Number crunching and style musings= returns

I've been keeping track of what I wear for over a year now. I also track the number of wearings and cost per wear. It's been really eye opening to see in black and white how many times I truly wear an item vs just assuming that things get worn enough. Mo had a post on this same topic recently when she wrote about the number of dresses and skirts that she had vs the number of times that she wears them.I too have learned that I really do need to better limit the number of pieces I have in a particular category.

I've also recently noticed that I have a strong preference for simple dressing- a top, a bottom (usually pants or an occasional skirt), shoes and bag and done. I want either the top or the bottom to be interesting enough that I don't have to layer. To me, that means there is pattern, texture, shine, shape or some detail that makes it more than just a plain top or a plain pair of pants. And I don't want to have to struggle to make something work.

So, yesterday I decided to return 3 recent purchases- a structured white vest, navy linen pants, and a navy pleated midi skirt. They were all things that I thought I was keeping. They all fit fine and I certainly liked them. I probably would have worn all of them but not enough.

I tried a bunch of different tops with the skirt but only 1 or 2 looked ok. Too much effort to make it work! With the vest, I liked some of the looks I saw here with sleeveless tops. But I really don't wear sleeveless to work and I decided that if I am going to have a vest, I would prefer a more drapey one. And while I liked the linen pants, the track style (and the creases) made them a bit too casual for work so I decided that I just didn't need more casual summer pants since they don't get much wear. At $100, I decided the CPW would be rather high.

I've been talking about limiting the size of my wardrobe for quite some time but I also have added a lot of new items to it for the past year or so. So making the decision to return these 3 pieces feels like progress. Plus that's more $ available for NAS

11 years ago

Gracie

Veteran

Good solid analysis, Susie – I'm glad you returned the "less-than" pieces – NAS awaits.

(website)

Well done! I am coming to that same thought - I don't want to struggle to make ____ work - with many of my skirts. When a casual pant or short is soooo much easier, why am I struggling with skirt shapes that aren't quite right, don't work as well with my tops, have waistbands that are hard to layer over/under etc, etc, etc.??
I'm ditching 3 right off the bat when my Twice bag comes in the mail.
You're right - keeping track is very telling. Oh, and pics that you don't really enjoy the final outfit upon looking back. They help too lol.

Suz

Great thinking, Susie. (Especially the NAS part, LOL.)

In all seriousness, considering the amount of wears I'll actually get from an item has been very helpful to me, as well. I spend a lot more on my denim now -- I figure I might as well, since I wear it so often! Meanwhile, if I'm adding a new topper, I give that a lot of thought unless the style is very classic. Because it turns out I don't wear toppers as much as I thought or even as much as I might like -- and this has to do with lifestyle and weather -- two aspects of my life that are not going to change overnight.

This also makes me really careful about which trends I will embrace, and how. Unless I have the means to put a look together, if I'm considering something that I won't wear a whole lot, I tend to hold back now. Even if the item is priced low, the overall cost will not be low if I need to add half a dozen other items to make it work.

This sounds like a recipe for closet conservatism and I don't really mean it that way. If something makes me absolutely swoon, and I just know the trend was a made-in-heaven match for me, then I'll go for it, regardless.

Tanya

Excellent analysis and wise decision! I am sure NAS will reward you with some fab pieces.

rachylou

It's amazing how much one's satisfaction goes up when you eliminate nice things that, all the same, you're not that much into. I wonder if I even have one pair of shorts left...

cheryl

Sounds like some great decision making and its awesome to free up that money for something better!

Elizabeth P

Good thinking! I'm impressed. Wish I could be so disciplined...

unfrumped

Great post! I know what you mean. I'll think a new top or skirt or something is greate and then realize I already have other things and the new item does not add anything. Not only not a "10" but just doesn't really DO anything that something else does not.
I'm trying to really focus on either improvements (fit and function; wearability; versatility), or items that solve a problem--such as , shoes that make summery work outfits or that update trousers, or things that fill a wardrobe hole--the perfect belt for some outfits, the HEWI shoes for dressy occasions. That sort of thing.

deb

Good job! Isn't is amazing how we just assume automatically? Numbers on paper make it real. Yea for more $$ for NAS.

carter

Excellent job! I need to do much better wth this. I've bought quite a bit recently that I really love. I need to measure the rest of my cloest and future purchases by these things. Will you do more purging based on your tracking numbers? What else did you learn from tracking?

Alana in Canada

What is NAS?

shedev

NAS is the Norstrum anniversary sale.

Susie

Thanks, everyone, for the support! Though considering the sheer number of things I have bought so far this year, I'm not the role model of restraint

Carter, after a review of my first 6 months of tracking # of wears (Oct - Mar), I did purge several pieces. And just yesterday when I was gathering the returns I added a few more pieces to the purge pile. I really do make things earn a place now. In the past when purging, there were always some pieces that i just sort of passed over like 'oh that's fine' but I really never wore them. Now that I have proof that something isn't worn, i am more likely to let go of it. I would be thrilled to get to the point where I am purging things because they are actually worn out from too much wear!

I also know that I tend to strongly gravitate to wearing my new things. So if I limit the number of those and then wear the heck out of them, it's not too bad to be replacing them after a season or two.

Pree

Active Member

Great information and insight. How do you keep track of items worn?
I been keeping track of purchases and budget on Evernote.
I recently downloaded 2 apps to help me to track number of wears and cost per wear. It is enlightening. I have been using it for a few weeks and I have not bought anything since using it because I see how many overloaded items I have in certain categories.

I keep notes on what I wore in Evernote- each work week in a separate note and then one note to record weekends. I also keep a running list of my purchases with item, price, where I got it and the month. I like Evernote because I can access it from my iPad, iPhone and office PC.

On a spreadsheet I track the number of times I wear each item. I like Excel because I can get counts, totals and percentages. There I calculate cost per wear too. I also keep a page for my budget. Yes, kind of nerdy

Ledonna N.

Wow, I bow down to that type of commitment to understanding and tracking what you wear and the reasoning behind it. The nice vs the preference and the emotion behind each.

Lisa

I always enjoy analyzing a closet. I learned a lot about tracking CPW. I will spend more on denim because I wear it often. I'll spend less on trends I want to test out.

Good focus on wearing the newer items. I think Mo had a good post on asking what is the new item going to replace. As in, if I'm going to wear this now, what item is it going to replace, push aside--and is that okay because the other item is more for another season or is classic and will still be useful in a few months, or is the new item going to become the "golden child" and the other an orphan, and is that progress or is it consumerism?

Thistle

Fabulous analysis. This is something I need to do myself.

I am totally with you on wanting a more streamlined outfit, especially in the spring and summer. I layer all winter long just to stay warm!

Caro in Oz

I'm away & having trouble responding but after only six months of analysis I'm coming to the same conclusions.

gryffin

Susie - that is so insightful!! You are so organized!! Kudos!! I think being conscious about what we have will absolutle us make good decisions. I keep a list of what I buy but not wears. That's an awesome suggestion. Sounds like you are right on target for a good year!!

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