@ Anchie, and others - I don’t think there is a right or wrong answer to this! It was just a question. I was surprised by the number of tops I actually owned, and how comparatively few bottoms, and wondered if it was the same for others - or not!

I haven't counted, but I know I have more tops than bottoms. And when packing, I usually make sure that I bring at least two tops (toppers not included) for each bottom.

I think I run about 2 or 3 to one, if blazers and light jackets are included. It used to skew even more in favor of tops, during the period in which it seemed that all pants were skinny. In the last couple years, I find there are a lot more interesting pants silhouettes so I have been expanding the collection.

I don't count, but surely have more tops than bottoms, even though I am fairly open to new concepts in pants and jeans. I can usually be more experimental with bottoms because I am top heavy - or at least that is how I see myself. Nonetheless, interesting bottoms are harder to come by, and a good pair of jeans just works with so many outfits.

Runcarla - well, this question helped me to realize that I don’t look for variety or statements in tops. They are just completer items to me. When I have all the colors that I like covered, I just stop looking for more. So thank you

Ok, the math on this three-top thing is interesting, esp if one wants to know when they can stop adding tops... you could have three tops and two pants in such a way that all three tops work with either pair of pants. You could have four tops, where one top doesn’t work with one of the pants... I suppose the limit is six tops theoretically, where there’s no crossover for tops. Lol - I, of course, totally blow off the concepts of manageability and versatility IRL. I really ought to consider it.

Planning for a trip, this really depends on the outfits I plan to wear. I wouldn’t wear pants more than 3x. Sweaters and other toppers can be worn much more than that—but only around different people. A top that’s against my skin might work a second time, but I plan for half of them to only be worn once.

In my winter wardrobe, about a quarter of the items are pants, skirts, or dresses, so that’s a 1:3 ratio. That 75% includes sweaters and toppers of all sorts.

Anchie, your comment might’ve just cleared up why I’m always so interested in your outfits (besides that they work very well & are worn by a Mensch). I default to thinking the top should be the main thing (even when I really want to wear certain pants or skirt). Seeing it built the other way ‘round must catch my eye, even without being consciously aware of the difference.

It is a really interesting question.

I think I have more tops than bottoms, particularly for work because I largely think that the top half of me is seen more often. I do find tops easier to buy too.

I just counted bottoms and tops - thanks to having my wardrobe in Finds it was easy! - and I have an exact ratio of 1:2. One bottom to two tops.

Carla, I agree with your reasoning 100%.

When I first replied, I used the total number of tops and pants that I have in my closet and reported 1:4 or 1:5, but after looking at a photo I took of my 2021 winter wardrobeI I could clearly see I have a 1:3 ratio with 9 pants and 29 tops. My problem is that bottoms are difficult and tops are fun to buy and so my closet is filled with too many rarely worn tops.

Anchor, I think there is a common ratio advice mantra that presumes tops are more “ memorable “ than bottoms, in outfits, hence one “ should” have more tops- even though different ratios can create more actually different outfits. Plus it did not take into account anything about completer/ 3rd pieces.
I think your identifying blazers as being a very visible outfit “ change” for you was a good strategy for outfit variety.

This might be food for thought. I found this about top/bottom ratios from an older Vivienne Files entry:
“Since I built more or less identical outfits each month for each of the 6 wardrobes, they all have 4 “2nd layers”, 11 tops and 9 bottoms. It’s probably not an ideal ratio – I would probably want a couple more 2nd layers, and certain more tops. One of the things about building a wardrobe “outfit by outfit” is that you end up with a really close number of tops and bottoms. While this makes a lot of sense, if you really want to be able to wear EVERYTHING on a regular basis, having more tops is logical. Bottoms are usually more basic, and less memorable, so they can be repeated easily and thus can be outnumbered considerably by the tops! (tops are also more fun to buy…)”. A second layer is a topper.

I'm about 1 to 3 overall, but it's complicated....

Skirts can be worn as long as it's not bitter cold- so winter tops+ all bottoms is about 1 to 2. This year I've just been wearing pants though which would be 1 to 4.

Summer I never wear pants or sleeves so it's not much over 1 to 1. But I wear dresses in summer much more than winter.

Transitional weather my whole wardrobe is in play though