clothing turnover, or how long do you keep stuff on average? - YouLookFab Forum

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clothing turnover, or how long do you keep stuff on average?

Mo

(website)

Veteran

I had a bit of a 'duh' moment this morning when I was looking at my purchase plan for next year and the corresponding turnover rates of categories. I realized I was at a 2 or 3 year turnover these days, when in the past it seemed like 4 or 5 was more the norm. It would be easy to conclude YLF was responsible for this, but actually it was my lifestyle. So essential, but I totally missed it!
This last few years I have spent much more time off in FL than home working in CA. 2 years vs 5 months actually When I'm home, I wear a uniform to work. That leaves probably 3 times a week I dress in 'my own' clothes. Well, here I'm off work, so I dress in my own clothes 6 or 7 times a week (lazy Sundays do happen!). No wonder I'm getting through my clothes faster and tiring of them quicker!!
But, this gives me hope, too. This winter I will be home, back to work, and my clothes will again be in less rotation. I was beginning to worry that buying 26 items next year (bi-weekly) wouldn't keep me up to pace. Now I can relax a little. I'm even thinking I may finish out this year at that buying rate to get into practice. There are 15 weeks left . . .

What kind of rotation do you see in your closet? Do you have stanbys you don't mind wearing again and again for 5, or more, years? Or do you like pretty much new things every season or 2, with only a couple of items hanging on for longer than a few seasons? Do you do the one in one out principle, or do you accrue a bunch of stuff and then purge big piles?

My plan is to try and keep one in one out but not to the exact hanger, just the rough replacement rate, purging as I go. I aim to buy no more than one item every other week average, and spread evenly through the various categories (3 dresses, 2 pants, etc) to keep the refreshing at an even keel.

General

23 replies

Latest reply was from Lisa

Anonymous

I find I rotate through things quickly. I have a tendency to tire of an item quickly and get bored with a style or color. But I have also been rotating through because of a couple things in my life. First, we moved from SoCal to PNW 3 years ago. This requires a completely different wardrobe because of culture and climate. I also have more volunteer work and meetings which require different clothes choices than a SAHM. I am also starting to work part-time which requires other items I didn't need before. I also have a practicality issue....much smaller closet so each item really needs to EARN a spot in the closet, needs to be versatile and worn in many ways. I cannot keep items around "just in case" like I did when I had a large walk-in closet down south. I also just lost enough weight that quite a bit of my wardrobe doesn't fit anymore. So with all these variables going on, I am understanding the huge wardrobe in-and-out going on right now!

It does help to do an analysis like this to help understand why things go in and out of the wardrobe. Otherwise, I would think I was going nuts! The only thing I don't really rotate through are shoes. I spend quite a bit on my shoes because of sensitive/hard to fit feet so I am relucant to pass on a pair that still fits and supports (and looks cute). I don't mind wearing a pair of shoes for years, as long as they are still in good shape.

Mo

(website)

Veteran

Yes, I think sometimes we need to stop and see why shopping habits are changing or wear patterns fluctuate. I kept seeing more tanks than any other type of shirt in my closet and now it makes sense why. Sure, Tahoe winter is as long as FL summer, but I spend over half of it in uniform (duh again). No wonder I have twice as many tanks as long sleeves! Why this didn't occur to me sooner makes me really wonder about myself lol.

rae

(website)

Veteran

This sounds similar to my "it's always Fall in the Arctic Office" epiphany from last year. FInally realized I don't need any "business sandals" and such, lol.

I've spent a lot of my YLF time in an experimental stage, searching for my personal style. This meant a really high turnover - had to keep throwing out the failed hypotheses. First there was a high turnover in color. Then a very high turnover in styles that didn't feel like "me." Most recently, I've purged a lot in the shoe area as I have learned so much more about comfort and how to achieve it.

I'm finally feeling much more secure & very much excited to wear last year's Fall purchases - my Karen Millen coat, Sloan slacks, UWP boots, fishtail anoraks, and trench coats are favorites still going strong, which I LOVE. I am optimistic that I'll continue to love them next year as well.

krishnidoux

Veteran

3-4 years for me depending on how much I love the item. But after that time, I find the colours fade, the style is just a bit off, and little threads start to escape the seams. Now that I am into consigning, turnover for some pieces might only be one year, or one season! If I can still get a good price for them while they're still in style, then I will get rid of it faster.

Sylvie

Veteran

It really depends. Jeans turn over in a year. So do flat sandals. Coats, boots, handbags seem like they're going to last multiple years. Knit tops and dresses can sometimes turn over in a year, but sometimes after several years. I am generally speaking seeing a correlation between longevity and quality but I need a few years of analysis to confirm the hypothesis.

rachylou

Veteran

Decades?

But actually, now that I'm downsizing my wardrobe and wearing everything every week, my clothes are wearing out incredibly fast. 1-2 years is what I'm looking at for staples.

Elly

Veteran

I'm a small closet girl. I have some classic staples that have been in my closet for 5-6 years because they were decent quality, fairly plain, and aren't everyday clothing (black dress slacks, black formal dress, ect). Most of the other things that are still in my closet after that long are pieces with a serious failing that I keep trying to make work, but can't make into a favorite or is a piece that has a purpose but I don't get to use it often (like vacation clothes for a tropical climate). I also have some things that get worn a lot, but are going to last 8-20 years, like cowboy boots and gear snowboots (mine are 9 and 11 years, respectively-- and going strong).

Quality blazers (which i am currently lacking), leather jackets, and winter coats are all things I expect to keep 5+ years barring a major lifestyle, size or style change.

Everything else is either going to be so problematic that I am going to want to pitch it with only a few wears within a year or two, or I am going to wear it out completely in 1-3 seasons just because I typically repeat clothes often. Jeans, knit tops and tees, some wovens, and sweaters/everyday shoes are all going to be work multiple times a week to once every two weeks and with my long colder seasons things wear out.

Now, if I ever ended up back in a uniformed position, this would change and I'd need even fewer clothes. It is fine for me to say I can buy as much as I want because my smart casual weekend clothes would still work for me in a year or two when I go back to grad school, but in reality I would probably want to buy new things with the exception of classic jeans, jackets, and boots. Overbuying doesn't suit me. Still, I wouldn't want to have to do non-uniform laundry every week and wear the same 2-3 outfits each weekend. I would also need to remember that I have to have clothes to change into after work, either casual stuff for at home, or smart casual for running errands or going out to eat in town.

Mo, you also have to remember that you have to wash FL clothes more often and sometimes change multiple times a day because of sweat alone-- so you need more and they will wear out quicker than a sweater that you can wear 2-3 times before worrying about cleaning.

modgrl

(website)

Veteran

My plan is to keep clothes a long time but don't feel sentimental when it is time to let them go. Yesterday I wore a dress I've had over 10 years. It didn't feel old, it still feels like me. I really love my new clothes that I've acquired since I joined YLF. I imagine that I'll be wearing my new dresses just as long unless they wear out. I'm also looking forward to making a few small updates every season so my wardrobe doesn't feel stagnant.

Mo

(website)

Veteran

Elly you are so right. The wash and wear factor in heat is much more frequent than the cold. I admit I still have overbought for either climate. I'm trying to see how little variety and turnover I can stand and still be happy with my wardrobe. My plan results in 6 - 7 years average for most categories, with exceptions like you mentioned. My Frye boots I expect to last at least 5 times as long as my python faux leather gladiator sandals, for example.
But I suspect in reality I'm going to be happier with 2 - 3 years turnover on things like tops and maybe 4-5 years for day dresses. So I may have to just get by with less of them, and wear the heck out of what I do have in that time frame.

Sara L.

Veteran

I buy a few new things every season but I tend to hold on to things I like for a long time - 5 or 6 years. I get bored easily so I don't re-wear items often enough in one season for them to get worn out. I have enough clothes that it takes that long for them to wear out. I've been purging more than I've been buying lately because my closet space has shrunk and I'm trying to trim my wardrobe (I'm happy my hubby has a new job but not so happy that he needs closet space for a professional wardrobe now).

morethanbeige

Veteran

Some I turn over quickly, ie camisoles, layering t-shirts, knits. But others, if they are good quality, good fit, and somewhat classic I can hang on to them for years. It just depends. Sometimes I think I might hang on to for too long and I am learning to let go at YLF

Aziraphale

Veteran

Hm. I think, for me, it depends on the type of item. Not counting undergarments or gear (like running shoes), my wardrobe mostly consists of short and long sleeved tees, woven button-front shirts, casual skirts, jeans, casual dresses, coats/jackets, and shoes/boots. This is what I expect to get out of each:

- tee shirts, cotton knits: three years
- button-front shirts: six or seven years (wovens last forever if you don't put them in the dryer)
- skirts: four or five years
- jeans: four years
- casual dresses: four or five years
- coats and jackets: six or seven years
- footwear: ten or more, for leather. Seriously! I buy good shoes. I don't expect my Cons to last that long, but quality leather boots and shoes can and will, because I take care of them (and also, I tend not to wear the same pair every day. If you've got a dozen or so pairs and you wear them all, they don't really wear out).

Elly

Veteran

Mo, I think that is my issue with plans involving numbers.

I think that it is reasonable to expect to keep your fryes for at least 6-8 years.

I think there will be some other clothes that will stick around that long (jackets in a style you like, outerwear, occasional pieces).

However, I think maybe there needs to be some sort of goal or adjustment that limits your number of tanks to the amount you can wear out in 2-3 years, or an allowance for getting rid of and replacing those on a 2-3 year cycle instead of trying to keep them at the same turnover rate as the rest of your closet. A more constant replacement cycle of a few a season is one way to keep things feeling fresh without adding numbers to your closet or spending a ton.

Summer shoes are probably also going to have to be replaced on a 2-3 year cycle, and maybe jeans and cotton-type bottoms you wear alot. Maybe even sweaters.

Queen Mum

Veteran

my best laid plan is that my clothing will have an average closet life span of about 3-4 years. I think most anything I buy should be able to last a minimum of 2-3 seasons. 5 years is probably pushing it for things that get a lot of wear.
I gave up trying to make the numbers balance though. I figure I need to decide each season what needs to go/how many items I can realistically purchase and go from there. Of course, I will always want to look at my wardrobe plan mathematically, but I can't drive myself crazy with "I need to keep each item 3.2 years and buy 15 items a year to keep on schedule" I realized that isn't reality.

Mo

(website)

Veteran

Yeah, I know the rates can't possibly always be even. Life is not a math equation lol. In reality, my numbers probably stack up pretty similarly to Elisabeth's. I expect my Frye's to last me 10 years, or more!
Basically, it boils down to me buying half as much as I have been, and being happy with that. A thought did occur to me, though. If I stop and really try to just add things I really really like, odds are I am going to *want* to wear them until they fall apart, rather than feel like I *have* to get x number of years out of it. Perhaps I will have that paradigm shift next year. One can hope!

Thistle

Veteran

For me, it depends. Certain staples, like plain black slacks, I buy quality and expect to last 5+ years.

Certain trends, I buy fashion clothes and expect to last a year or two.

Of course, this is all derailed by starting a family. That has put a lot of my wardrobe in flux!

unfrumped

Veteran

I think YLF has helped me be more realistic in both directions. If something really still looks good I don't usually just get tired of it. Classic wool coats I keep for 10+ years IF they still fit. Shoes are hard because some of my work shoes have those molded rubbery soles that you can't repair--but they are lasting 3 +years. I keep the leather well-polished but replace the shoes if the soles start to lookk shabby. Dressy shoes for my fussy feet I keep for years, but then have a problem that they might date. Handbags, maybe since I'm not a bag lady and don't wear them out, I might keep for quite a few years, especially anything that looks sort of classic and matches the colors in my clothing. Color is something I don't really update per se--meaning, my colors have changed a bit based on what looks good, but not because I'm tired of it or need new colors every year or 2.

But I learned more about how little aspects of the cut and length of even T shirt tops or other items will change in the retailers, even "classic" pants, and that I might also change a bit, mm hmm, and that I might start to like the "new" look. So I need to be prepared that I might want a change in a couple of years.

What shocked me is how jackets and blazers date, or that your body changes with respect to the shoulder or armhole (something more than just weight--as in my post on shrinkage). I had kept many of these for years and this past year went through them all and had to say, oh really! to quite a few. So this past year I started thinking of them as more ephemeral than before. Sure I can keep a few that might cycle back in style re: length and lapels. But I'm learning not to overbuy in any this category or invest too much in a single jacket--how much "depends". This is hard for me because I would normally think of my jackets as investment pieces, but I don't trust my body or style tolerance as much anymore.

Also what other people may call gear, I keep a long time. Shirts and jackets and even certain jeans to wear hiking and so forth--I don't feel a huge need to replace. Hiking or walking shoes go for comfort and durability, and I'm not looking to replace so often with new silhouettes, like I have started to do with new "sneakers" to wear like flats for casual day wear or out to grocery or whatever as I try to go unfrumped.That may just be more a priority thing of how to distribute my budget, but also, when you have "road-tested" certain items for specific conditions, then hmm, a new item is always, well, new.

As a general rule, I would not like to buy something that from the outset I think I will only wear for one year or one season. To me it takes too much effort for me to work an item into wardrobe/capsules and so once I do, I want to have a group of items I can count on for another year, at least. I want to re-experience the fun of an outfit or its components quite a few times and I want to spend less time standing in front of my clothing wondering what to pull out. I don't have the energy to turn over all my "core" capsules every year, even if I could afford to.

Still, I'm learning to keep the number of items and capsules smaller so I can afford (time and $$) to update with something new if I'm finding the style really looks better. I think that's the hard thing to resist--if you find something that really looks BETTER on you (as opposed to more of the same), you are gonna want to look that way. So I'm trying to preserve that flexibility.

D'Ellen

Veteran

With a few exceptions, I generally wear things for 2-3 years. I keep them far longer.

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

Certain pieces that I love stay for as long as they work, are current and are in decent shape. Otherwise, I'd say I'm about every 2 years on average.

fern

Veteran

I think I'm keeping things 3-4 years. Replacing faster than that scares my budget.
Shoes and boots should be longer, but I did a total shoe overhaul, so who knows?

Anonymous

Good stuff Malina! You've caught me after an end of season purge and the realization that I've turned over my entire wardrobe since joining YLF last year (almost). I even purged some fall/winter items that I bought this summer and I never even wore. My style changed before the weather did, lol!

I could see the remaining items lasting from 1-3 years. The summer things tend to need replacing anywhere from 1-1.5 years, the darks fade, the whites yellow and the knits fall apart. The fall/winter category will last longer and I can see only replacing things when something better comes along. Some items might actually get worn out, while others just might not feel like *me* anymore.

I love how you analyze your wardrobe to see what you need next. I'm going to start shopping with an actual list (in the thrift stores!) because I only have specific holes to fill at this point.

anne

Veteran

Interesting thread. I do take clothing turnover into account and have even pre YLF. In fact I set myself strict guidelines (one new pair of leather flats a year, one new pair of jeans every 2 or 3 years - I worked so didn't wear them that much then)

So anyway now - flat leather boots that I wear 3 times a week in winter - last 3 years (with repairs)
everyday knit sweater and t shirts- about 2 years (then demoted)
"good" items are worn less frequently and I'd expect 5 years. Same with footwear
jackets - 5 years

I plan to buy only enough so that the items would be worn out by that time.

Lisa

Veteran

I overhauled my wardrobe after finding YLF so my clothes are less than 3 years old. In general I notice my rotation is higher for basics (1 year at the most) and lower for my statement pieces (scarves, blazers, premium denim). So far those are 3 years old and still going strong. I do desire a small wardrobe so I will purge items quickly (before they wear out) to make room for something new.