Joy, getting back to your reply- yes changing sizes is a big issue for many of us. Regarding your holding zone I would keep some of the slightly larger pants for a while.
I think you make more “rules” for yourself than many of us, by limiting colours you wear at certain times of year, and that could make your wardrobe larger than it really needs to be, I wonder? It might make your dressing more interesting to yourself but add to the numbers? So you could streamline that way?
You’re going to be looking at gamine style more anyway, so that could start an editing strategy as well.

Helena, and Dee, thank you for your thoughtful contributions. I will view the numbers in a more general way as you suggest Helena, I think Star is going to do the same. I feel I needed over half of the purchases I made, maybe not all the tops, so that could be a category where I could look to edit out any getting tired.

Peri, thank you! I loved your reply! I agree that people do mostly seem to mean one-in, one-out literally. And that I don’t want to get rid of something I like just for the sake of it. That seems wasteful as well and adding to unnecessary fashion churn. So it’s more the fear of the wardrobe growing bigger than I feel I can manage I suppose. And these days liking more of it overall than the earlier years so finding it hard to decide when something should maybe go.

This has been such an interesting discussion! I'm glad you've found your way to a happy place with your wardrobe, JenniNZ -- both in terms of numbers and in terms of size.

I agree with others that it might be worth letting your numbers creep up a bit and see if it still feels manageable. I'm with you on not liking a strict one-in-one-out (partly because I tend to try to "game the system" by holding on to things that aren't really working so that I'll have something to get rid of if I want something new!).

I also wonder if it would be worth pondering a bit the psychology behind your purchases last year. Were you feeling a need for novelty? Enjoying the process/ritual of shopping? Etc. No wrong answers and no shame attached (a tough task for the likes of us, I know) -- just interesting data for awareness. But, as you say you felt that many of the items represented a real need...so maybe psychology wasn't really at play. I look forward to seeing how things develop this year!

Suz, and Angie, thank you! I know, Angie, you’re right- I can’t keep adding without editing and expect the numbers to stay the same!
I might need to make more use of a holding zone as Suz suggests. For things like the faux fur vest that I haven’t felt like wearing for 2-3 years yet believe I will fall in love with again in the future. At this stage it hangs in my active wardrobe unworn. It had at least 60 wears in the past so it was very much a favourite earlier. I am not as constrained for space as you Angie.

Suz again, Jaime, and Helen247- yes the “rules” I have made for myself could be a double-edged sword I suppose- like trying to wear things 30 times, and you made me laugh Suz by saying their hanging unworn in my closet didn’t help save the planet! I have to agree with that!
I checked my lists again- some items that haven’t reached 30 wears in over 5 years are the really dressy things. Like the pic below, this amazing beaded Art Deco style top was last worn for my husband’s James Bond 60th party in October 2020, and not since. It was expensive in 2014 and hasn’t had many wears. But for a fancy party, it could be perfect and I would be sad to be without it as an option. Many of my older dresses have not reached 30 either but have reached around 20. I just don’t wear dresses much, have started trying to wear some to work if the weather is suitable. I’m also trying to not buy dresses, have not bought one for over a year since the one bought in advance for the Canadian wedding which I enjoyed wearing. I wore my red dress on Christmas Day- etc.
Overall the percentage of items with over 30 wears already is way, way better than when I joined the forum. I’ll take that as a win!

SarahD8, thank you. Some of the psychology of purchasing is boredom I think, because I buy a lot less than I once did when it was 30-40 items a year often. The pull of the new… (or even new-to-me)- think I need to thrift more! Jaime would be happy