Wardrobe analysis- playing with the numbers

I'm way off my 2 item a month plan. Part of it is due to the discovery that I prefer to wear tanks with higher necklines. I wear most of last years tanks over my workout wear to the gym, but just don't reach for them as regular wear.

In 2013, I bought 106 items and spent a little over 4500. I know that's a lot of clothes. It led me to start thinking about wardrobe tracking. If I keep the 3 things I ordered from the half yearly sale, I'll be at 18 items and 1500 spent. My original budget was 3600.

For the second half of 2014, I'm just going to focus on staying within the dollar budget and on message instead of doing an item count. I think that I'm more set for winter than I was for summer so I expect the item count to stay below 20 for the second half. I guess I am doing a loose item count after all.

My main wants are some type of puffer in pewter, second pair of boots for winter, and a few warm shirt and sweater upgrades. and my HEWI of a grey military coat.

Random thoughts, I need to stop buying jeans. This doesn't include trousers and other types of pants, just jeans. I have enough.

11 years ago

jennifer

Veteran

For higher tank necklines try wearing some styles backwards the deeper scoop can be nice in the back without revealing too much. I do this with a lot of Lane Bryant rib tanks.

shedev

Interesting Idea, this may work for some of them.

Ledonna N.

Wow, I never though to do a breakdown like this to actually see it in black and white gives me food for thought.

(website)

I'm ahead of my schedule, too. Partly why I am planning no shopping for June and maybe July. I bought listed items, just ahead of pace I think I'm okay with this, though. More of a seasonal shop, as many here do. I could do a heavy Fall and Spring burst and cut back for a month or so following them in the future. I'm at about 22 items so far (depends on returns) and hope to come in under 34 for the whole year. About $700 left to spend out of $2000 (this includes $250 in gifts in the total and gear/bra/layer purchases, oh and all returns and alterations).

rachylou

Gosh, when you put it like that... That's eye-opening. I wonder how many individual items I buy a year. I don't feel like it's that much, but I could be fooling myself...

I should add that I've come to a realization that I'm happy with low to mid range stuff for my kick around clothes. The doing laundry, walking to the mailbox, maybe a stroll around the neighborhood with BF times. Old Navy, Target, Gap, Kmart even, are just fine for all that stuff. I'm not too worried about ruining it that I won't actually wear it. I can supplement with some nicer brands when I want to up my style factor a notch for going out - switch out to premium denim, or put on a designer jacket, etc.

Suz

Sounds as if you are getting a much clearer picture of how and where you are spending; that's great. I find it interesting how we often make STYLE discoveries in the process of revamping our budget priorities. Like your epiphany about necklines and the recognition that you don't really need higher end stuff for your day-to-day wear.

Yeah Rachy, doing the actual count was eye opening. These are the wardrobe building years. By next year I hope to be in a place where I'm just adding a few things that tickle my fancy.

Mo, I'm mostly a midrange shopper. I'm usually more focused on design details than designers, as long as it doesn't look super cheap ( like it wont survive the first wash). I have been buying mostly premium denim this year, but jeans are easy for me. I'm short but I'm well proportioned so fit is easy. Tops are hard. Especially sleeves. Sometimes they are just so narrow. And if I size up, the arms are way too long.

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