Maybe one way of looking at it would be to ask how long it takes you to get to your 30 wear mark, since you do keep such excellent records.
I would say, if an item takes a season only to get to 30 wears, it's fabulous (and maybe you need to duplicate!)
If an item takes from 3-5 years to get to that point, that's a good average. (In the years that I did counts, that was my average figure except for workhorse items (1-2 seasons to 30) and the (sob) fails...)
Many items that have been worn between 30 and 60 times will be showing considerable wear or -- if we are honest -- will not be fitting as they should any more. Summer tops in particular tend to wear out quickly. But bags, some high quality footwear worn for dressier events only, and well made jeans, coats, or any item that we baby will last considerably longer. Tailored wovens will look good and last longer than most knits -- so I always pay special attention to the knits.)
If it is older than 5 years and it has fewer that 30 wears, why? And why hold on just for the sake of making 30 wears?
My attitude about retirements is (I think) a bit different than yours. When I make a purchase, I definitely think about how often I might expect to wear the item, and I try not to buy items I don't think I will wear a lot -- with some exceptions for dressy or very unusual items, which I don't wear a lot, but stil genuinely need in my closet.
My thinking when I am editing is more on the lines of: why am I not wearing this? will I wear it? Honestly? Did I wear it a lot for its first two years in my closet and now, hardly at all? Do I have something I like better or reach for more often?
There is no shame, ultimately, in admitting we made a mistake or something didn't work out as we'd hoped. Or admitting that we have tired of something after 25 wears or so. And if we donate while the item is current and in good shape, someone else will love it. Whereas if we wait too long, or wear it into the ground (while disliking it and feeling unfab in it!) it is much more likely to end up in landfill. I do understand the environmental concerns but at the same time, we're not saving the planet by leaving unworn things in our closet. We're just feeling guilty. You have already made the very big change towards buying for your real needs and not overbuying. Maybe you can forgive yourself for not always living up exactly to the letter of your resolution. You are living up to the spirit of it!
Of course that doesn't help you let go of items you still enjoy but perhaps don't wear all that often any more. Which is where you and I both are, I think.
There are some items I just really love, that are not worn out, but that I know I will not wear for the foreseeable future. I keep a few of those in a holding zone in case the styles circle back soon. It's rare -- it has to be a very special item to get this treatment. But I have the storage space, so why not. My J. Crew plaid slim pants are an example. I wore them steadily in the winters between 2019 and 2022 and then needed a break. My J. Crew culottes are another (2016). My Elie Tahari taupe suit (2014) is another example. These are all exceptionally well made items that I did wear quite a lot when new (or new-ish) but I don't wear now. They still fit and I still love them. The red pants and the culottes and the jacket from the suit have all had more than 30 wears each. But they look like new. So I will hang on but put away.
