I just did an audit of my closet and realize I did a lot more replacing this year than I thought. Not counting items I consider strictly occasion wear, or outerwear and accessories.

25 tops (sleeveless tanks, button downs, t shirts, sweaters)
2019 - 12 (1 thrifted)
2018 - 7
2017 - 1
2016 - 3
2014- 1
2013 - 1

11 bottoms (8 pants, 1 skirt, 2 shorts)
2019 - 6
2018 - 5

3 dresses
2019 - 3 (2 thrifted)

5 Toppers
2019 - 3 (1 thrifted)
2016 - 1
2013 - 1

13 Footwear
2019 - 5
2018 - 3
2016 - 3
2014 - 2

I put the brakes on shopping in 2017, because retirement was eminent (early 2018). I didn’t know what retirement would be like, so was cautious with acquiring - though I was aggressive with jettisoning clothing associated with my work life afterwards!

Tops (including sweaters). Tops just get slaughtered by my lifestyle. They get stained, torn, shrunken, or even lost. For that matter, so do pants. My life is the great destroyer of wardrobes

Summer casual wear. Our summer is long and brutal. And summer sun and sweat and sunblock is so hard on clothes. I find tees and sandals need replacing the most. Some only last one season. I’ve posted this photo before of the EF sandals I bought last summer. This is how they looked at the end of the summer. One season. This summer I’ve restored them with Tarrago, but they are definitely not pristine.

Most years I buy a sweater and a pair of jeans. Occasionally two. Those are my most updated items, though I will usually get two years of wear out of them and them some more as home wear. I try not to buy more as I try to dovetail my desire for new and up to date items with how long they take to wear out.

I update my denim/bottoms first. When low rises and skinnies were everywhere I found it difficult to find something that fit me. I have similar fit issues to La Ped. Tops - no problems. Bottoms - nightmares. Lately, I have been having a much easier time finding denim that works for me.
I keep my tops, toppers and coats very simple. I only replace them when they are really in need of a refresh. Also, I have a high tolerance for the RATE look.

Summer tops, for me. Because most of my pants are relatively simple-neutrals or a subtle print- it’s tops that are seen more. I can easily buy too many because I get bored. So I am trying to restrain myself same as with pretty summer sandals.
They do both ( tops and sandals) wear out relatively more quickly than some other things so if I can restrain myself somewhat then it becomes closer to one-in-one-out.

Brooklyn, even with our short summers, my sandals always look like this after a season, too. I usually do what I can to keep them going for one more year but they definitely need replacements more often than winter footwear -- even with my long winters. Mind you, I do have quite a lot of winter options.

I’m having a hard time picking a category because the concept is so important for whole wardrobe— I very much used to try to acquire “ classic” items when found on sale or otherwise, thinking, “ I should have these basic pieces and they’ll be good for years”. Like certain blazers or cashmere sweaters. Perhaps I just did not have the right items, but I began to notice that small changes in fit or proportions or even ? whims? bothered me. Also, I wasn’t paying enough attention to the “ wear right now” feelings.

I could pick pants because I enjoy several different styles. Not exactly trend- following though, but capitalizing on when “ my pants” are available. But once I have some good fits in my favorite styles I don’t look as much for more every season because I like having worked out how to wear them.
It might be pullover sweaters as I wear them almost year- round in either warmer or cooler knits and I’m sensitive to just the right fit, drape, lengths with different bottoms, and also eye out for favorite colors. If one shrinks even a bit from its best fit I and likely to quit wearing it.

This year it's jeans and underwear. Sad to put away a nearly new pair of velvet jeans worn just a few times, but I've lost weight.

Ever try to pry off the button stud on jeans? I followed instructions I found which required a pliers for each hand, twisting in opposite directions, and even DH couldn't do it. The first pair stud finally slipped through the hole, the second one I did a bit of clipping with. Sewed new buttons on to make waist an inch smaller. Kept jeans from sliding down for now.

Other jeans have been retired and replaced.

I've done some underwear replacements, but new stuff is still a little big. Now trying down a cup size in bras. As soon as I lose another 5 pounds I suspect I will replace all underwear.

I'm NOT going to save larger size clothes in case I regain weight.