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Guide to Owning Fewer Clothes

Ginger

Veteran

I'll state up front that I do not aspire to a small wardrobe. It's extremely impractical for me (lifestyle and climate requiring a wide variety) as well as not my preference (I get bored). Of course, I can definitely afford to size down, if only to get less "noise" and make happier outfits. The Joshua Becker link was interesting.
http://www.becomingminimalist......r-clothes/

The overall approach is good advice, particularly the mental shifts and resolves. I LOVE color, so wearing fewer is a total non-starter for me. But that's preference, and it's a good idea for people who don't care so much.

The actions are problematic. Get rid of almost everything. Buy nothing. (Meanwhile wearing out the few clothes left.) Waiting slooowly (while existing clothes continue to wear out) for enough money to buy the Quality Items from then on.

Is such a purge necessary before quitting shopping? Surely it would make more sense to do the initial clear-out, then stop shopping and SYC, before another stricter clean. Must you hack your budget before buying only expensive items? That's asking a lot of anyone's discipline. And what about wardrobe holes that emerge in the cleaning process? I feel there's a critical mass point in the minimal wardrobe where you've got sufficient happy, quality clothing (of course the hunt always continues); but that critical mass is going to take years to reach with this approach.

I may be taking this too literally, and I know I read with a raised eyebrow. C.S. Lewis once wrote that people who hate mystery books should not write reviews of mystery books, and I'm almost in that position! But I don't hate small closets or few clothes; I just think I see some logical difficulties. Maybe it's just a topic hard to describe in a short article.

General

19 replies

Latest reply was from approprio

Jenn

(website)

Veteran

I agree with a lot of this, especially the advice to "embrace the idea of one." I often make the mistake of thinking if I love something, it's a good idea to get a second, similar piece, and it almost never works out for me. For me, having one of something is often what makes it so useful.

On the other hand, I couldn't help thinking while reading this article that this read like advice written by a man for men. While some of the general ideas apply across the board, minimalism is a lot easier in the male fashion paradigm than the female one.

There's a branch of minimalism that advocates stripping down to the basics before embarking on a path of less. I understand the appeal of that, but I don't think it's for everyone. There's something to be said for simply choosing to enjoy what you have without adding to it.

Elly

Veteran

I didn't read it the way you read it. To me he says:
Figure out how much you really need/want (shoes that serve the same purpose in 4 colors? multiples of items you only use a few times a year?)
1. Purge the stuff that isn't right for you.
2. Purge the stuff next that you never wear (using the hanger trick, which necessitates a period with which to try that out)
3. Make sure you don't have money to shop just to shop-- budget for mindfulness of purchasing
4. Purchase high quality items that you need/will use regularly whenever possible

From personal experience purging stuff you don't like because it is uncomfortable, unflattering, not quite right is important. Nowhere does he say you can't go buy a pair of black leggings if you purge yours (that you wear regularly) because they shrunk. The idea is not to make you "clothes-less" but to make sure you concentrate your buying on finding the right items that you will wear day in and day out. By not having "essentials" or keeping only the ones you desperately need to make outfits you know that your money is going to go to finding replacements for those pieces that you know you'll wear. Purging the stuff you never wear helps clarify your lifestyle, the colors you prefer, and reinforces the idea of not buying too many multiples-- all important lessons when it comes to building a wardrobe. Overall, purging helps you identify true wardrobe holes and also puts each of your pieces through the wringer, which highlights the importance of quality.

When I came to YLF I was afraid to do this. I had very few everyday clothes, a low budget, and a closet full of all the things from the past 6 or so years that didn't get worn enough to wear out. Because of my low budget I was afraid I would end up inappropriately dressed for some important situation or just run out of clothes. I started eliminating everything that wasn't right that I didn't need. It took me some time to let some things go because of the fear. Eventually I replaced my interview and funeral clothes, then bought some jeans and new tees. After I had my essentials down I was able to let more go. I saved my budget and slowly started adding pieces that I knew I would wear. I shop "cheap" but allow myself to buy quality when it matters or when I can't find needs in the bottom of the price range. Suddenly I was more mindful of what I'd actually wear and what fit better with my personal style. I let go of more things I was saving just-in-case. My wardrobe is extremely small, so at this point I'm building it up a bit. Clothes wear out a lot-- which could be a sign about the quality, but I also have to wash clothes a lot more than I would like, which means for me I need to build. That said, all of the mindfulness is still with me-- I'm picky! I make fewer shopping mistakes.

As for waste, my clothes in good shape go to consignment, exchanges, or thrift shops. Clothes in bad shape become rags (we have a specific problem in our house that requires lots of clean cotton disposable rags) or goes to rag sellers or paper making recycling. Towels and sheets and blankets go to animal shelters. Our total textile waste in our household is probably less than 10 pounds of rags used for our two trash purposes (flammable paint and flammable cleaning solvents).

I think that my last "hangers-on" are my button downs, my dress shoes, and two pencil skirts. I need to replace the dress shoes ASAP and then will purge my old pair that is not comfortable enough. Eventually I need to give up on button downs or replace 3 with one that is no-iron. I need to take the two skirts to the tailor's and ask if he can fix the problem on either of them, then pay for that alteration and purge the other skirt.

Anonymous

re: "

Is such a purge necessary before quitting shopping?"

I think it is only necessary if you have a whole bunch of things you don't like or don't wear, or if you simply don't have enough room to house all your clothes.

The dark side of minimalism is over-purging (I learned about this on this site! Thank you!). Over-purging is when you get rid of things because they're not quite perfect. It is this quest for wardrobe perfection that is not healthy, and actually leads you to buy MORE stuff.

If I'm being honest with myself, I think I've been over-purging a bit.

Elly

Veteran

PS-- I hate the word "perfect".

Stephanie

Elly pretty much covered my feelings - the whole reason I got into shopping less/purging a TON of my existing wardrobe was because I started focusing last August on paying off all my student loan debt. That meant a year of really rethinking my priorities and it helped me stop my over shopping habit.

But, like smittie, I think I've definitely over-purged (thank you for putting a name to my problem). I have kind of gotten TOO into the idea of less/better quality/wear what you love and sometimes it makes it really difficult for me to shop because I hold things to more rigid standards now. That's something I need to work on!

Finding the balance between shopping and finding new things for fun/enjoyment while maintaining a wardrobe of the best size for me (which I've found doesn't need to be very big, especially in my climate) has been a challenge. I think you can pick and choose ideas from minimalism and make them work for you. Many of the ideas of minimalism resonate with me, so I just kind of pick and choose what to adopt and then find the right balance for me. Something I'm still working on when it comes to clothes...but I definitely feel in a better place as of late.

plonkee

I think the advice about colours is good in the sense that you could stick to the colours that you really like. And then you would have a natural limit on your purchasing, and a wardrobe in your preferred colours.
The main flaw for me was in the beginning assumption that your wardrobe is so big that you can't have holes. I don't think this is true. I also don't think that just having one in category always works. I tend to this for lots of things such as one winter coat and one watch. But it still works better in a purely practical sense if I have two pairs of everyday shoes, or two hats, or two pairs of gloves. And having too few scarves makes me actively unhappy.

JAileen

Veteran

The article was interesting. Thank you for posting the link. Some of his points I agree with and others I don't.

Recently I decided to simplify the colors in my wardrobe. Going forward I only wanted to buy grey, blue and olive green. Since this is self imposed, I can change this any time. For me, the key is "going forward". I may not be buying red or orange, but I still have it and may wear it or not. After a time I may decide to purge the red or orange, for example. I decided to do this so to simplify making outfits. On a trip we took last winter, this point was made obvious, and it was very easy packing. I loved it.

I also take everything to a thrift store. Everything gets recycled. I volunteer there and have personally sold my own discards, and also seen them worn by others. I'm happy they have been given a new life.

Until recently I was an avid thrifter. Lately, I haven't found anything. Is this because the quality is lower or because I'm becoming pickier? I don't know. I bought and returned lots and lots of things from retail stores this year. In my defense, it was nearly all mail order. I told a SA at one store if they had a bigger selection in store I wouldn't have had to do that.

Regarding only buying one: I don't do this. In things like tees I buy several because I only do laundry once a week. If it's hot I need seven sleeveless tops. If it's cold I need seven long sleeve tees, or turtlenecks.

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

I read this article when it was in the links, too, and all the comments, some of which disagreed quite strongly. I actually think his advice is pretty good, if clothes stress you out and you just don't want to worry about them ever again. I do think there are social consequences to that choice, including not always being appropriately dressed for any particular occasion.

Sometimes I think that people go too far from one extreme to another. Ok, Americans have a lot of stuff, maybe too much. So get rid of almost everything you own! Purge it all and get down to only 100 items in your house, or whatever that blog was a few years ago. Only have 33 items in your closet! But presumably you haven't changed anything else about your life, like your job, stress levels, or hobbies, so you are going to tend to fall into the same habits as before, which might include mindless consumption. You get the energy rush from a dramatic purge, and then you have to do it again in a year or five.

Maybe the better solution, for both wardrobes and mental health, is to figure out what you really like and need, consider lifestyle changes so that your life matches your priorities, and make reasonable decisions when faced with purchasing options. But that isn't sexy enough on a tabloid headline or a blog post title.

LaPed

Veteran

"Laundry days would be easier (not necessarily less, but definitely easier)."

Ha! That laundry comment is definitely a guy thing to say. DH is a natural minimalist, especially with his wardrobe -- but I'm the one who does his laundry twice a week... I actually just bought him 6 pairs of new underwear and 2 new t-shirts because I'm so tired of him asking where "all" of his clothes are.

And yes -- I've found that having a very small wardrobe actually means I shop *more* because when something tears/stains/shrinks it leaves a bigger hole in my wardrobe. If you only have *one* of each thing, you're setting yourself up for a mini-crisis when that *one thing* fails on you, and you're more likely to pay full price out of desperation, rather than browsing thrift stores or waiting for a good discount. Of course, I have a toddler and a dog, so maybe I'm rougher on my clothes than others!

Beth Ann

Veteran

It seems as if, in an effort to address culture-wide overconsumption, we have entered an epicurean moment. But the hipster epicure, with a highly curated life, can be as much in bondage as the over-shopper. This is why I appreciate Angie's approach so much. She enjoys finding new, fresh items, and uses them to restyle and continue her enjoyment of old standbys. She has a sense of plenty, but does little edits all the time to keep her wardrobe a manageable size. She shops her budget, and takes good care of her things, but she remembers that clothing can be both functional and fun.

Laurinda

Veteran

If it works for you great, but none of the reasons given make sense for me.

Consider for just a moment how your life would look different if you owned fewer clothes . . .

These points are valid for BUYING less, but not necessarily OWNING less.

Could be I just got ticked off at the wear fewer colors decree.
Nope, I like my color variety, it makes me happy and I wear them with joy.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

What Beth Ann said.

I love moderation.

If that is boring, so be it.

Anonymous

This article really resonated with me. Out of necessity I already don't shop often, and when I do, I don't spend much. I used to have so much frustration with owning too many items that were dissimilar and not having or wanting to find the time to figure out that "this shirt only looks good with this skirt" as the case was for many things I owned. I've found that over time, cutting out a lot of color from my wardrobe makes things simpler and therefor much less frustrating and stressful.

Anonymous

I finally got around to reading the link posted - and I have to say how happy I am I did. I've bookmarked his site to make sure I look at it every week or so. I really struggle with the overconsumption/consumering/owning too much stuff dilemma ALL THE TIME. I want to want to make the commitment to minimalism - yes, I meant to type that many "want to's" - and I suppose because I haven't taken a stance quite yet, maybe I'm not really ready. I get easily overwhelmed by too much of anything - and would love to jump to the end of the process and have a perfect, minimal , gorgeous wardrobe. I run into trouble when I try to participate in the trend of the season (i was just going to write a separate post on that) and get all caught up in trying to find that piece, and the boots, shoes, blouse, jacket, whatever to go with it. That whole process is what derails me every time. If I stick to my own style sense, I'm fine. Anyways - I do agree with him, although I did blanch when he suggested owning only one winter coat. I actually laughed out loud here in my office at that one

Sadie

Have been binge-watching Frankie and Grace on Netflix and I have to say I love Grace's wardrobe- mostly black, white, and grey with a few pastel accent pieces (wraps, cardigans). I'll bet she ascribes to this aesthetic!

Sal

Veteran

I read this blog and he makes a lot of good points. What I say below is more a general statement about my view on minimalism rather than his blog or article.

When it comes to clothes I think there are differences between:

purchasing less
owning less

And then:

purchasing less new items
purchasing less overall

I know minimalism can encompass:

environmental factors
financial/budgeting aspects
a simplicity/decluttering of the mind or your daily routine and life
an aesthetic

And I think it is good to be clear which one of these you are focusing on.

To me the first factor is the most important. Consuming less or consuming carefully means that we place less stress on the environment now and into the future. This holds true for us all.

For some of us financial aspects can be important, if we are spending beyond our means. But spending does mean sharing wealth, and creating income. And spending less can mean compromises on ethics, quality etc..so whilst it may be worthy, it is more complex than that. Spending less may or may not be worthy.

If too much clutters your mind, then cutting back or taking a minimalist approach is a good idea. But other people gain joy from photos or old books or souveneirs, and once you have bought them....they are not instinsically bad.

And the aesthetic is purely a preference. I can have a minimalist house or wardrobe that has been built off unsustainable processes. And to create this aesthetic often means removing the clutter that you have and replacing it with shiny new things. I love the minimalist aesthetic but I love the quirky colourful junk shop one too.

For me to create a minimalist home or wardrobe for example would mean getting rid of many items and replacing them with other new ones. That does not seem ideal. If I was to only have one winter coat for example none of my current ones would be suitable (one is 15 years old, purchased new, two are two years old, purchased new, and one is a vintage hand me down). One coat would mean getting a black smart long line puffer that could work for all scenarios. That is okay - but it is not intrinsically better than my four older ones that I have already purchased.

I don't think you can purchase your way to Minimalism.

Jeanie

Veteran

I've never really aspired to be a minimalist with my clothing but after an experience with pantry moths (yes, pantry months!) I am thinking a bit more about it. One day I discovered pantry moths had infested my kitchen cupboards. I had to throw out everything that wasn't in cans. It was about 6 kitchen garbage cans of food! I felt sick to have to throw away so much. Then I had to clean all the cupboards and I was hesitant to buy much. When I did buy something I put it in a mason jar or a plastic container. Then I realized that what I ended up with was a cupboard of things I loved all in cute containers! All that stuff I got rid of I don't miss. All that food was filling the cupboards so full I could barely see what was in there. Now I can see in my cupboards and I love everything in there! It has made cooking and shopping easier. There was something a bit altering about the experience that has me looking at my closet and just wondering what it would be like to take everything out and start over. I'm not sure if getting rid of so many things is minimalism. Then how do you pick going forward? I think it may have take me 10 pairs of jeans to find 2 that I really like. And the coats, like others have said, well that would be difficult because it seems like you really needs different coats for different occasions.

Jules

Veteran

I used to very minimal. One winter coat, one purse year-round until it wore out, very minimal clothing and underpinnings. It caused me great stress and morning tears. And when I needed something new, it was almost an emergency, causing me to make poor buying decisions out of desperation. Part of the perceived desperation was because I was rarely in stores so I didn't have a sense of what was available. Not having clothes and not shopping led to a scarcity model.
I do find it helpful to simplify around colour, silhouette and pant length/heel height. In terms of colour, this doesn't mean more neutrals so much as picking colours I like that are also in style/currently available and building palettes and capsules around them. If you get stuck on a certain colour or neutral you might find yourself quite short of options some seasons. Interestingly. along the way I found I enjoy neutrals more than I thought - but not all black, more interesting combinations of neutrals. So again, not simplification per se.

approprio

(website)

Veteran

I think minimalism is overrated as a route to sustainability. I personally find larger closet more sustainable than a minimal closet because:

seasonal capsules stocked with favourites mean that things get benched for a few months then feel new again when they come back into service. Ergo: less boredom and less shopping.
rotation of shoes and clothing means they have time to air out and last for more wears.
a wide variety of garments means plenty of styling options when the new season comes around.

By contrast, the danger of the minimal approach is that it can lead to boredom and churn. Or it would for me, at least.