuff in the closet JUST BECAUSE YOU LIKE IT is very important. I don't think something that makes you happy needs any justification. Being trendy/stylish is a way to express yourself and THAT, my dear. is very important. So if the shorts make your heart sing then get them. And pffft to CPW.

That being said, I do make sure that an item works with what I have already. Maybe get two or three outfits out of it. I do like multi-tasking pieces. And things that expand on what I already have. But I don't calculate. Right?

Oh I don't do CPW either. I'm a bear of small brain. That would require me to remember the cost after I bought it and keep a count of "wears," which I'd also have to remember. Although, I do enjoy the numbers. They tell interesting stories.

And besides, I also basically have only one day of totally free dress a week. That would be totally depressing to have to wear the same outfit on my one free day... I think that would make it a no-free day week.

What's really made me happy is making sure I have clothes that match what I do, however. I think that's important. If I spend all my time walking the dog to the Hipster Shops, what is the point of a bunch of evening gowns? Esp. when, should such an occasion arise, you know I'd go straight out and get myself a new, special one for the event.

I don't do CPW or track my wears either. I do have some idea when I go out shopping about price and which amount is acceptable for something, which is based on my guess on how much I am going to wear it, quality and gut feel I guess. Sometimes I'm wrong about it, but I figure the money is spent anyway even if I notice I'm not wearing it much. And I don't want to force myself to wear something that didn't work out just for CPW. That said, my wardrobe is so small that I have a fairly good idea which pieces get worn the most without explicitely tracking my wears.

Very interesting reading the thread. A few things occur to me. A small part of the variation in strategies I think might be due to where different people are in their wardrobe building process. So for me in a building stage right now, 'one in one out' seems very strict, you guys are made of stern stuff! Hat's off to ya!

Also, going back and figuring out prices months after the fact would be way too arduous for me. I'm only keeping track from when I decided to track, i.e. the beginning of the year. It doesn't add any more time than logging daily outfits, which I decided to do because I wanted to make notes of the more awesome and less awesome experiments (for science of course ).

Second, it's a game for me. It's a puzzle like Sudoku or a crossword. The spreadsheet says this pair of boots and this top aren't getting worn as much. That poses a challenge, can I find a way to wear them together? Can I also add in an item from last year?

In some ways it's just part of a brainstorming process, like sketch comedy. But instead of picking slips of paper from a hat that say 'mother and son' 'chicken' and 'snowstorm' and making a goofy scene out of them, I'm doing outfit sketches in infinite variations.

Today's outfit challenge for myself: new pair of bf jeans, floral top, and rain.... Go!

Hey, if I didn't have to pinch my pennies these days, I'd be right with you

I track CPW, but I don't use it to purge items. If I did, all the really fun stuff would go and I'd only have boring stuff to wear to work and gym attire. I like doing the numbers, but I get that a lot of people don't.

Count me on team curious, did you get the shorts?

I'm trying to be more practical in my purchases

Anna, I think this statement of yours is the key, as long as we all get to define practical according to our own preferences, needs, and priorities. For some, it might be spreadsheets and calculations of CPW; for others it might be budget, variety, wardrobe numbers, one in/one out, happiness quotient, responsible consumerism, longevity, lifestyle requirements--and so on. What is practical thinking for one person might be totally at odds with another person's definition.

For what it's worth, and as much as I love calculations and spreadsheets, counting, calculating, and categorizing my wardrobe would be a time-consuming, but ultimately pointless, exercise because I can't see how I'd use the information to create a better wardrobe. I learned the hard way that being logical and systematic about my wardrobe too often leads me towards buying things I theoretically think would be smart buys but which don't work out in practice. My most "practical" purchases have been things that I've fallen in love with in the dressing room, brought home, and wore to death. I can stick to an overall budget, and be responsible about replacing basics and necessities when needed, but that's as far as it goes.

I've started to keep track of my purchases and what they cost, but I've never done CPW. I also track my outfits -- but never review them, ha, ha, ha. But they are all written down if I care to!

But my question to you: Did you or will you get the shorts? From your description of your upcoming schedule, I'm wondering if they will be more of a source of frustration (because you won't be able to wear them) than a source of joy for those few times when you can.

I love that you are Queen Trendiest of Them All, Anna. I don't do CPW, nor do I track how many times I wear something. I have no intention of doing so, either. That would completely take the fun out of it for me. I do like to wear my favorite clothes multiple times; I'm not sure whether that's due to economics or not, but it doesn't really matter to me, actually. I do get a little annoyed with myself when I hang on to things that aren't the best fitting, best quality, etc., and then I don't wear them. I could do better at culling, so that's why I read the threads. Also, I'm interested in seeing what other people do. But I'm still going to do my own thing - the way that works best for me. It wouldn't be the same around here if you didn't do your own thing. I'm really glad you chimed in.

I go in phases - sometimes I do CPW and sometimes I don't. Its a good exercise for me because sometimes I over shop and/or impulse shop and/or get on the shopaholic treadmill and can't get off without a harsh dose of reality about how often I'm wearing my clothes and just how much money I'm spending on them. Most of the time I can't afford to be frivolous or selfish with my spending habits - (and I really don't want to be!) - so CPW and/or other numbers/tracking methods helps me to stay focused and in line with my value system. But that's just me - and I know that what works for me and/or what is important to me would be completely wrong for someone else! So - I'm fine with however people choose to build, change, maintain their wardrobes - if it works for them, then its good!