Math confusion (and set-aside piles) - YouLookFab Forum

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Math confusion (and set-aside piles)

Sisi

Veteran

I am doing a pre-report of my 2022 wardrobe, that is, how many clothes I have worn this year. Much to my dismay the number is high (81 in 9 months) compared with the good result of 2021 (67 in the whole year).
Thinking of it, I realized why this happened.
This year I have had sudden lacks in various clothes categories and being in emergency I went too often to pick things out from the set-aside pile. If they are in the set-aside pile it means that they are meh for some reason, and therefore I wore them once or twice and then discarded them again. But they contributed to increase the total number of clothes worn.
I am tempted to make a "fake" report removing the things worn only once or twice but that wouldn't be honest.
Ah, first world problem! Lesson learnt: keep the darn set-aside bin far from home! Don't go rummage in it, never!
Just to share ...

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16 replies

Latest reply was from Joy

Star

Veteran

I do that to Sisi, take something out the purge bin. But sometimes I realise that I can still make use of it or it just confirms it needs to go. Not such a bad habit. Do you ever feel like you want to keep something you thought you wanted to purge after giving it another outing?

Sisi

Veteran

Star, glad to know I am not the only one! Unfortunately I always have the confirm that the item must go. It's all shopping mistakes (wrong style, wrong size) or old battered pieces ...

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

I don’t understand why it’s a problem to wear more articles of clothing, especially if the alternative is putting an item that still has use for your closet into the waste stream. The one time I dipped a toe into tracking, I was told that wearing a small % of my wardrobe was a bad thing. I couldn’t get my head around that, so I dropped out

Bonnie

Veteran

Your post inspired me to count how many times I wore items in my wardrobe and I counted 101, not counting gear or accessories. I'm not sure what to think about it, I have been trying to reduce the number of items in my wardrobe and have not added many new things this year. Maybe 8 as opposed to usually adding 30+.

kkards

Veteran

I’m confused as to why you think this is a problem…. You needed something to wear to X event, you had a item in your possession that you wore to that event. Maybe it wasn’t something that you wear often, and maybe it wasn’t even something you love, but still it served a purpose. So what if last year you wore 67 pieces and this year you wore 87….if I’m reading this correctly it’s not that you bought more, it’s that you wore more of what you ready owned. Isn’t that a good thing?

SarahD8

Veteran

I am also curious about your goals, both for your wardrobe and for your set-aside pile!

It sounds as though you aim to have a minimal wardrobe with a small number of pieces, but I'm curious about the goal of *owning* a small number of pieces which is how I usually see it framed vs. *wearing* a small number of pieces as you are framing it here.

Also curious about what the purpose of the set-aside pile is. Maybe it is part of your process of paring down from a larger wardrobe to a minimal one? (So the goal of wearing few pieces would be confirmation that you can get by with a smaller wardrobe and thus let the set-aside pile go?)

I wonder if the items you wore from the set-aside pile yielded any insights into what needs your existing active wardrobe isn't meeting and what you might add instead to serve those purposes. And did wearing those set-aside items and being unhappy with them prompt you to move them out of your wardrobe altogether? (In that case it would seem like the extra items worn would be a good thing because your set-aside pile shrank?)

Runcarla

Veteran

I have between 80-90 items, and I wear/need them all in the span of a year - and I’m retired! I believe you’re still in the workforce and need to dress for different roles, right?

You can learn a lot by reviewing tracking data, and it can be a ‘fun’ exercise to ‘manage’ the closet - but beware of imposing some kind of arbitrary number on size that takes the fun out of it.

If you had to go to your holding zone to shop, it reveals a wardrobe hole in your active wardrobe capsule. Better to shop your holding zone then run to the shops!

Finds below are items that have chalked up 1-5 wears per year in the 3 years that I’ve been tracking - but I still love them, and need them in my closet!

View Info

View Info

View Info

Sal

Veteran

I know I won't be happy with a very small closet - and whilst I can see the appeal, I like a bit more variety.

Maybe you do too - each year brings different weather, different occasions and sometimes a change in mood or body can make some pieces feel better or worse.

Maybe thinking about why you were raiding the set aside pile - and if it was boredom with what you had, or a wardrobe hole.

I have been tracking my wears for four months now and I have worn 84 different pieces (scarves, clothes, shoes, belts - not my active wear). There are some pieces working very hard but one or two that have only been worn once or twice.....but sometimes they felt just right for that occasion.

Sisi

Veteran

Star, SF, Bonnie, kkards, Sarah, Runcarla, Sal - thank you for your comments.
I am afraid I created some confusion because I did not mention what is my main goal - keeping a small wardrobe (60-70 pieces) made possibly of all right pieces.
What I mean is that when I have a wardrobe hole I should either go shopping (but I hate shopping and therefore tend to put it off all the time) or make do with what I have.
Picking out wrong pieces from the set-aside/purge bin doesn't work. If I wear something that was discarded because it is wrong, it makes me feel wrong/unfab all day.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Ah! I wasn’t picking up that wearing those items made you feel bad. Agree that it is a problem. Thanks for explaining.

A shopping philosophy that has been emerging here lately is to look for something that fills the function of what you’re replacing, rather than the details of that piece. So instead of a lightweight long-sleeved navy mock T-neck, you could be open to any kind of “quiet” piece to ground your outfits in transitional weather, for example. I like that strategy because filtering a search for all those variables could bring up dozens of tops that are ok, but none that are great. Does that make it easier?

My strategy, as seen in my market posts, is not to look for anything, just grab what makes my heart skip a beat. If it checks all the boxes for fabrication, price, quality, etc. I try it on (the dress the other day had no price marked). If I like it, then think through my wardrobe; if it complements what’s there without duplicating (unless there’s a reason to need multiples), it comes home with me. For a small wardrobe, you could replace “complements” with that role-playing requirement.

kkards

Veteran

Got it, so question…if these pieces make you feel bad, why did you keep them instead of donating them? You might not like them, but someone else probably would

Dee

Veteran

It is difficult getting all the "right" pieces for a cohesive wardrobe all the time, especially if you're downsizing.
Dippng into your "set aside" pile just confirms the challenges of doing this but like others have said it may indicate a hole in your wardrobe that you weren't aware of.
This should help inform you of your next purchase which isnt a bad thing, its just a work in progress.

Sisi

Veteran

SF and Dee - thank you for your suggestions!
I am very picky and this makes shopping a nightmare-ish, frustrating experience. I like clothes in natural fabrics, cool colours, simple shapes. Not easy! I have learnt in the past that if I buy something "wrong" just to fill quickly a wardrobe hole (wrong colour or synthetic or anything that does not convince me - sort of "ok, let's settle, I'm tired of searching") I end up not wearing the piece and also feeling stupid for having bought.
But I recently saw a shop that seems to have what I like ... I will go perusing when I have some time.
Kkards - I do donate regularly clothes but I have some that, although wrong for me, are beautiful and very expensive. I would like to sell them to recuperate some money and feeling less guilty for the mistake. Have not found yet the time/energy to do so.

Jenni NZ

Veteran

Hi Sisi this is a great post. It moved me to count the unworn in 2022. I count 107 items of clothing and was rather surprised to see that 32 of those are unworn this year so far. So I have worn 75 clothing items this year. Actually counts as a small wardrobe I’d say?
Mostly dressy items are less worn- dresses and skirts.
Shoes I do less well and probably should ditch a few more. Makes me sad
I have also been trying hard to wear the unworn so if I hadn’t been it would be even worse.

Sisi

Veteran

Don't ditch your shoes Jenni! They are all beautiful, I like seeing them in your posts :). I think your wardrobe is perfect as is, you always have the right thing for the occasion. In my opinion the goal is to be happy with one's wardrobe, large or small. I am happy with few choices (quick outfit creation; sense of calm seeing a not crammed closet; satisfaction in amortizing the investment).

Joy

Veteran

I get into trouble when I purge out of season things. Weather changes from year to year. What you wear in a really hot dry summer will not be what you want for a cool, wet one. I have been slower getting rid of those donate boxes snd find myself reaching to wear something I did not wear at all the two years before. Keep what you love if it fits.