Ratio of tops to bottoms - YouLookFab Forum

Category

General

Welcome! Read about what to wear and how to wear it on the YLF Blog. Join the YLF Forum to ask specific questions or just chat about fashion and personal style. Or check out the curated list of things we love in YLF Finds.

Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

Ratio of tops to bottoms

Runcarla

Veteran

I’ve never used a mathematical strategy when shopping for outfits, though when I do a big seasonal capsule building shop, I pull a couple of tops for each bottom. For two years now, garment numbers in my closet have been stable. Interestingly, the ratio of bottoms to tops has been stable as well! If I generalize and look at my most frequently worn outfits pants or jeans with top - the ratio of bottoms to tops is 1:3. If I count all bottoms (shorts and skirts) the ratio is 1:2. If I look at old packing posts, the ratio of bottoms to tops is 1:4.

I’m guessing it might have something to do with laundering - bottoms can be worn more times between laundering, whereas tops might not. On the other hand, I don’t launder sweaters as frequently as, say, t-shirts. Maybe it’s just easier to buy tops? Or maybe tops are more interesting than bottoms? What do you think? Are there striking differences in the number of tops to bottoms in your closet? Do you use a mathematical formula when putting capsules together?

General

42 replies

Latest reply was from

Joy

Veteran

I think you are on to something. I try for at least 2 tops per bottom plus toppers that will go with several tops. I try to get tops for different weather conditions ( sleeveless, long sleeves, knit, woven, plain, prints, etc.). Toppers for summer are very light weight...unlined linen jackets, kimono jackets, ponchos. All in gauzy or silk fabrics.

nuancedream

Veteran

How interesting that you bring up this topic, Carla. I estimate I have a ratio of 1:4 of bottoms to tops and I recently culled a lot of tops, most spring and summer ones that have gone unworn recently. Tops are on my "no buy" list. For me, tops are generally easier to fit than pants, which may require some alterations for a good fit.

Joy

Veteran

A few years ago Angie made a fall capsule wardrobe. I tried to duplicate the types of pieces and learned that she really packs it with variety. For example, tops. There were 5 or 6 that varied in sleeve length, plain colors and neutrals, a stripe, a pattern, color block, polka dots, plaid etc. Textures varied too. Everything worked with everything else. It was hard work and I took over the guest room bed trying to perfect my own capsule. One shirt I chose was an oversized white linen with a paisley design. Another was a NAS white shirt with black groupings of threads that looked like small dots. Another was a plain black silk shirt. The links below are not the one I followed but similar”

https://youlookfab.com/2015/05.....ng-client/

https://youlookfab.com/2016/09.....-for-fall/

anchie

Veteran

That is interesting question. I currently have 27 items capsule for work (yes, I still go to the office even in strictest lockdown). Ratio of items will probably sound strange but it gives me so much combinations that I rarely repeat the outfit. I have 9 tops, 8 toppers, 7 pants and 3 pairs of shoes. Tops are the most basic part of this capsule - they are all simple layering merino crew neck sweaters in different solid colors. Pants and jacket are mixture of colorful statements and neutral essentials. Number of shoes is little on the low side because finding comfortable shoes that are easy to put on and that I like has been difficult lately.

Minaminu

Veteran

that's a very interesting point! I just checked my app and I usually have 8 seasonal items for the top (+ 8 evergreen) and 4 bottoms, so I have asimilar ratio than you..
I think it is ieasier to make a differnt outfit with different tops, especially if one leads a sedentary work / lifestyle.

Irina

Veteran

I checked mine and a ratio of 1:4 for winter and 1:3 for summer and fall. Not surprisingly, some of my fall pants can be worn during warmer winter days. And yes, pants and jeans are harder to fit for me. But I recently realized that I tend to buy a top for a variety but actually should buy pants as it will give me more outfit options since I have more tops than pants. This is just a confirmation.

nemosmom

Veteran

I struggle with this, mainly because of the lack of variety across my categories. For example, I have 17 pairs of jeans, but only four that are truly different than the others. Same for sweaters: four green pullovers of similar weight and neckline seem more like one option than four. That makes it challenging to determine ratios. Math is hard.

Runcarla

Veteran

@ nemosmom - I know the feeling!

This post has 1 photo. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

Helena

Veteran

My ratio is approximately all the tops to one pair of pants Kidding obviously! But I do only wear only about 2-3 pairs of pants a season (regularly, with the odd outlier) vs. prob 10-12 tops ... So 1:3 at a minimum I'd say.

I think it is partially the laundry issue, partly that tops are less expensive (generally), and more fun and interesting. I have seen a blogger recommend having more variety in pants (e.g. colours and patterns) because it allows for more outfit combinations, and I get it ... But I'm not much of a statement pant person I guess, and for myself I'd rather use colour near my face where I get the flattery benefits out of it!

LaPed

Veteran

I mean, for much of the year, there's a good chance that I'm wearing two tops and one bottom. A graphic tee and a flannel, an oxford shirt under a sweater, etc. Tops are responsible for regulating our core temperature, so it stands to reason many of us would end up with more variety in tops than in bottoms. It could also be that seasonal colours/prints are a bigger factor in tops than in bottoms. I don't have "fall jeans" and "spring jeans" but I definitely have fall tops and spring tops (basically just plaid vs stripes...). I also find tops have more gradations of dressiness than bottoms do.

I'm sure cost of production/pricepoint/marketing also factors into how many of each we buy. I find my pants wear out faster than my shirts because I never have that many pants in rotation at any given time; I'd buy more bottoms if I could, but I keep pretty much every pair I find that fits decently -- most don't. If I kept every shirt that fit, I'd be in trouble. I should probably consider duplicating more often when it comes to bottoms, especially casual pants and jeans.

Oh -- and I wonder about size fluctuations too. I can wear the same tops through more of a weight change than I can bottoms. But I'm sure there are others who are the opposite.

cjh

(website)

Veteran

Without counting, I’d estimate pants to tops at around 1:5. This takes into account duplicate or near-duplicate pairs as if they were only one, which might be breaking the rules. Therefore, three pair of black slim jeans are counted as one, and four pair of denim of the same or similar finish and cut are also one, wardrobe function. I’m limiting my discussion to winter items today.

For the few pants I have that aren’t black, blue or gray jeans, I feel I need to choose very neutral tops, black or gray, since those bottoms are burgundy, olive, or one pair of patterned pants. So generally the pants are the neutral base. Its kind of hard to break that habit as I still most often think “base, accent, pop” when I choose outfit components.

Bonnie

Veteran

I think it's 1:4 or 1:5. I often wear two tops to regulate the temperature just like La Pedestrienne described. Days are very changeable where I live and it's only really hot for a very short time so most of the year I'm wearing a some sort of topper over a tee, shirt, or sweater even in the house because we keep the temp set at 70F.

notsaf

Veteran

No surprise, I'm like TG: I have six bottoms currently in rotation this season, but FOUR of them (which is what I wear 80% of the time) are exactly the same! (I fold them after wearing and just grab the one on the bottom of the pile, washing as needed.) My number of active tops, including toppers, is two to three times that. Like LaP I am often wearing two (a collared shirt and a sweater or a top and a cardigan). I'm an extreme case, but it's clear that I build more wardrobe variety from tops than bottoms.

Runcarla

Veteran

Hmmmm. So it is not an anomaly to have a lot more tops than bottoms. Now, are bottoms fairly ‘neutral’? As I move into patterned and plaid bottoms (with a desire to add more) will my ratios change? Or will my outfits become more bold because ‘more’ bottoms mean more interesting bottoms?! Food for thought!

Joy

Veteran

Both. I had several pairs of colored jeans and only one or two tops for each, but laundry pileups mean sometimes wearing what’s clean. Remember, I hang all my bottoms to dry so it takes longer to be able to put them back in circulation. In general, the ratio changes to fewer tops for each bottom. But still more tops than bottoms.

Gigi

Veteran

My ratio is roughly 1:2, so twice as many tops. My bottoms are mostly jeans of differing silhouettes. I've been looking for a pair of statement bottoms but haven't found one to my liking yet.

When I first joined YLF, I had the opposite ratio: 2:1. This is because bottoms are easier to fit than tops for me. So I worked hard locating retailers that carried my size, and I now have a more typical ratio. Now that I have found some interesting tops, I am craving unusual bottoms again!

rachylou

Veteran

I’m sure I have more tops, but I can’t say why. It’s not like I do a three bottoms/7 tops per week thing. I think it has more to do with my tops being more seasonal items...

Star

Veteran

1:3 for me.

Jenni NZ

Veteran

Summer: 22 tops, of which 6 are tunics, so there might be 2 tops used in that case ( a mesh top under a tunic).
And 6 pairs pants. So almost 4:1 tops to bottoms. ( Also 2 pairs of shorts, not worn much).
Winter: 28 tops, of which 4 are tunics. So again 2 tops worn in that case. 9 bottoms. So about 3:1 tops to bottoms.
Summer tops need washing more - every day. Occasionally winter tops don’t. Although most of the time I do wash them daily as well.
I didn’t plan these numbers.

rachylou

Veteran

Also: have to say I feel my tops are all more fragile than my bottoms...

Liesbeth

Veteran

About 1:2 for me as well. Counting all bottoms and all tops aside from undershirts and camisoles that I don't wear alone.
You're right about the laundry thing. I often wear bottoms 2-3 times before laundering. Tops only when they're worn over another top.
I don't keep an eye on this but could easily find the number in my excel wardrobe. I did once use a mathematical approach to wardrobe building from blogger Into Mind. She made you write down how many days a week you would wear pants, e.g 3. Then how often you wear them before laundering (2). Then how long you want to go between laundry cycles (2 weeks). With those numbers you can check how many pairs of pants you need at a minimum (3 here). I no longer use this method but I do keep in mind that I don't need 10 skirts if I wear them only once a week and for one season.

kkards

Veteran

Yes to its easier to buy tops, yes to the laundry issue.
Also, for me bottoms tend to be less seasonal, ie i don’t have or wear wool pants any more, but 75% of my sweaters are wool, so they have a seasonal limitation that most of my pants do no.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I’m not counting but I know my ratio is a much higher number of tops to bottoms. All of the reasons already given apply — mostly because I’m harder to fit on bottom than on top and it makes shopping for pants far less fun. I also stick with a much tighter color and pattern selection with my bottoms (dark colors and mostly subdued patterns). I can’t even imagine having the ratio reversed.

cat2

Veteran

I have similar ratios. I am a big third piece dresser so have lots of tanks to wear with light sweaters for summer and short sleeve knits and heavier sweaters to pair for winter. I also use tops to vary the dressiness of my outfits, so always have a stash of long sleeve blouses. I also prefer pants in my dark neutrals, and have a short list of clothing companies whose pants fit me without alteration other than hemming, which limits how many pairs I can find that actually look different, which is the standard for entry into my closet. I do keep an eye out for neutrals in different shapes, fabric textures, trims, etc. so I don’t have pant boredom.

anchie

Veteran

Ok, I have to add that I know that it is recommended to have at least 3 tops to go with one bottom, but I never translated it that you need to have 3 times more tops than bottoms. Am I missing something here?

My logic is if you have 5 tops that go with 5 bottoms, with 10
items you have 25 outfits. But if you have different ratio, for example 8 tops and 2 bottoms, you only have 16 outfits.

Jenni NZ

Veteran

But Anchie, I reckon that’s because you really, really want mix and match much more than some of us. It’s the way you dress with a lot of solid colours, often bright, with your pants/top/blazer formula. I wouldn’t care if I had 16 outfits instead of 25 outfits because several of my tops look better with only one or two bottoms. Every top in a grouping by no means has to go with every bottom, for me. I could wear the same bottom for several days and just change the top, and still be happy.

anchie

Veteran

Jenni, of course, not everyone has the same needs and preferences. I was just unsure if I didn’t understand the concept of 3 tops per bottom, if it really means 3 times more tops than bottoms. To me those are two very different things. For example if you have 3 bottoms, I thought it is enough to have 3 tops if all of them go with every bottom. But does it mean that 3 bottoms require 9 tops?

Jenni NZ

Veteran

Yes I see what you mean! I don’t know the answer! I don’t know if it is mentioned for variety or laundry reasons!
It happened for me because I build more interest in my tops than my bottoms- usually.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I haven't done a recent count but I definitely have more tops than bottoms, especially if tops include knitwear as well as shirts/ blouses.

As others have said, it's partly because tops are easier to fit and buy/ less expensive. It's also because I tend more often to go for pattern and colour in tops. Having said that -- I do own 3 pair of plaid pants and several patterned skirts, so it's not as if I'm pattern-averse for bottoms. I also like mixing patterns, so will do that quite often. Still....tops are close to the face, and you want some vibrancy there that might not be required or even desirable at times in bottoms. And I need to launder tops more often as well.

12