https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-minimal-closet-sort-of--8-months-tracking-long Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Sat, 04 Apr 2026 14:29:58 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-minimal-closet-sort-of--8-months-tracking-long/page/2#post-1479895 Sat, 25 Apr 2015 00:28:51 +0000 Sadie 1479895@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Gigi- love those shoes! They are the perfect item to go with black pants, white pants, jeans, black dress, print dress. I am heading to the Galleria to return a jacket and would love to check these out (I see they come in lots of colors)!&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-minimal-closet-sort-of--8-months-tracking-long/page/2#post-1479852 Fri, 24 Apr 2015 23:14:39 +0000 Gigi 1479852@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I thought of you today, Sadie, when I rec'd my new BR mint heels in the mail. I was wondering what I could wear them with, and I was able to find quite a few things: I have a lot of black and white bottoms, as well as some black skirts. So I don't have to lament the fact that much of my wardrobe is "boring" with regard to color...adding a pair of statement shoes (I consider these statements due to their unusual color) perks things right up! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-minimal-closet-sort-of--8-months-tracking-long#post-1479590 Fri, 24 Apr 2015 16:52:35 +0000 Sadie 1479590@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>TorontoGirl: the classics are probably the underpinnings of a great wardrobe- then you can add/switch in and out some fun stuff for variety and interest. It is only in the past &nbsp;year or so that I have really concentrated on buying good basics (comfortable yet stylish black heels, black pants that really fit well, a great black blazer)- and those purchases have made all the difference. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-minimal-closet-sort-of--8-months-tracking-long#post-1479566 Fri, 24 Apr 2015 16:29:22 +0000 Helena 1479566@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Hi Sadie, this is awesome - I will have to re-read again more thoroughly to absorb all the insights. On the classic note, I am noticing that although I enjoy different things, the workhorses in my wardrobe are all classic pieces - so I am actively trying to limit myself to classics and admire the pretty stuff on others Perhaps not very interesting but it certainly makes for a small, workable closet! Keep us posted on your learnings! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-minimal-closet-sort-of--8-months-tracking-long#post-1479564 Fri, 24 Apr 2015 16:25:32 +0000 Sadie 1479564@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Daria- great idea! I was able to tweak my retailer/brand queries to add the year an item was added- great to see how purchasing (or wearing) changes over time. Below are snapshots of the top 10 retailers by #s active items, worn items, and date items added (default start date was 12/31/2013- unless I can access the recesses of my memory!) </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-minimal-closet-sort-of--8-months-tracking-long#post-1479512 Fri, 24 Apr 2015 14:59:25 +0000 Daria 1479512@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Sadie - thanks. Your forms are very impressive indeed. :)<br />If you stick to the tracking for a few years, you'll have decent info regarding what brands hold up better than others etc.<br />(Now it would be nice if Greg implemented something in Finds so that we could gather longevity etc statistics on specific items across the board). </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-minimal-closet-sort-of--8-months-tracking-long#post-1478995 Thu, 23 Apr 2015 14:21:27 +0000 texstyle 1478995@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Great analysis - thank you for sharing!&nbsp; I also tire of patterns much more easily than solids. But I do like texture in my solids if I can find it and some variety in color - lately it's been a lot of navy, white, wine, ivory, and charcoal so I've recently decided to add back in a couple of green items - a heathered olive green tee and a pop over in deep olive on it's way and another chambray top, this time a sleeveless popover.</p> <p>The "heathered" tees add enough texture for me to feel like they are different than my regular tees - and a couple of graphic tees also keep me from getting bored. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-minimal-closet-sort-of--8-months-tracking-long#post-1478982 Thu, 23 Apr 2015 14:03:21 +0000 Anonymous 1478982@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Great, great database. &nbsp;I repeat my earlier envy at your skills. &nbsp;I would love to share an office with you for a week or so. &nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-minimal-closet-sort-of--8-months-tracking-long#post-1478960 Thu, 23 Apr 2015 13:33:52 +0000 Sadie 1478960@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Caro: yes I track how I feel in an outfit (scale of 1-3)- and yes joy per wear trumps cost per wear every time. I have a very expensive silk dress that my husband bought for me in Hong Kong. I will never get a reasonable CPW for it (and since it’s a gift I didn’t enter the cost ), but I love wearing it so it’s a win!</p> <p>Gigi: neutrals like that black cardigan are great for any wardrobe. I have a black blazer from Aritzia which was a terrific find for me and I wear all the time. I keep having to hold back from buying it in other colors: I have been guilty in the past of buying the same item in multiple colors, but only really wearing one of them, and I am afraid that may happen if I buy this blazer in another color- but the heather perle one really appeals to me! <a rel="nofollow" href="http://us.aritzia.com/product/kent-blazer/53510.html?dwvar_53510_color=5914#start=2">http://us.aritzia.com/product/.....14#start=2</a></p> <p>Joy: I have 15 pairs of shoes, equally distributed among pumps, sandals, sneakers, and ballet flats (I would like to add boots, but really don’t think I’d wear them much since winters where I live are extremely mild). My pumps are basic (black and nude), but my ballet flats and sneakers are prints (snakeskin, etc) that I think add variety. Comfort is an absolute non-negotiable for me and I really changed up my shoes this year (10 of the 15 pairs are new since May 2014) to get ones that were a good compromise with comfort and style.</p> <p>Approprio: in my databases a lot of field entry choices are user-defined: the combo boxes I use query the existing data to come up with a list of distinct previous entries and allow for a new entry if it is not in the list (and will then appear the next time the list is queried). In this way you can come up with your own set of criteria for capsules or for describing the items. I also have pictures added (see pic 1 and 2 below) to both the clothing and the outfits. I originally had added photos of myself in the outfits but (1) I take hideous pictures and (2) I rapidly accumulated a lot of photos I didn't feel like storing.</p> <p>Daria: I started the database January 1, 2014 so all older items had a default start "date in" of 12/31/2013, and I have added items accurately since then. I input all my purchases, and what happens to them (kept, returned, etc), and I track all the items I remove and why (wear, fit, not my style, etc) so I can see what’s going on in my closet all the time. It’s useful to be able to look at which brands I purchase, which brands I have in my closet, and which brands I end up “retiring” for whatever reason.</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-minimal-closet-sort-of--8-months-tracking-long#post-1478939 Thu, 23 Apr 2015 12:25:46 +0000 Daria 1478939@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Wow, thank you so much for sharing, so interesting. I'm not a DB designer but with a computer science degree I could come up with something similar.. Alas with two small kids it's hard to find time for such a project. Will be taking notes for the future.<br />A question - do you track how long you've been wearing an item before it needs to be replaced (say for essentials like layering tees etc)? </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-minimal-closet-sort-of--8-months-tracking-long#post-1478893 Thu, 23 Apr 2015 09:58:15 +0000 approprio 1478893@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Sadie, this is fantastic. I've also done a lot of work with data design, and I've been wanting to do this for ages!&nbsp;</p> <p>What I find interesting is that everyone who does this will want a different classification, depending on how they understand their wardrobe. I think the key is to figure out a way to get a basic classification going for garments and then use keywords to let people build up different structures on their own.&nbsp;</p> <p>For instance, I myself don't make the distinction between dressy and casual in individual garments, because just about everything I have can be either in the right context. I'm a very visual person and I'm interested in how I create outfits, which is why I find WIW so helpful. So for me, a database would probably revolve around images.&nbsp;</p> <p>But of course, there are so many other things to look at, such as capsules, cost per wear, seasonal changes and turnaround. Everyone will have different priorities. So hard to get it all into one database and keep it stupid simple.</p> <p>Anyway, I have to get some work done. But this is very exciting </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-minimal-closet-sort-of--8-months-tracking-long#post-1478767 Thu, 23 Apr 2015 02:08:15 +0000 Anonymous 1478767@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thank you for this post. It is encouraging and inspirational, as I have had the same fears over having a small closet. Tell us about footwear. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-minimal-closet-sort-of--8-months-tracking-long#post-1478729 Thu, 23 Apr 2015 01:07:45 +0000 Carole 1478729@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>How wonderful that you never got bored it sounds like you have fine tuned your wardrobe to perfection. Bravo! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-minimal-closet-sort-of--8-months-tracking-long#post-1478724 Thu, 23 Apr 2015 01:03:26 +0000 Gigi 1478724@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Very interesting post, with lots of food for thought. This was a timely post for me. I wasn't able to shop much over the last several months due to financial issues, but I am now able to shop again. I recently hemmed and hawed over whether to buy the black version of a white cardi that I wear often. I did order it, and now I am considering whether to keep it. I see from your analysis that something like that might be a key player in my wardrobe. I do like things with more "interest" than this cardi (this is a fairly plain cardigan, although the cut is a little unusual), but maybe its very simplicity will enable it to be a workhorse.&nbsp;</p> <p>I do like the inherent mix-and-match-ability of a wardrobe that is full of neutrals. I like neutrals anyway and look good in them, so I already have plenty. I will have to think about trying to jazz up my wardrobe through accessories and shoes, as you stated. I am extremely hard to fit in tops, so maybe I should just buy boring tops and create excitement in other ways.</p> <p>I think many of us are on that Nordstrom list! Ha ha. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-minimal-closet-sort-of--8-months-tracking-long#post-1478677 Wed, 22 Apr 2015 23:20:12 +0000 Caro in Oz 1478677@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thanks so much for sharing this Sadie. Your point about tracking what you <i>actually </i>wore as opposed to what you <i>thought </i>you wore is so importantant imo. This was my biggest take away from my tracking I was amazed at the number of times I wore my favourite pieces &amp; how their CPW was very small after a reasonably short time.&nbsp;</p> <p>Does your tracking system include any data on how you feel in an outfit? I have a JPW (joy per wear) scale too. For me the JPW trumps CPW everytime. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-minimal-closet-sort-of--8-months-tracking-long#post-1478636 Wed, 22 Apr 2015 21:48:16 +0000 unfrumped 1478636@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Great organizing post! Thanks for insights.<br />I still find that if I stray into some neutrals I like but that don't really play with others (yes, there ARE some neutrals that do not go well together) it leads me to more complicated wardrobe for shoes and for capsules. So I have to think is it a color combo that's worth creating its own good capsule vs. should I actually toss or perhaps let it go away by attrition and vow not to stray.<br />I think classics are part of this but I'm seeing that "modern classic" or some small update is perfectly okay. For me to have tighter numbers it's all about silhouettes and so maybe limiting to 3 looks. <br />I actually like more color, and to me color is technically do-able, but I like more specialized color combos, not just a red top with black pants, but maybe monochrome color or gradations of color, and it's just so hard to maintain that, if one piece falls out of the mix. I would&nbsp; &nbsp;buy entire collections of items in certain color groupings&nbsp;if I could, but am stumped (or saved!) by the fact that usually only 1 item out of a group fits or works. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-minimal-closet-sort-of--8-months-tracking-long#post-1478620 Wed, 22 Apr 2015 20:59:23 +0000 Summer 1478620@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Very impressive, Sadie. &nbsp;My wardrobe is small enough to keep track in my head, but for a larger one this makes perfect sense. &nbsp;I'm with you on buying versatile, dress up or down items and the value of core items in neutrals. &nbsp;Also, I relate to what you say about getting more wear from something by moving it to another capsule - so true.</p> <p>It seems that your wardrobe is taking shape perfectly - great work. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-minimal-closet-sort-of--8-months-tracking-long#post-1478616 Wed, 22 Apr 2015 20:43:08 +0000 AM 1478616@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thanks for the screen shot. Based on you classifications, I can see how your making distinctions between casual and dressy. And great point about how there can be cross-over. Well done. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-minimal-closet-sort-of--8-months-tracking-long#post-1478612 Wed, 22 Apr 2015 20:18:32 +0000 Sadie 1478612@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>AM: most of my pieces are versatile (dress up/dress down) but I do have some things that feature more in one capsule than another. For that time period (Sept 1-now), looking at "tops" only, I can see what was worn in which capsule. See pic 1. (This is only a &nbsp;few of the 51 tops worn). As far as which is statement/which is dressy v casual- I let the database tell me what I ended up doing. I found in the past that I say "Oh, this top is casual" , but then I "style" it a bit and it works for dressy (I have had most of these discoveries while travelling when I often have to get inventive for an unforeseen scenario). I've also had things I saved for dressy but didn't wear (one sweater in particular never dressed up that well even though I thought of it as dressy), then I wear them for casual and, bingo! new favorite (that sweater found its way into my casual capsule and has now been worn 7 times.)</p> <p>Sterling: pic 2 is the database structure with the clothing and outfit tables. (If you have specific questions about fields, let me know. TOY is time of year, like winter; Stat is status like active, retired, returned, etc).</p> <p>Carter: I think I do a lot of "tabletop" dressing (party on the top, business on the bottom). As far as shopping, I don't really have a list of needs, but just kind of shop free-form- but I am very particular about what gets to stay. It has to be of good quality, fit well, mix-and-match with everything, and really be something I will wear (I am too guilty in the past of buying for a fantasy life).</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-minimal-closet-sort-of--8-months-tracking-long#post-1478598 Wed, 22 Apr 2015 19:42:03 +0000 carter 1478598@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Interesting. It makes sense that all your bottoms are neutrals. This is probably my biggest downfall...lots of pretty colors in pants;-)</p> <p>So, when you shop these days, are you hunting for replacements only&nbsp;or additions? I realize you're likely not shopping too much in order to keep your numbers low.</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-minimal-closet-sort-of--8-months-tracking-long#post-1478596 Wed, 22 Apr 2015 19:34:57 +0000 Anonymous 1478596@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>This was an absolutely fascinating read. &nbsp;I am jealous of your database. Could you explain to me what your base table(s) look like? &nbsp;I don't need detail, I am just curious what data you enter each time you wear an outfit. &nbsp;I use an excel spreadsheet. &nbsp;I enter the date the garment is worn and everything I need to know is calculated. &nbsp;My system works, but yours seems to provide greater analysis. &nbsp;<br />&nbsp;<br />Oh, and I am on that same Nordstrom list. &nbsp;But the good news is that I also buy and keep a lot from Nordstroms so it evens out. &nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-minimal-closet-sort-of--8-months-tracking-long#post-1478592 Wed, 22 Apr 2015 19:29:07 +0000 Keturah 1478592@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>This is just superb!! I love that you recorded this information.&nbsp;<div><br /></div><div>It makes my head spin -- I'm pretty eclectic and intuitive about dressing. I start to get into paralysis mode if I over think and overanalyze my clothes. BUT...I still think this is just so, so cool. It seems like this tracking has helped you understand and connect to both yourself, your style, and your wardrobe more deeply.&nbsp;</p> <p>Was nodding my head at skinny jeans. I found myself wearing a lot of leggings and skinny jeans this last year... total basic for me!</div> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-minimal-closet-sort-of--8-months-tracking-long#post-1478585 Wed, 22 Apr 2015 19:11:13 +0000 AM 1478585@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Great post. A couple of questions:<br />Do you have a count for casual basics vs. dressy basics?<br />And do you have a count for statement pieces (not accessories) -- I'm thinking more about statement toppers, tops, sweaters, pants?<br />Thanks. My wheels they are a spinning.<br />And I'm on that same Nordstrom list. Very funny! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-minimal-closet-sort-of--8-months-tracking-long#post-1478581 Wed, 22 Apr 2015 18:58:49 +0000 amiable 1478581@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Love it! &nbsp;I'm just starting tracking, and haven't found a method that works super well for me yet. &nbsp;But I'll keep at it, and figure it out yet. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-minimal-closet-sort-of--8-months-tracking-long#post-1478575 Wed, 22 Apr 2015 18:46:12 +0000 Anonymous 1478575@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>A wise plan </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-minimal-closet-sort-of--8-months-tracking-long#post-1478574 Wed, 22 Apr 2015 18:42:03 +0000 Sadie 1478574@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Diane- yes, most of my scarves are patterned and have multiple colors. I also love texture (one of the drawbacks to on-line shopping is you can't feel things). I like items that are somewhat loose fitting, and have a lot of stripes (marinieres), polka-dots (black + white), waffle-weaves, etc. that add something extra to the outfit while still staying within a neutral palette.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-minimal-closet-sort-of--8-months-tracking-long#post-1478564 Wed, 22 Apr 2015 18:23:32 +0000 Anonymous 1478564@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Great post! I'm interested, if you gravitate away from patterns to some extent, do you play with textures much? Are the scarves patterned?</p> <p>I have to say that I've only recently started to keep track of purchases and to keep track of purging as well. I've never done wear tracking. I'm impressed!</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-minimal-closet-sort-of--8-months-tracking-long#post-1478554 Wed, 22 Apr 2015 18:04:29 +0000 Sadie 1478554@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Carter- here's a snapshot of my core items by color. If you include stripes, small dots, herringbone as "neutral", I have only 5 tops and 4 dresses with prints. I also only have 12 "color" items (8 red, 4 green- for me navy is a neutral as well). Again, most of my "color" comes from scarves and shoes. And this was a pretty organic thing- I kind of Kondo'd my way into a pretty neutral wardrobe. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-minimal-closet-sort-of--8-months-tracking-long#post-1478552 Wed, 22 Apr 2015 17:54:25 +0000 carter 1478552@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Great post as always! A year from now, I'd like to be where you are. A couple of questions for you. Of your 76 core pieces, how many are neutrals? How many different neutrals are represented? How many colors are represented? Are the answers to these questions part of the plan, or did it happen more organically?</p> <p>I'm loving neutrals lately, so I have nearly every darned one except camel represented. As you know, I also love color and must have a good dose of it regularly throughout the hot months. Needless to say, the rainbow is represented in my closet as well.</p> <p>Where the heck to start? </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/a-minimal-closet-sort-of--8-months-tracking-long#post-1478551 Wed, 22 Apr 2015 17:53:33 +0000 Sadie 1478551@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thanks Rachylou- I would have to say I am leaning towards "classic'- it seems like I find those items easier to mix and match and strangely I tire of prints and colors more quickly as well. </p>