My numbers have grown again recently and I know that I definitely have more than I "need." But I think I am ok with that. I'm not very creative with my wardrobe....I would rather wear an item in just one way that I really like than to re-work it into a different outfit that is just ok. So that means that I prefer a larger number of pieces since each is used to create less outfits, if that makes sense. Also, I used to basically have one wardrobe since I could wear pretty much whatever I wanted to work, including jeans on a regular basis. For the last year and a half, I've had a more restrictive dress code and that means having work and a non-work wardrobes, though many pieces do double duty of course.
I've gotten much pickier about what I add to my closet. I don't have many orphans because my color palette is fairly tight and I tend to wear a limited number of silhouettes. And I try to buy better quality and nicer fabrics so that limits the number of pieces I can buy. But I admit that I like having new things each season. While I hold on to things for a few years, it's often the new pieces that I reach for first.
When I do counts, I don't include basics like sleepwear, swimwear or even workout wear (because I wear it strictly as gear.) I note the number of shoes and bags that I have but they are a separate count. "Wardrobe" to me means clothing that is for out and about wear.
I do fairly regular purges to remove the things that I don't wear. And I do a bigger edit at the change of seasons. It's easy to let go of the things that look worn or are fussy or just not comfortable. Finding a re-sale shop that supports women lets me feel good about the things that I donate.
