Wardrobe numbers. - YouLookFab Forum

I have been inspired by all the wardrobe cataloguing to inventory my own. It was a very useful exercise, with some surprising results.
BOTTOMS 21
4 pencil skirts
4 full skirts (1 "party", 3 everyday)
4 pants
7 jeans!!!! (1 skinny, 1 slouchy skinny, 1 bootcut, 1 silver, 1black, 1red, 1 white)
2 shorts
Ok, what on earth am I doing with 7 pair of jeans? I can only wear them casually, and for at least 3 months of the year I can't wear them at all because it is too hot, yet they seem to occupy a lion's share of my wardrobe.

TOPS 24
5 long sleeve T's
4 long sleeve button-downs
2 long sleeve blouses
13 short sleeve tops

TOPPERS 16
5 jumpers
5 crops (I count these as a topper as I never wear them on their own)
6 jackets
I possibly have too many toppers for someone living in a climate as mild as mine. Although I do feel the cold.

DRESSES 5 (1 "party" dress, the rest summer dresses)

COATS 2 (1 long, 1 short)

I haven't counted shoes, gym gear or accessories.
I suspect I need to start wardrobe tracking again to get a better idea of what I am wearing. All those jeans and warm clothes surprised me! I feel like the numbers are about right in terms of variety and getting to wear my clothes, but I suspect I may be a bit "off" in the seasonal distribution of my clothes.

9 years ago

Lyn D.

Veteran

Hi Sharon, are you in QLD?
These numbers look excellent for the weather in Northern Australia to me.
I have more long-sleeved tops and jackets/coats, but it does get quite cold here in Melbourne- today case in point.

Anonymous

Hi Sharon! Your numbers look good to me. You are in Winter now, so do you feel like you have more clothes than you can wear? If not, it just may be that they last longer. If your Winter is shorter than your Summer, like mine, they will get less wear each calendar year. Also Winter clothes tend to have a bit more substance to them and are laundered less frequently, so these clothes might last you several seasons, as opposed to your Summer clothes.

Deborah

Sharon, this is your wardrobe across all seasons, yes? I like your numbers:) Do you find you wear everything? most things? With this sized wardrobe I would imagine better rotation on items? I do need you count your shoes though please;) Just wondering if you use footwear to update and change the look of your outfits? I am also interested to know how much of your wardrobe would be considered transeasonal? You would have quite mild winters??

Sharon

Lyn, yes, I'm in QLD. I would die in Melbourne - I am such a frog!
Claire, that's a really good point. I hadn't considered that. I don't feel overwhelmed by my winter clothes, I was just surprised I had so many, but what you say makes sense. Maybe the trick now is to adopt 1 in-1 out for keep it manageable.
Deborah, yes this is all seasons. I don't wear my short-sleeved tops at all in winter, and I don't wear my jeans and long sleeve tops/jumpers at all in summer, but otherwise it's a free-for-all. I wear everything, but some things get worn more than others, usually because they are easy to style!
Counted my shoes: 20
2 pair tall boots
3 pair ankle booties
5 pair sandals
5 pair heels
2 pair fashion sneakers
3 pair flats
I have about 5 of these that I probably need to get rid of. I don't feel like they really work with my wardrobe, but I have a hard time saying goodbye to shoes. I think you are right about using footwear to update- my favourite shoes currently are my white sneakers, and I have my eye on some pink perforated leather slip-ons!

I love these posts because they are so interesting. I'll write more this evening.

Joy

Living in a climate with definite and extreme seasons, I am so impressed with your numbers. Those toppers can stretch your warm weather clothing into the fall and spring, so I'd think they would be very valuable in a small closet.
I've never been brave enough to count, but I have 120 hangers that hold most of my entire wardrobe.

Suz

(website)

Sharon, we are shoe closet twins! I also have 20 pairs, about 3 of which I need to get rid of because they're worn or don't meet my needs.

And your closet is a gorgeous size, efficient and well-edited.

I was at just about this number (87) when I counted up last November. I'm now up to 115 (YIKES!).

I really loved the streamlined nature of the closet I had. And yet I also felt incredibly bored last winter -- whereas this summer, when I am spoiled for choice (after a big shopping spree) I may feel a bit lighter in the wallet but I also feel happier with my clothing options!

I think my ideal is probably somewhere right in between -- around 100 items, give or take a few. And I think I'm like you in that I need to address the balance of seasons a bit better. I live in a climate where 5 months of winter is normal. Some years, 6!! And where true summer is 3 months at absolute most, and more often, 2 months. The next year I'm going to be doing a bit of closet editing to reflect this reality more closely.

Oh...and on the jeans? My shorts wardrobe is the equivalent. Until a recent edit, for two months of wearing I had 9 pair!!

Maybe we should visit each other to make our wardrobes make sense!

amiable

Wow! This is an impressively small wardrobe. Way to go, and congrats for wearing it all!

Lisa

Isn't it amazing to take a look back and count one's wardrobe, then realize how over or under a specific category is? When I first tracked my wardrobe I had over a dozen dresses and I rarely wear a dress! And like you I only have two pairs of shorts and this works just fine for me since I only sport them on weekends.

Alassë

Yes, interesting post. Thanks for sharing your numbers, Sharon.

Thanks for sharing. This seems like a well balanced wardrobe (maybe minus a jean or two if you really only wear them on weekends ) But if you love the variety of jean styles, who's to say you can't keep them all?!
I assume you live in a fairly temperate climate.

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