# of wears? And quality over quantity? - YouLookFab Forum

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# of wears? And quality over quantity?

Tammyb

I keep track of what I wear every day in a notebook and have done this for a few years. I do it so that when I am stumped for what to wear in the morning I can look back for inspiration.

This evening I decided to tally up # of wears since January 1. I have a problem.... I don't wear my clothes enough! I think I have too many items. I do closet edits to take out anything that doesn't fit, or has seen better days. But I don't edit for quantity. I like to have a lot of options, but I would also like to really wear my clothes and not just let them sit, unworn.

I enjoy a bargain, so if I can get an Eileen Fisher sweater for $100 at a great sale, I'll buy it! And I'll love it. But I won't wear it enough to feel like it should be.ong to me. I should let someone else buy it and enjoy it more.

I spend more per item now than I did ten years ago, but I also continue to buy more items. I think I need to just stop with the quantity and focus solely on quality and fit to make me" style happy".

Thoughts? Advice?

Dressing

46 replies

Latest reply was from Tammyb

Aquamarine

Veteran

Interesting because I often feel the same. I just don't wear out my things or use them as much as I could. I don't know why this is. i don't think I have that many things, and I have become better at culling, but still some items are not worn that often.

i guess it's a process to find that happy medium. Sorry no advice

anne

Veteran

I'd say you were a prime target for a "shopping fast". If you like and fit everything you have, and are covered for all the situations of your life, just take a break! Commit to a month, or three months, and watch those number of wears add up.

kerry

Veteran

When reconsidering my clothing budget for this year (Sept-Aug) I calculated my number of wears for the year. I came up with 1500. This number includes footwear and outerwear. It doesn't include basics, lounge or sleepwear. I live in a 4-season climate. In summer, approximately 90 days, I wear 3 items (footwear, top, bottom), spring and fall, approx. 125 days, I wear 4 items (add a topper), and in winter, approx., 150 days, I wear 5 items (add a coat). If I want to get 30 wears out of each item in my closet it needs to hold about 50 items. My closet is about double that so it'd take two years to reach the 30 wears goal. This seems reasonable.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

How do people count their wear for things they wear for only a couple hours?

anne

Veteran

I always wonder that too fashiontern! But in a way, I've found it doesn't make much difference for me in that I'm just as likely to get a loungewear item dirty that's worn at home for a few hours in the evening, and thus wear it out more as I am to need to wash something worn for a full work day.

minimalist

Veteran

This isn't exactly what you're asking, but I found Sterling's challenge very useful in increasing wears of some items I liked and wanted to wear but for practical hesitation hadn't been wearing. The challenge gave me clarity about an item that I ended up consigning.

Similarly to Sterling's challenge, but not as interesting to report on, I keep most clothing in easily accessible storage, in marked clear bins, and only have in my closet the capsule or two I want to wear for about a month.

If quantity is an attempt to satisfy some need, maybe it could work to look at other ways of meeting that need and getting "style happy." (Great term!) Which might be the unmet need. Have you found the style identifier articles and threads here? There are also links to some helpful outside worksheets.

The Kondo question about "sparking joy" has been helpful for me in editing for numbers in some cases. In a few categories, I accept quantity as part of what brings me wardrobe joy. Black sleeveless tops of designs and materials I find interesting are essentials for me. Some may sit in storage for a while, but I'm always happy to rediscover them when I "shop" for the next capsule. This is a category I'll always keep an eye out for, given time, shopping energy, and opportunity.

Fashiontern, in my rankings, every functional wear counts. So, a suit I had on for two hours was worn. I don't count loungewear wears, but most of it's a simple capsule with multiples to avoid laundry bottlenecks, and I edit the rest pretty stringently. Dressier loungewear sometimes only stays on for, shall we say, as long as it stays on.

Joy

Veteran

Lots of wisdom here. I have the same problem you do. Sterlings 30X30 challenge helped me wear the better things (EF) more and I discovered that I don't mind wearing them several times s week, but some of my hot weather items will not be worn at all this season, which is sad. I am editing out footwear at a faster rate than any other type item, but some that has been comfortable in the past is not now. I also want to edit out all low rise jeans and pants and am liking a change from traditional silhouettes to wide pants and dresses/tunics over crops. A-ha moment today is that a longer top disguises the fact that I have no hips anymore.
I plan to make more capsules for seasons and think in terms of capsules when shopping.

Gigi

Veteran

One thing that helps me in this situation is to look at my wardrobe and ask myself what I could add to it that would actually further my style goals or take me in a new direction. Maybe it's a different silhouette you want to try, or a different color, or accessorizing in a different way. Then make a list of these items and shop only for those items. If you see a great bargain on something, ask yourself, "Is this more of the same type of thing that I already have in my closet?" If the answer is yes, then move on.

binkle

Veteran

My immediate, instinctive reaction was the same as Anne's - a shopping fast. Plus some soul - searching, which you're already doing. Easy advice to give but I know from personal experience it can be tough to follow. I think I've finally broken a couple of personal habits, like "grey merino sweater - must buy" or "rick owens on sale - must buy." Plenty more habits still to analyze and overcome.

When I worked a fulltime office job, I tracked everything in excel, so it was easily filtered and counted. Five years of data at my most recent job. Brutally eye-opening. Yet hard for me to implement any discipline. A total full-stop, even for a season or two, could be fairly effective.

And, when necessary, some time reviewing the 401ks and IRAs. Then toting up clothing dollars spent, and throwing those numbers into an investment calculator, just for a dose of cold water. Eeeek!

plonkee

I think this is one of those things where it's '3 constraints, pick 2'. You can have any 2 of:

lots of options
keeping up to date and following trends (ie buying lots of items)
each item is worn frequently

It sounds like your natural tendency is to do the first two, which means that the third can't happen.

I don't know what your wardrobe size is, or how often you would like to wear your items, but I wear my autumn-winter-spring things about 30 times over 3 or so years and have a wardrobe (skirts, trousers, tops, toppers, dresses) size of approx 60 items to cover that. If you have more things, you just can't wear them that frequently. But if more options makes you happy, then you should keep a bigger wardrobe and accept that you won't wear everything as often as you would like.

Staysfit

Veteran

I think it's a matter of deciding how many options you want to have and then calculating how large a wardrobe you need to maintain that range of options. I made a decision that I don't want to repeat any outfits for a three week period in any season. That makes for a medium to large wardrobe and a fairly large cost per wear unless you buy pieces that can be worn over multiple years. If you don't mind repeats, than you can have a smaller wardrobe. There are formulas for this calculation on this forum if you search, or online. I think my result turned out to be a 150 piece wardrobe for 4 seasons that I break into two, so 75 for each season, spring/summer and fall/winter. I don't count gear, lounge wear, shoes or accessories.

One more thing that makes my wardrobe large is that I prefer to wear dresses over skirts, so the mix and match potential decreases. It means more items, but my happiness factor when wearing a dress is the highest than for any other outfit.

There is a lot of talk about small capsule wardrobes in blogs online, etc. I think there is value to them. My profession, which makes me very visible, leads me to want to change things up and have more variety. Think about your lifestyle needs also. Do you need the variety?

Finally, and most important, cost per wear is not the only measure of success of wardrobe utilization. If you are trying to be ecologically friendly, than reduce purchases, but also, when you are done with your clothes, give them away to someone who will continue to wear and enjoy them. (All mine go to my daughter who takes the same size, and she wears them until they are ragged.).

Tammyb

So much wisdom here! Thank you all! I have a lot of reflecting to do.....
Aquamarine- glad to know I'm not alone.

Anne, Gigi, Brinkle- yes I probably do need a shopping fast. Lots of psychological stuff there though (feelings of deprivation, etc) so I should work on that! And looking at what I am giving up to buy another pair of black pumps....

Kerry- ooh that appeals to the analyst in me. I am going to see how I can use that.

Fasiontern- I count a few hours. I am trying to track which clothes I "show the love" to.

Minimalist- thanks for your suggestions. I read Marie Kondo but never actually did anything! Also in reflecting my words back to me you have definitely given me food for thought.

Joy- I am going to check out that 30x30 challenge. It might be a way to kickstart a different approach for myself.

Plonkee- you are exactly right! I think I need to figure out what I really want. I am living #1&2 but is that what I really want?

Stays fit- Like Kerry's post, yours appeals to the analyst in me. And, like you, I prefers skirts and dresses. But live in a 4 season climate so I do need pants.

Anonymous

I could write a book on this subject. Please forgive me if I can't respond before tomorrow (Monday at the latest). Some work stuff came up and I'll be busy most of this day.

Shirley

I think many of us have the sale goggle syndrome and it's hard to rid off. The one in one out rule is what I use to control it. Also I disciplined myself to not overflow to other closets. My closet is medium sized and if it looks like it's getting full, I cull more aggressively. Otherwise I tell myself if I bring something in, something else has to go.

unfrumped

Veteran

Super wisdom already given.
I can so relate!
My wardrobe is too large for my comfort- not huge but things not getting worn " enough" for the space they occupy.
I have considered, but not done, the Kon- Mari or other all- in- one swoop culling. Instead I'm making slower progress by editing out things after making myself wear them, going through lots of psycho- reasons to help see which things I might be holding onto for wrong reasons. Like Joy, I've been especially successful with footwear because comfort issues are easy to identify.
Then, I'm trying to shop / look less because, duh, I WILL find something I like and have harder time telling myself, that is just ANOTHER top.
I bought some things this summer and only after, I made myself do at least one- in/ one out, and was chagrined to see that a few of the " outs" were fairly recent items- hence poor choices.
I think a shopping fast can be good. It does not even need to be super- long--even just a month. I agree with " know thyself". For me it's more I need a " looking fast". as the starting point. If I look at enough items, I WIIL find something fun or even great, but I may not at all need it or be able to see it as a replacement- hence, wardrobe will expand.
I have FOMO- fear of missing out, letting it " get away". The thing is, that still ALWAYS will happen even if I " looked" all day long- I will come across something that looks " perfect" but is sold out in my size or color or something.
Sterling ( waving to Sterling) has been trying a seasonal shop. I don't think a semi- annual or maybe even quarterly " big shop" is exactly what I need, because I am mostly upgrading/ updating and should be very selective, and " pass" if I don't find something that season. but I'm thinking something like a month of a "fast" - meaning, no stores/ no look = no temptation even if there are things I might legitimately want to add, then use my list the next month, and alternate. That gives regular times set aside to " wear my clothes" and so on.
And SALES are just a giant pit of temptation. So, it's a way to add some discipline to someone who has trouble with that!
But, YMMV.

unfrumped

Veteran

I didn't comment on # of wears, but agree that sometimes some simple arithmetic can help me, such as, my sweater excess- if I have 20 winter pullovers, I can wear each only once a month or maybe 4-5 x per year; of course, I could have some " everyday" sweaters that get more wears and some intentional special- occasion ones that's ok to keep for their value at those times, but you get the point, how many do I really need? Wool sweaters are one of my best examples/ nemesis because the require special storage and worry about moths if I have a whole bunch that I wear only once or twice.
This is why Aldo I've done posts in have more seasonless items including ones I can layer under. Not entire wardrobe, but higher percentage with reduced % oh hot summer- deep winter- specific items. Also a more all- in closet, not completely, but maybe 2/3-3/4 of wardrobe, ideally.

Jenn

(website)

Veteran

So many people speaking my thoughts in this thread! I count wears exactly the same way minimalist does. "Functional wear" is a great term, because it means trying something on in an outfit creation session doesn't count, but an hour at the gym absolutely does. I also don't track lounge/sleepwear (they're the same for me), and I just started tracking gear this year.

unfrumped also has some great advice with the idea of a "looking fast." I have shopped using the "five piece French" method for the past several seasons and, once I'm satisfied with my seasonal wardrobe, I try to avoid the things that trigger me to buy. (I'm looking at you, Nordstrom Rack.) I also unsubscribe from email lists and, hard as it is, recycle catalogs without flipping through them.

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

One other approach, instead of a complete shopping ban, would be shopping only from a list. Sit down way before you start shopping and make a list of items you need to replace, items that would fill in gaps, and maybe a trend or two you want to try. Then when you actually go shopping, you're only allowed to buy items that are on your list. I find this can help a lot to avoid over duplication and sales goggles. Plus the thought process itself helps you be mindful of what you need and what you have plenty of.

Suzanne (ambergreen)

Veteran

Following this convo with interest.

Wanted to make a note that the flow of most catalogs can be stopped through an account at catalogchoice.org.

Vix

Veteran

Hi Tammyb --

So many great ideas upthread!

I do have a wardrobe on the smaller side but love love love clothing I find beautiful so have done most of the things mentioned at various times to keep things in check. What's the saying..."it works if you work it"? So tedious yet so true.

Re the emotional/psychological side -- I'm fortunate to have grown up with all basic needs accounted for. However, budget/money discussions were part of my life from a very young age (as in, "no, because...").

This is not a bad thing, but in terms of clothing choices there was a very strong bias toward durable, practical, basic, on sale (again, understandable!) -- and I was and am a person who gravitates toward form over function!

So while I will always love and seek out a good sale, I permit myself to have some items in my life that are at least one of the following:

full-price
not standard-definition "practical" because they're attention-getters and can't really be worn over and over
more beautiful than the boring basics I'm bored of (knowing I will then have to suck it up and keep wearing the boring basics instead of buying a less-boring one)

These behaviors help curb shopping cravings because they're tailored to address my specific emotional needs. I can have what I want (choice/power), I just have to decide if the trade-offs are worth it.

So if you can ID your particular "deprivation" trigger and figure out which strategies work for you, I bet you'll have more success. Good luck!

Barbara Diane

Veteran

Minimalist, smiling at your dressy loungewear comment. Sounds like a very worthwhile investment.

I loved the shopping fast I did several years back. I was shocked to see how much time I spent thinking about purchases, shopping online and in person, etc. I would open every email from certain retailers, even though I had just paged through the offerings a few days before. I think it is important to look at patterns and triggers, and see what works and what doesn't.

It turned out I had plenty of clothing to wear, and I was much more successful shopping my closet than finding new clothes as I am a bit of a challenge to fit, and quite picky also.
I don't think I bought anything, but I wouldn't necessarily ban myself, but I would set parameters.

A few of my less worn items are my EF sale purchases, but I am planning on wearing them more this winter. Mine tend to skew dressier, and I haven't had that many dressy events lately.

One thing I started doing was putting my less worn clothes front and center in my closet, so that I saw them first. If I constantly pass them by, it's worth considering whether I need to play stylist with them, or pass them on.

Items do sometimes go in and out and back in favor for me, so I keep that in mind before I purge.

There are many ways to evaluate wardrobe needs, and you don't have to stick with what you pick for the rest of your life.

Enjoy the process, whether you make changes or not.

Tammyb

This is all so, so helpful! FOMO on a sale and sale goggles. That is so me. Discovering a Nordstrom Rack so close to my regular shopping has been terrible for me!

One thing I just realized- today!- is that 4 years ago I passed up a very beautiful tailored shirt dress for $350. I just felt like it was too expensive! I usually spend $150 on a work dress. At the time I thought I would find it on sale o a similar one somewhere else. It's never happened! It's become a HEWI and I e bought lesser versions many time since then, but they don't give me the happy feeling that wearing that dress in the fitting room gave me. Now, maybe that would have sat in my closet. (But it was at Nordstrom so I should have just got and the. Returned it if I didn't wear it!)

So dealing with the why from recent past and ancient history (I wore handme downs until I got a high school job and bought my own clothes) is going to help me with this. Plus the very practical advice on # of wears needed. I just did a whole calculation based on staysfit and Kerry's posts. A huge eye opener. I have to dress fairly formal for work-- not suits but jackets or tailored dresses most days. I always think I need more because "I'll wear it all the time...". But the numbers don't lie!

Jenni NZ

Veteran

You describe me perfectly Tammyb. So, I have just done my second 3- month shopping fast in a year, this one from 10th May onwards and today is 13th August here, I still haven't bought anything. How did I stop the cravings? I looked hard at my lists of wears, I tried to wear less worn things and possibly in new ways and I rediscovered love for some of those. Some of them I am not liking as much and may do a post on two I may now wish to cull ( need forum help!) . I read the forum to replace my shopping interest and I also made a fantasy wish list on my favourite shoe website. I'm not tempted to buy the shoes on it as I still have 49 pairs and again would need to cull first. I was horrified with myself a few years back when I got to 40 pairs but could not seem to stop and got as high as 52 pairs earlier this year, have managed to cull slowly down by 3. Have bought 3 between Feb and May so must have got rid of 6. This is difficult for me but our house was getting overwhelmed. I have 145 clothing items and 49 pairs of shoes. It feels too much but culling is hard!

jill58

Veteran

Tammyb -- I could practically have written your post. I too have a Nordstrom Rack within 5 minutes of my house. Like you I have found myself buying Eileen Fisher (for $100.00!) and other unplanned purchases because it was "a great price." On one hand I'm trying to add fewer items to my wardrobe while increasing the quality of the items purchased, but one of my reasons for participating in YLF is to develop a more coherent sense of what I'm doing. Many members have a very cohesive wardrobe with a workable number of pieces that work well together. That is my goal--a small cohesive wardrobe of good quality clothes that work well together. Still I have often questioned my purchases. I really have to think about the vastly discounted Eileen Fisher sweater--the Paul Green shoes. Do I really need them? How much are "sale goggles" affecting my decision? It definitely takes me awhile to cut the tags on new purchases. I frequently return items that were purchased on impulse.
As to the issue of unworn clothing. Often I find myself saving clothing--for what, who knows. I almost have to force myself to put new clothes into rotation. You might try just that. Make a decision to wear, every day, an item that has been sitting unworn in your closet. I find that by doing that, I feel much more confidence in the purchasing decisions I've made. And if something still doesn't get worn, it needs to be returned (if it's new) or donated (if it's older).

Sal

Veteran

I think you have had great advice so far....it is hard to change behaviour - I know!! I don't overshop but I procrastinate and at times eat unhealthily despite knowing it makes me feel bag. Both things I am trying to change....

For me some guidelines work, firm, but not too firm. I do not go well with strict rules - I just want to break them.

I think shopping your closet for a couple of months could be fun...note down a list of pieces during this time that you need to make the right outfits or that you want. Then at the end of the period give yourself permission to add two or three of them. Do the same for the next season.... Even with a large closet there are times we need a new pair of winter boots or an updated tee. Essentially when I did the 30x30 this is what I did and I found a couple of clear gaps, I have filled two of them, and have two or three more to fill. Also at the end of the challenge I looked at the pieces I was not wearing - and some of them I still did not want to wear - it was easy to pass them on.

Laura G

Veteran

When I found myself not so long ago with a huge volume of clothing and effectively nothing to wear, I actually did the Marie Kondo purge. I got rid of literally 2/3 of my clothes.

The interesting part to me is what made up those 2/3: it was almost exclusively thrifted and sale items. I thought I was saving money by only thrifting or buying on sale, but the problem with that is a) you buy things that aren't quite right because "it's so cheap!" and b) you buy a lot *more* things.

If you're looking at a $100 purchase in a store, you really consider that garment, your needs, what else you could do with the money. But below your "it's so cheap!" threshold, there's no considering. It's an automatic yes. So you consider the $100 item and pass on it because it's not right, but spend $20 over and over and over, and *most* of it is not right! In fact we end up spending more when we shop with sale goggles because we're not satisfied. We get the dopamine hit from the "bargain", but deep inside we know we still don't have the clothes--perfectly fitting, consistent with our style, flattering--that we need for our actual lives. So we keep shopping.

(And when I say "you" and "we" here, I mean me.)

kerry

Veteran

Laura G, thank you! I've got think about what Is my it's so cheap threshold. Thanks!

Anonymous

Count me as another one who could have written this post! Well, except for the keeping track of wears in a notebook - I'm not that organized!

So I have no wisdom to offer, just thanks for raising this topic. I'm going back now to read the advice offered by others. Even though we all have to work out a individual optimal solution, it is helpful to hear how others attack the issue!

lyn67

Veteran

Nothing nore clever to add, but added this thread to my faves, as lots of winsdom here, thanks post bringig this up (again and again) we need these kinds of posts from time to time here:-)).

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