JAIleen - now that is a signature style indeed. Good you figured out your preference.

Angie - I got one fancy skirt I was holding off on a bit, but wore it recently for the most mundane thing. That’s also why I decided to wear my velvet skirt year round. I totally realize that is not what everyone would do. I can do it because it’s actually lightweight.

I am trying to only purchase items I will wear right now, at home.

With regards to the leather skirt you mention in your original post, it seems different enough from your other skirts to warrant trying. A washable leather might be hard to wear in your climate, but you will not truly know until you feel the fabric and think about it in practice. Furthermore, you wear skirts a lot. They are part of your integral style.

What a fun and thought-provoking question! I'm one of the many who duplicate too much. I tend to have very specific wardrobe needs and holes, and I don't easily find what I need. When I do, there's a very powerful urge to duplicate out of both pleasure at finding something good, and fear that I will never find something as good again.

Sometimes this doesn't work out. For me, it's mostly with color: Once I found a great cardigan in an unusual shape, so I got all of the colors I liked. But only one color got significant use. The remaining colors were ones that I was rarely able to use in outfits. This was a great lesson, and I'm now very careful about colors. Just because a color is gorgeous doesn't mean I will be able to wear it much. This is extra important for skirts, since like delurked said, statement skirts are tricky.

I duplicate more freely in dresses. A dress is an outfit-in-one, so if I like the color and cut, I will wear it. No worry about what to put with it! But even then, too much duplication - or over-wearing - can have the opposite effect. I'll feel like I'm wearing the same thing every other day, even though the color is different.

My dear delurked:

"I got one fancy skirt I was holding off on a bit, but wore it recently for the most mundane thing. That’s also why I decided to wear my velvet skirt year round. I totally realize that is not what everyone would do. I can do it because it’s actually lightweight"

This is DYOT! Carry on please

I always think I have enough until the next time I see something! I like to have just enough for variety but not so much that I can’t wear it often enough. I love pleated skirts and so have several skirts - each special in its own way. I’ve just invested in some woolly jumpers because I couldn’t face not having any real shopping for 4 weeks. And I couldn’t comply with any more rules of mine because there are too many other rules! So I’m DYOT.

I have to add that I am also loving pleated skirts and those 3 are sitting in my cart. But I don’t need them and trying to resist.

Sterling - I agree this skirt is different than my others just by virtue of the fabrication. It is mostly going to depend on the weight and how warm it feels. And if I can lay in it comfortably. I am inclined to give it a try.

Ginger - I totally understand your thoughts. The color is important, and I’ve also duplicated colors only to favor one quite significantly. And it is nice to find a dress that can be worn in multiple colors if it meets all your needs.

Thanks Angie. I’m definitely down with DYOT.

Jane - I can see that pleated skirts would work nicely on you.

I know many think that pleated skirts are only for a certain body shape, but I think the right ones can be worn for all different heights, body shapes, and such. Just my opinion though. One has to feel good in something to have it suit.

Anchie - those are pretty. The first is very distinctive, and would definitely need the right top. I’ve also considered a silver pleated skirt before, but not taken the plunge. And the third is a popular color right now, but does not sing to me. I’m sure you will make the right decisions for you. Sometimes that means holding off, and sometimes it may mean proceeding if it’s something special to you.

What Janet said, especially when I was working. I just assumed I needed more of items and would duplicate styles, in other colors, or similar styles.
Then in the firsts months of pandemic
I was in spring & summer casual wear and it was tempting to think I needed lots of those items. But it soon became evident that it was hard to even wear what I had. All of my casual items are washable and I had time to do laundry. Plus I turned up more ways to wear what I had, or that I preferred certain items and knew if I got more I would just “ split wears”.

Oh, I love those pleated skirts and believe it or not, don't own a single one. Mainly because I have found, like you, that not all pleated skirts are made equal -- the pleats have to be done just so or they are girth expanding.

Having said that, I absolutely LOVE that you are wearing your velvet one all the time.

And I worry a wee bit that faux leather won't cut it because it will be too hot and also lack the "swish" factor. But I must admit, the idea intrigues, from a texture-in-the-outfit standpoint. Hmmm.

I would LOVE a silver pleated skirt. But skirts are mainly summer wear for me, so I'm not sure I will spring for it.

Meanwhile...on the question of duplication, I have enjoyed everyone's thoughts. I do duplicate, yes...fairly often in fact, -- mainly of wardrobe essentials in my key neutrals. But also, ahem, statement booties.

It is knowing yourself isn't it, and what is true to your style. I think it is fab to wear a pleated skirt that is velvet casually, I do think the great thing about these skirts is that they dress up and dress down.

I think I don’t duplicate much any more , learning from previous times when I didn’t wear the second one as much. I have slowed my buying hugely in the past few years but especially this year. In 2020 I have bought 7 items, (6 new, one thrifted) and been given one other. This is the fewest for years. Busy trying to wear the rest from 2019 or earlier, and my tracking has shown me what not to buy, because I hardly wear the ones I have- skirts and dresses.
My last true duplication was March 2019, one olive and one ink, snakeskin pants. That was a huge success, I think because I had already bought the olive before and worn them out with 78 wears such that I relegated them to “old clothes” for farm trips or such.
The newer olive have 80 wears now and the new ink have 87 wears, both now looking a little tired and there are no more in the company, alas!

I don't own a single pleated skirt because I've never found one that suits me.

As for duplication, I have, very rarely, gone up to a duplication of three. I do look back and think it was too much because it diminishes overall wears, or the love doesn't last as long the total investment.

The thing that's worse for me is slightly related to duplication: I get something I like, and then six weeks later or whatever later, a better version of that item comes along and I cave in and get it anyway.

Unfrumped - there’s no question that the pandemic has adjusted what most people where, and made them think about how much they need.

Suz - I didn’t consider that the faux leather skirt may not flow well. That’s a good point. I definitely like your collection of booties.

Sal - yes, I think skirts lend themselves especially well to dressing up and down. In fact, often people think I’m dressier than I am just for having a skirt on.

Jenni - I think it’s good your tracking tells you clearly where to focus your attention and dollars.

UmmLila - that is frustrating when you get something and then watch something better come along. It’s a matter of finding satisfaction with what is already owned, or admit the first purchase was in fact a mistake.

If I have to order online, I will be very tempted to duplicate what I know works. Most of my present duplicates are footwear or EF pants, sweaters and the lantern dress. I have lots of Target cotton tanks because I wear them every day. I have the same colors in neutrals and other colors for some outfits. I have also duplicated the same bra in different colors because it is very hard to find my size, let alone in colors other than black and nude..

I find that I have an incredibly hard time predicting what will be useful in my closet. Sooo often I end up buying a crazy statement item....and then it becomes a workhorse. Then I sit down and figure out: what wardrobe problem is this solving for me? Usually it’s a problem I didn’t even know I had! And THEN I sometimes duplicate, in the sense of buying some other item that solves that same problem.

As with others, sometimes this works and sometimes not. Often I find I didn’t really need more than one “solution.”

The evidence is in - I am a duplicator!
I like to duplicate footwear because if a style is comfortable then I know I will wear it. Some items I have also duplicated if I really like it and the second colourway is even better than the first. Case in point - the black and white dress, the following year was released in lilac - which I prefer - so I bought the lilac too. All of these items have been good purchases and the plainer version worn as much as their statement counterparts - so for me duplicating is not an issue. Nike Air Max 97's are my go-to signature style sneaker!
My duplicates are in Finds.

I first didn't think a pleated skirt would work for the older me (for the reason of my apple tendencies) but was starved so long from having items in midi length (which were always flattering on me) that I gave in and bought a checkered one 2 yrs ago and never regret. Love has knife wide pleats, is tissue thin, non wrinkle fabric with elastic waist and pleats are smooth on the hips and only getting shape from there down.
I since bought this kind of skirt in many other vibes, dressy and casual, uni and some prints, velvet and mesh- and am delighted for always having one at hand for wearing it with sneakers, flat or block heel booties and sweaters/tees-so easy. It grown on me that even if will long looking dated I will probably be caught in them in my granny ages, too-as is the perfect fashionable way to hide ones legs if going stompier!:-)

Other than underwear and basic tees, I tend not to duplicate styles.

Your pleated skirts are beautiful, would love to find one for myself one day!

If you love them and wear them they can become a signature. I recently posted about my 15 grey turtleneck sweater!

I also have an unusually large number of fuschia/pink sheath dresses! There’s one more not pictured.....

Staysfit, that reminds me of one of my first posts on the forum, about all my blue dresses. I don’t think I’d ever noticed them in that way before, because they played so many different roles for me, so they were always in separate categories. I ditched about a third of these when we left Florida. Off the top of my head, I can think of posts about 3 of them. But as I mentioned earlier, it’s all a question of how you define what a thing is. Sal mentioned splitting categories once you get a certain number of something. https://youlookfab.com/welookf.....-obsession

I do it often, then get tired of the style. Looking at you party clothes: bell sleeves, tie dye, and loose asymmetric tunics. Right now I want the simplest lines possible, and quiet solid colors not prints. Where it does work for me is basics- I want them all on autopilot!

Bijou - that’s a nice assortment. Interesting how some duplicate exactly, and you have succeeded with different color ways. Extra love for the lilac handbag.

Lyn67 - so glad to hear you have a style that works in so many fabrications, plus goes from dressy to casual. I have been surprised by that too.

Minaminu- I’m learning we all need to figure out what works for our life, and there’s really a wide gamut to how much people duplicate.

Staysfit - you really rock a sheath dress but the dressy fuchsia one is especially stunning.

Suntiger - basics makes sense to me.

Thanks for the comments everyone. It’s fun to see where we are similar and different.