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not a minimalist

MuseumGal

Veteran

I just tabulated what I wore in November and December:

9 pair pants
3 layering camis or tanks
26 Tops
13 toppers

for a total of 51 items of clothing.

Add in 17 pair of shoes/boots, 8 coats, 3 purses, and 1 briefcase, and that's 80 items. If I counted scarves and jewelry it would be well over 100 items for just 2 months.

Huh. I guess I need to rethink this idea that I'm trying to curate a small wardrobe. Yes I'm trying to curate a smaller wardrobe than I currently have, but it seems I'm not one of these people who would be happy with 33 items for 3 months - although I did a 333 last Jan-March (before I was on the forum) and found it hugely useful and a big learning experience.

I used to be able to pack my entire life into my GeoMetro. I took great comfort in the idea that I could be out of here in a couple of hours and never have to look back. (Why yes, I am a military brat.) My, how things have changed!

It's amazing how much I'm learning about myself through my wardrobe! How about you? What has your wardrobe taught you lately?

Dressing

20 replies

Latest reply was from

MsMary

Veteran

Oh, wow! What a fun exercise! I'm totally going to do this.

Be right back!

MsMary

Veteran

Back! Wow! So far just January 2 through January 17 I have worn 80 different items of clothing, including shoes (1 pair = 1 item), bags, scarves, skirts, tops, dresses, toppers. NOT counting jewelry or sunglasses.

That's an average of 5 unique items per day.

No wonder my closet is full to bursting!

Oh, and lately my wardrobe has taught me that I am not the most original person on the planet, but that I love love LOVE to copy outfits from Pinterest and elsewhere and make them my own. EIGHT copycat outfits out of 17 total so far in January!

I've decided to just roll with that. Why reinvent the wheel every day when I can focus on fancy hubcaps instead, you know?

Alexandra

(website)

Veteran

It sounds like your wardrobe would still fit into a couple of moving boxes. I like to keep my wardrobe small because I don't like sending it with our household goods. I prefer it all in my travel bags so I'm not parting with things for two months every time we move. Except for shoes - I let the movers take my shoe boxes.

My wardrobe lately has shown me that I rely far too much on a few favorite outfits and maybe it's time to make a few new things to add into the rotation.

deb

Veteran

I will have to do this another month. I have been sick for 10 days and I do not think jammies should count.

Suja

Veteran

What a great topic. I am in the process of figuring out how big a wardrobe I want to have. Closet space and laundry/dry cleaning schedules are practical considerations but for me there is another factor I think of as "mental space." I only have so much mental space before I start forgetting about items and my clothes actually start holding me back from evolving my look. I think the mental space I have varies by item, I can keep track of skirts better than pants, probably because I like them better. Although I would like to downsize some parts of my wardrobe to free up mental space, I'm still grappling with what the ideal size for me is.

Mo

(website)

Veteran

that's funny - I have 80 items with me here in FL, not including my bag or 2 hats or 2 scarves, or belts. I have worn most, but not all in the last 4 1/2 months. Several dresses, nude pumps, a sequin tank, and 2 long sleeves remain unworn.
I realized long ago I have the project 333 wardrobe, amount wise, but I refuse to limit my 132 items to quarterly wear. Why? I own the same amount either way, whether I hide 3/4 of it at a time or not. Why not play with it all, year round?! Fun!

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

I don't have specific stats but I am likely somewhere in the middle between Mary's numbers and yours, MG. I have found that I get stressed and guilty when my wardrobe gets too big, but that's usually dictated by how much storage space I have more than any particular number. While I'm doing one in, one out this year I am aiming for about a dozen items in each particular category, which so far has been about right for me. I don't think there's something magical about that number or anything, just that 10-12 jeans, 10-12 skirts, 10-12 seasonally appropriate tops, gives me enough to feel like I'm not restricted, but everything fits in my drawers and my closet. Compared to folks like Alexandra, I'm a hoarder.

Isabel

Veteran

LOVE your post. The whole minimalist thing really intrigues me. And I have spent the last 2 years trying to do the Project 33 thing. Then after reading a bit on minimalism, I learned this : it isn't about the number, it is about what you use and that each thing brings value into your life.

Sounds to me that you have achieved that ! : )

E

Veteran

Yep, I'm not a wardrobe minimalist either. In a lot of areas of my life, I'm more than happy to have the minimum necessary, but when it comes to clothes, I love mixing things too much: I want different texture and colours and silhouettes and to dress to match my mood. When I travel, I pack light (carry on backpack and I aim for 11 lbs or less), and of course it works fine. But I'm always happy to come home to my far more extensive closet. I do think it'd be interesting to figure out my 'minimum' numbers that also reflects my desire for texture and colour...as I'm moving this year, I might have to downsize, and it would be a handy piece of perspective. Perhaps.

ETA: I think of myself as an 'enough-ist,' but joining the forum has made me realise my wardrobe is really more than enough. So I don't feel a huge desire to add to it, except for with 'perfect' pieces, which will probably have to be made by me rather than stumbled across in a thrift store. Although that doesn't stop me checking the thrift stores just in case! hehe

Mellllls

Veteran

What an interesting challenge. I will need to count my items that I have worn!!

TraceyLiz65

(website)

Veteran

I am definitely more like Maryk and don't wish to count, but know and fully embrace that I am not a minimalist and would be bored too easily, so owning my Maximalist style! This is an interesting challenge to count and may resort to that at another time for fun!

Lantana

Veteran

What my wardrobe has recently taught me:
I have ample clothes for my country-casual life.
I have no regrets over last year's purging, in fact I cannot remember what I chucked out.
I have spent enough time practising with thrift shop finds.
I am ready to embrace PPP wholeheartedly.
I need to shop in B&M stores so I get the fit right and use online for Pinterest and research, not buying.

This question is a good tool for defining style goals, thanks museumgal.

MuseumGal

Veteran

Lots of good thoughts here!

MaryK, I think your “copycat” outfits are original. Every single one of them has been better than the inspiration.

Alexandra, my wardrobe is still dismayingly large – the Nov/Dec stuff represents maybe half of my winter things. I also have an enormous summer wardrobe! Your wardrobe is fabulously inspiring.

Suja and Laura I know what you mean. I have about a dozen pair of winter pants and another dozen of summer pants, and that seems to be about the right number for me to be aware of, wear, and not get tired of. But I have truckloads more tops, which means I haven’t actually got the
faintest idea what there is …

Deb, Mellllls, TracyLiz65 I definitely encourage you to try it when you have the time.

Mo, I “hide” about half my wardrobe; our seasons are so pronounced in OK, that I genuinely can’t wear the 100F+ stuff November through April, nor the cold stuff April through October.

Isabel, hmm, if my wardrobe only consisted of things that bring value to my life … what a concept, I shall to think about this more. Of course “not being naked” has value too …

E, I am in a similar situation – I now have tons of clothes, but so much of it is “make-do” stuff. From now on, everything that comes in I think must be perfect, and yes, I anticipate that means I’ve got to really up my sewing game (after the Dis) - which I'm quite looking forward to.

Lantana, I’m so glad you found it useful. It sounds like you’ve come a long way in making your wardrobe work for you!

Even though I'm clearly not a minimalist, I'm not a maximalist either. While I'm OK with having some things that don't much use (for instance I have a small funeral capsule that I would love to get no wear what-so-ever), I think I'd like about 75% of my wardrobe to be in regular use. Of course defining "regular" is an ongoing issue - once a month? twice a month? twelve times a season? etc ...

Isabel

Veteran

MG , LOL, yes, not being naked is a huge plus !!! If the items are useful and add joy, then that is valuable.

E

Veteran

Oh I wouldn't say most of my closet is 'make-do'! I love the vast majority & most of it fits me quite well too. I just meant since I already own so many clothes that I love, it's only worth adding new things if they're perfect! I've decided to do 1 in, 1 out, so essentially anything I thrift this year has to be an upgrade anyway.

I agree the tricky part is defining 'regular' use. I rarely play favourites and wear most of my wardrobe fairly evenly. But it's big enough that this still means most things don't get a lot of repetition. I don't see the point of culling things for the sake of culling, if they make me happy, but it is something to be mindful about with future buying.

Mo

(website)

Veteran

I must be a bit different in wanting to see all my stuff, no matter the season. That goes both ways: sandals on display when it's -16 in Tahoe and Frye boots and cords cozied right up by the short shorts and tanks here in FL sweltering summer heat. Guess I just like to have it all there to pick from and look at, and mostly, organized year round without need for shifting and changing (that's likely mostly it - OCD need for organization )

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

I think it's worth thinking about why so many of us find the idea of a minimalist wardrobe appealing but when we try to put it in practice it just doesn't work for our lifestyle or our personality. I mean, excess materialism might be a problem in today's world, but liking to have a few clothes surely isn't the worst thing that happens everyday. I would say that for me, at least, sometimes it's guilt about wanting to have things but not feeling like I deserve them or like I'm taking up more space than someone else.

It could also be an artistic, aesthetic thing, in which case my Calvinist guilt is not as relevant.

Sara L.

Veteran

I learned when I was pregnant and my wardrobe severely limited, especially in the later months, that I can get by on a limited wardrobe, but I don't really like it. I prefer to have more options so I don't have to think about my outfits quite so much (Shirt A only goes with those two pants and if I wear them with other tops, than shirt A can't be worn this week, etc). However, I feel I have a larger wardrobe than I need so I have been slowly whittling down the amount of items. I think pants, skirts and dresses are at a good number. It's reducing the amount of tops that I need to work on.

Thistle

Veteran

My wardrobe has taught me that clothing, like much else in my life, makes me happier when it is neat, tidy and organized. I like simplicity, quality and streamlined looks. While I tried to buck this trend when I first started YLF, I am right back to it. It just makes me happier and feels more me.

I have also learned that my jewelry is sentamental to me. I use it to carry a little reminder of those who love me. Almost every piece I wear is either a gift from someone or was purchased as something special (like my Movodo watch when a large windfall from work came my way).

Anonymous

Thistle- I think you are my wardrobe twin. my thoughts exactly! Every piece of jewelry as meaning- and unlike my clothes, my jewelry goes back over more than 4 decades!