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YouLookFab Forum » Topic: . https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/you-know-youve-purged-enoughtoo-much-when Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Fri, 03 Apr 2026 23:32:02 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 <![CDATA[Search]]> q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php Lisa on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/you-know-youve-purged-enoughtoo-much-when/page/2#post-1229608 Tue, 22 Apr 2014 13:18:31 +0000 Lisa 1229608@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ This is a great question!  I am still in the purging phase, but I'll know when I've overstepped when I find creating outfits I am constantly wishing for a specific item, ie when I see I have a wardrobe hole.  I do try to keep very small capsules for non daily activites, since I rarely garden or paint or other very messy tasks, one outfit is enough for me. mary on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/you-know-youve-purged-enoughtoo-much-when/page/2#post-1229299 Tue, 22 Apr 2014 03:58:53 +0000 mary 1229299@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ i don't think i would ever be that good at purging. i also have some old but comfy pants and a chambray shirt for painting. Suz on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/you-know-youve-purged-enoughtoo-much-when/page/2#post-1229190 Tue, 22 Apr 2014 01:23:11 +0000 Suz 1229190@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ That's so funny about what your husband said!! I think he's definitely going to get on the YLF bandwagon. My husband did. He is a bigger shopper than I am (seriously!) but most of what he had before, he didn't like. He's getting pickier and pickier and sends back even more than he orders. It's great. Our UPS guy thinks we're crazy.  Helena on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/you-know-youve-purged-enoughtoo-much-when/page/2#post-1229126 Tue, 22 Apr 2014 00:32:51 +0000 Helena 1229126@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Carter, that is so funny!!! I think that is terrific though - better to purge too much imo! You can buy yourself some grubs now to celebrate!! rabbit on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/you-know-youve-purged-enoughtoo-much-when#post-1229094 Mon, 21 Apr 2014 23:56:35 +0000 rabbit 1229094@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ 70% of the time the everyday clothes I need are chore clothes.  I'm either doing messy things involving clay and plaster, packing boxes in an unfinished garage, doing work emails with sheddy cats sleeping on me and kneading with their claws, gardening, or cleaning. Therefore I keep ratty clothes and ratty comfortable shoes. But the key for me is not to keep too many.  I keep the clothes that might be holey and plaster stained, but are favorites in provenance and fit and color.   Even with a liberal dusting of plaster dust, and hair in pigtails to keep it out of the way, one can still look vaguely cute IMO.  My sneakers might be beat up, but they are bright colors, my t-shirts are from artist residencies and classes I've taught.   My gardening coat color works well with my old skinny jeans which I've rolled to hit my boots in the right place.   It's nice to feel like I look like me, but also to feel perfectly comfortable if muddy kitten claws scramble up to my shoulder when a dog appears down the street, or a bucket of muddy water douses my shoes. I also have a hair dying bathrobe, that hangs somewhere unseen, but is just the perfect thing every month or so. Thistleblossom on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/you-know-youve-purged-enoughtoo-much-when#post-1229012 Mon, 21 Apr 2014 22:32:17 +0000 Thistleblossom 1229012@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I actually have this problem too! When I was painting my house a year ago I realized that I had run out of "slub" clothes that would do for this activity. Sheesh! Now I keep a pair of baggy old jeans and a few shirts for just this sort of activity. Laura (rhubarbgirl) on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/you-know-youve-purged-enoughtoo-much-when#post-1229004 Mon, 21 Apr 2014 22:27:02 +0000 Laura (rhubarbgirl) 1229004@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I've got a 'hair dyeing shirt' even though last year I started going to the salon to get it done. I suppose that would work for painting and such. My workout clothes usually do double duty for yard work and major cleaning, that sort of thing. I often have this problem when I go back home to visit my parents. They live in the woods and are very handy people, not to mention my mom's quilting and woodworking and my dad's rebuilding old cars, so there is always some project or other to pitch in on. (Is pitching in the right phrase when your parents press gang you into it? ) Finally I put some decent working in clothes and an old pair of sneakers in my luggage and left them at their house. Meli on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/you-know-youve-purged-enoughtoo-much-when#post-1228983 Mon, 21 Apr 2014 22:02:45 +0000 Meli 1228983@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I have demoted 'yard' clothes- a hoodie, a pair of shorts, jeans, l/s tee, s/s tee, and 3 tanks. They're for cleaning, painting, outdoorsy things. carter on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/you-know-youve-purged-enoughtoo-much-when#post-1228941 Mon, 21 Apr 2014 21:12:27 +0000 carter 1228941@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I'm glad I'm not the only one:-). It didn't occur to me that I probably could have found some old clothes in my daughter's room from pre-college. Duh. It's funny that when I asked my husband what I could borrow from his closet, he said, "anything you want. I hate all of it." Maybe it will finally start to sink in with him that building a wardrobe from a plan would produce better results than just stopping in Jos A Banks annually for a new armload of dress shirts and a couple slacks in whatever is available in his size. Mo on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/you-know-youve-purged-enoughtoo-much-when#post-1228680 Mon, 21 Apr 2014 15:47:31 +0000 Mo 1228680@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Coming back around to say that I think this goes to the very heart of dressing for (and shopping for) your lifestyle.  Sure, painting isn't glamorous, but if you do it, you need the clothes for it.  Ditto the trash run, dog walking, hair dyeing . . . and on and on.   The pretty things we can adorn ourselves in for occasions is the easy part.  Looking decent for the rest of 'real life' day to day stuff is a bit harder.  No need for a whole closet of this stuff, but one or two sets of 'chore wear' for lack of a better term is probably a good idea.  I'm like Suz, I tend to downgrade previous loved items for this.  Then I don't feel grubby or sloppy.  That, and those race tees, that Anne correctly identified as too heavy to actually run in anyway.  What better use for free clothes?  JAileen on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/you-know-youve-purged-enoughtoo-much-when#post-1228676 Mon, 21 Apr 2014 15:43:33 +0000 JAileen 1228676@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ That's why I have a lot of ratty old clothes! But then, when I'm doing normal summer stuff which involves sweating/gardening/walking dogs, I hate to wear my "nicer " tees, and end up wearing the ratty stuff all the time. Anonymous on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/you-know-youve-purged-enoughtoo-much-when#post-1228675 Mon, 21 Apr 2014 15:38:24 +0000 Anonymous 1228675@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ LOL.  I purged to the point of needing to thrift some clothes to wear for gardening and other dirty jobs.  Now I may need to do the same thing for hot summer weather. Suz on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/you-know-youve-purged-enoughtoo-much-when#post-1228648 Mon, 21 Apr 2014 15:11:56 +0000 Suz 1228648@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Ooh! Great question! And I am sorry you found yourself in that position. In similar circumstances I just "demote" something on the spot. And it gives me an excuse to shop.  I knew I had purged too much when I literally had nothing to wear anywhere! Seriously. But that was after weight loss. Then I started building up a wardrobe of second hand and thrifted stuff...and quickly purged that, too, as second-rate. In the midst of all this, I knew I had purged too much (or never bought enough) when every time I posted a WIW, people would say: That would look good with a....strappy sandal. Or....do you have a black jacket for that? Or....I'd like this with a bright bag. Or....the pants look a bit dated. Or.....add a current shoe.   It took a LONG time before I stopped getting comments like that.  :)  jackiec on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/you-know-youve-purged-enoughtoo-much-when#post-1228638 Mon, 21 Apr 2014 15:05:40 +0000 jackiec 1228638@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Ooooh that's a good one! Tells me I am terrible at purging! I'm getting better but I always have a cruddy outfit or two on hand..... K. Period. on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/you-know-youve-purged-enoughtoo-much-when#post-1228630 Mon, 21 Apr 2014 15:03:14 +0000 K. Period. 1228630@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Oh this made me laugh out loud! I actually specifically kept a "painting" outfit--baggy jeans and a light long sleeved tee--when I cleaned out my closet last year.  You always need clothes you are willing to sacrifice that aren't so nice you'll regret ruining them versus passing them along to someone who can get more use out of them.  I also kept a yard work/farm visit outfit for working outside or hanging out with my kiddos at my mom's farm.  Good reminder to keep all those things in mind when doing a closet purge!   Beth Ann on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/you-know-youve-purged-enoughtoo-much-when#post-1228553 Mon, 21 Apr 2014 13:17:22 +0000 Beth Ann 1228553@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I have a healthy lounge capsule, Carter, and I reserve a small drawer in my dresser for painting, heavy gardening/cleaning and hair dyeing clothes.  I have an older pair of jeans, black capris, a couple of tees and one long sleeve top in there.  I keep an old pair of sneakers for this purpose, too.  I can't stand to sit around on hair coloring day in an ill-fitting, faded top.  I'm hopeless. April on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/you-know-youve-purged-enoughtoo-much-when#post-1228512 Mon, 21 Apr 2014 11:32:57 +0000 April 1228512@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ ...When the year after you purged a fairly new item because you weren't wearing it much, it suddenly starts showing up on every style blog looking fabulous. ...When you can't find the practical, gearish shoes you need to haul the trash cans to the curb because all that remains on the shoe shelf is chic, edgy, and totally wrong with sweatpants.   Janet on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/you-know-youve-purged-enoughtoo-much-when#post-1228509 Mon, 21 Apr 2014 11:00:48 +0000 Janet 1228509@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Ha, kkards, you and me both. I always keep at least one pair of cruddy old jeans for jobs like gardening, painting, garage cleaning, etc. (I also do a bit of urban exploration with a small group, and grungy clothes come in handy for that as well) But I do have a tendency to keep more than I need. My last shoe purge was perhaps a bit too vigorous because I now wish I had one extra pair of lightweight shoes I can trash, which I would keep in TX. I don't want to wear any shoes I really care for too much down there unless I'm purposely trying to distress them! I did a little seasonal mini purge yesterday -- there are now 8 empty hangers in my closet! Woohoo! Anonymous on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/you-know-youve-purged-enoughtoo-much-when#post-1228492 Mon, 21 Apr 2014 10:19:06 +0000 Anonymous 1228492@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ .... When I don't seem to have the right top to go with the right bottom or vice versa. I was a bit like that last year shortly after throwing a whole lot of stuff out. A massive spend-up ensued. BTW I save an old loose and worn pair of jeans and a sloppy old tee for gardening and painting. I keep them rolled up in a corner of our linen cupboard. What no WIW? Spoil sport ;) kkards on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/you-know-youve-purged-enoughtoo-much-when#post-1228491 Mon, 21 Apr 2014 10:13:22 +0000 kkards 1228491@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ hmmm, i never had this problem. and thats a bit of a problem.  fuzzylogic on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/you-know-youve-purged-enoughtoo-much-when#post-1228480 Mon, 21 Apr 2014 09:19:40 +0000 fuzzylogic 1228480@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Bwahaha! Yeah, that's a sure sign!! Being in the 'wardrobe building' phase myself I am yet to get to this point! Also, I have slight hoarding tendencies.......- I still have one flannelette shirt from rouseabout days (in the shearing shed) that I use for dirty jobs (washing car etc). I can throw a fine fleece as well as wear one CocoLion on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/you-know-youve-purged-enoughtoo-much-when#post-1228464 Mon, 21 Apr 2014 07:39:50 +0000 CocoLion 1228464@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ … When I struggle to do Angie's ensembles.  There was a time when I could copy most of her posted ensembles.  Now I am usually lacking one major piece.  Most recently it was a mid-wash denim jacket (Gap) which I purged.  The week before it was the tube midi skirt (yet to buy, but if I had purchased one last year when others did, I am sure I would have already purged it!).  If I don't wear something frequently, and soon, if it's not returnable (tags off, too much time passed) I have the urge to purge. anne on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/you-know-youve-purged-enoughtoo-much-when#post-1228446 Mon, 21 Apr 2014 06:13:18 +0000 anne 1228446@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I once (in the 90s) purged all my tracksuit pants because I was so sick of wearing them to work (teaching in Japan - I thought I had to wear them, though in retrospect I could have gone slightly nicer in my attire). I certainly missed having them and bought some replacements. I don't think I have a painting/gardening capsule either, as I don't do either. I have only one standard baggy T shirt and it is a race one (though too hot to actually wear for a race). I never get them if you have to pay extra (which is usual here) but this one was included and I am glad to have it. I have taken clothes out of my "holding zone" or "op shop" bag on quite a few occasions. I have a fairly small wardrobe to start off with, and not much of a clothing budget so I have to be pretty careful not to purge things that might be useful. And I can have laundry etc bottlenecks, as at the moment when my one pair of dress pants are on the mending pile, and owing to an iron breaking down, I have 2 weeks worth of ironing. Golden on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/you-know-youve-purged-enoughtoo-much-when#post-1228441 Mon, 21 Apr 2014 06:00:06 +0000 Golden 1228441@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I feel your pain, I have been there too. Lol rae on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/you-know-youve-purged-enoughtoo-much-when#post-1228437 Mon, 21 Apr 2014 05:56:50 +0000 rae 1228437@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ ... when that item you've been waiting to get back from the laundry basket never reappears! I purge a lot, too, and sometimes I am in a cutthroat mood and purge something useful because it looks shabby. Then I keep reaching for it anyway. o_0 rachylou on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/you-know-youve-purged-enoughtoo-much-when#post-1228432 Mon, 21 Apr 2014 05:34:08 +0000 rachylou 1228432@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I have a long way to go before any signals should signal at me.., looong way Marmee on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/you-know-youve-purged-enoughtoo-much-when#post-1228420 Mon, 21 Apr 2014 04:46:08 +0000 Marmee 1228420@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Carter, I, too have purged a lot, and at this point, can't decide which jeans to wear weeding and gardening in general, because I like them all.  Also, I'd really like to find some long sleeved lightweight and light colored tees to wear gardening in the summer to protect my skin from the sun.  I just hate the idea of buying something that I'm going to get dirty and possibly ruin, but I also don't like the idea of wearing old yucky clothes.  Luckily, I'm less likely to grind dirt into a shirt than jeans. DonnaF on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/you-know-youve-purged-enoughtoo-much-when#post-1228416 Mon, 21 Apr 2014 04:34:57 +0000 DonnaF 1228416@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Ummmm, I would raid kiddos several drawers of stuff that she left behind when she left for college.  She has many, many camp and walkathon Ts from maybe a decade ago, and then when she went on her three choir tours she had at least five or six Ts in different colors, one for each day, so they could keep track of the different groups.  I would start with the camp and walkathon Ts as they have less sentimental value. Cindy S on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/you-know-youve-purged-enoughtoo-much-when#post-1228414 Mon, 21 Apr 2014 04:27:25 +0000 Cindy S 1228414@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ As a painter, I actually do have a painting capsule...I did finally get rid of the most raggedy items, but same situation as Gigi and they take up entirely too much of my small storage space...I've been trying to come up with the optimal minimal amount for each season. Gigi on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/you-know-youve-purged-enoughtoo-much-when#post-1228411 Mon, 21 Apr 2014 04:16:28 +0000 Gigi 1228411@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ This is why I have too many old clothes still around. I'm afraid that if I get rid of them, I'll be stuck without the right thing for a grubby job! But they take up half of a dresser drawer, so I'd love to get rid of most of them. Unfortunately, when you live in a four-season climate, you need all kinds of old clothes to match the weather, ugh.