In writing about a recent closet edit, I mentioned that I kept some infrequently worn wardrobe items. They are in excellent condition, fit well, look great, and most importantly continue to spark joy when I wear them. For a variety of reasons, however, they don’t get much wear.
I don’t worry about items that don’t get much wear, as long as I love them and feel fab wearing them. Usually, I’m very into wearing my newer items, which does mean that older items can fall by the wayside. But infrequently worn wardrobe items often come back into favour, which is why I hold onto them.
1. Skirts & Dresses
These are more formal pieces that come out from time to time. I bought them knowing they’d be worn infrequently. I’ve worn the skirt, and a few lace dresses with denim jackets to work with clients and out to dinner in the past, and enjoyed the outfits. I might do that again next year with my new pointy-toe ballet flats since I no longer wear heeled ankle strap pumps.
2. Jackets
These jackets are old, and very old. The first ten year old navy jacket is a beautiful, well-made, tailored piece that I used to wear a lot with skirts and harem pants. Then I got into longer, more fluid jackets so it fell by the wayside. The Theory blazer in navy is eight years old and fell out of favour because I went off modern classic blazers. It’s impeccable, and I knew I’d wear it again. I did just that recently when I combined it with my new flowing navy 3.1 Philip Lim high-low midi skirt. The combination feels fresh and new, and I adore it. The seafoam moto is four years old and is seldom worn because I’m no longer into leather jackets. I’ll wear it from time to time because it’s a gorgeous colour.
3. Suits
I have a funky black Summer ruched suit with cropped pants that I bought in Tokyo six years ago. It’s fitted, gorgeous fabric, unique, and looks fabulous. I’m not into wearing much black right now, although the shorter sleeves and pant hems show a good bit of skin which offsets the black. It’s somewhat sentimental so I’m never passing it on. The mood might strike me to wear it at some point, and I’m looking forward to the day.
4. Jumpsuit
I’ve had this Summer jumpsuit for four years and worn it twice. It’s the most impractical, uncomfortable, and fussy item in my wardrobe, but quite spectacular if I don’t drink fluids, dodge the loo, and keep my movements to a minimum. It’s hemmed for two inch heels which I seldom wear, so there’s that too. (Ideally, I need to have the suit hemmed for one and half inch heels). It’s a Modern Retro item with a high longevity factor so it won’t date. I see no reason to pass it on because at some point I’m going to want to wear the fun piece, even if it’s just to a ‘70s party.
5. Outerwear
I’ve had the earthy cape for three years, and knew it was an impractical Seattle topper before I committed to purchasing it. It’s too long to drive in, and not very insulating for city walking. It’s not the best item to wear indoors when I’m out and about either. That said, it’s a fun Modern Retro piece that won’t date, and I love it. I won’t be passing it on because it sparks joy staring back at me from the coat closet. My ten year old arctic Soia & Kyo puffer is immaculate, impeccable quality, and fits like a dream. I have a newer arctic Soia & Kyo puffer in ink blue that I wear instead so this one fell out of favour. I much prefer dark blue to black, so it’s a no-brainer. But the old black puffer is a very practical, quality piece that I cannot part with. And it’s good to have a spare in the coat closet.
When you have a moderately sized wardrobe, you can’t expect every item to be a workhorse, especially when there are formal and some less practical pieces in the mix. But you CAN expect every item to spark joy. As long as I have the storage space and the items fit, aren’t dated, and are in good nick, I’m keeping them.
