Minimum Amount of Clothing

[TanksHill]

My rule of thumb is this: If you haven't worn it in a year's time, you don't need it.

I agree with this. I wear all of mine! There isn't enough room to keep things that are worn out, or don't fit, or that I really don't like. So sometimes I have to make some hard decision.

I can't agree with this. I would love to throw out 1/3 of the crud in my closet and probably should but I think there is an exception to this.

Being a SAHM I don't go out fancy very often. I have a wedding to go to in a month. I have just the perfect outfit a beautiful blouse and slacks I bought for a different special occasion. I have not worn them in a while, I know they are a couple years old. I will wear them again with no problem. The classics never go out of style.

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[ctg492]

I can fit all my clothes into two rubber maid tubs, less winter outerwear. Guess I do not have clothing like many ladies do.
But yes understanding antique home closets. We have had a few homes built way back when, 1869,1890,1900 and closets were not big. The funniest one was the lovely 1869 home, with the staircase that turned half way up. We went to take our king sze bed up and no way would go through the door way to the lovely stairs. Guess there were no king sized beds back then!

 

[Leta]

I can do the "1 year" rule for casual stuff, but not for dressy stuff. I have a limited wardrobe of nice clothes for weddings, funerals, parties, etc. I don't wear everything every year, but it does get used on a regular, if not frequent, basis. DH is the same, he has two suits, several pairs of khaki linen pants, some polo shirts and a few nice wool sweaters. He wears each outfit maybe once every other year, but he has an adult male wardrobe to call on if need be.

I think I'm going to trade in all my sweat pants, long johns, and pajama bottoms for leggings. Leggings can serve all three of these functions.

I think I'm also going to implement a three pairs per type of pants. As in, three pairs overalls, three pairs jeans, three pairs leggings, three pairs "other" (cords, probably.)

 

[Neko-chan]

...

 

[Beekissed]

I think all you folks with the dressy and nice clothing should invent one good excuse each year for puttin' on yer glad rags and goin' out on the town...just to justify keeping them that year!

If I had a ball gown I'd wear it with bare feet showing. I'd pick flowers in it, curl up on the porch swing with a book, wear it to Family Dollar or just to the library. Life is too short to keep all the pretties and silkies locked up for a special occasion!

 

[JRmom]

I really need to get rid of a TON of clothes. Since I started working from home, I find myself wearing the same stuff week after week, comfy shorts and tanks in the summer, jeans and lightweight flannel shirts in the winter. I just replace as they get worn. I still have all my work clothes and they need to be donated while they are still halfway in style, and maybe keep just a few nice pair of slacks and a few dressy tops that will mix and match. And I won't even talk about my shoe collection. Or my winter coat collection, which is really funny considering where I live.

But to answer the question.... I could get along very well with 7 pair of shorts, 7 tank tops, 3 or 4 each of tees and lightweight flannel shirts, 7 pair of jeans, plus a couple of dressy outfits.

 

[savingdogs]

I may be an older woman but I enjoy that I still look okay and clothes are a part of that. Wearing flattering clothing appropriate to the situation is just a part of my lifestyle and I don't find it upsetting or stressful, it is a PLEASURE to dress I like clothes and shoes and enjoy having them around. I don't spend much on them and rarely buy new except for underclothing and socks and occasionally a piece here or there on sale. While I sort my clothes seasonally, I do keep things much longer than one year and I'm very happy that I do, some things are classics and outlast trends, and I keep things that are smaller and larger because I tend to go up and down in weight. Thank goodness I kept my alternate set because I needed that fat set again this year. My sister and daughter and I all trade clothes occasionally too, makes our wardrobes bigger.

My farm clothes get soiled quickly so I need lots of changes of clothes and when I see family, they like to see me in my nice clothes, not my farm clothes, so I have totally different outfits I wear to town. I guess I was raised that way. I also have things I might wear to a church, a funeral, a wedding or a special event, or on a hike, I like to be appropriate to the occasion. I like to mix and match and see how fashionable and nice I can manage to look despite being broke and short, it is a fun game. I come from a family of pretty women and I wouldn't want to embarrass them I guess, and be the only frumpy one. Also, I was raised in Los Angeles where what you look like is mighty important, so while I've embraced me.....I do like "me" to look nice. So my clothes would NOT fit in a box under the bed.

 

[framing fowl]

This is my minimum:

For work at the gallery: I love a layered look so I have lots (Maybe 10 or 12) of cute/dressy tank tops and short sleeve shirts for summer. Then I have several (about 10) nice jackets. In the fall and winter, I just mix and match wearing one of my summer shirts underneath. I try to get a couple of new tank tops each season. I also try to get one really nice, expensive classic jacket each year that is something that will last me a long time. I have three different sorts of black dresses that can be mixed and matched with some of the fancier jackets or scarves or worn alone. I have one skirt that again, can be mixed and matched with any of the tank top/jacket combos. I have one pair of jeans dressy enough for work that I just launder every week. It gets replaced about every 6 months. For shoes, I have 3 pair of special occasion shoes and two pairs of work shoes that get rotated.

For gardening: I have 3 pairs of jeans, 3 pairs of shorts, several t-shirts, a couple of tank tops, and 3 flannel shirts. I also have one pair of nice athletic shoes and one pair of grubby shoes.

For winter wear: I have one dressy jacket, one monster down super warm jacket, one regular jacket. I have 1 pair of ski pants and one pair of wool pants and a set of rubber bottomed insulated boots. Two different hats and two different sets of gloves. Most of my winter stuff I have had since college and it comes in handy now and then, even though I don't wear it much. It was good quality and I don't want to replace it because it doesn't take up a lot of space.

My DH has persuaded me that less is more. I used to have several pairs of lots of cheap things. Now I buy nicer things but have fewer of them. It ends up costing about the same but I like the more expensive things and enjoy them more!

 

[TanksHill]

I think all you folks with the dressy and nice clothing should invent one good excuse each year for puttin' on yer glad rags and goin' out on the town...just to justify keeping them that year!

If I had a ball gown I'd wear it with bare feet showing. I'd pick flowers in it, curl up on the porch swing with a book, wear it to Family Dollar or just to the library. Life is too short to keep all the pretties and silkies locked up for a special occasion!

Bee, my girls do just that. Maybe one day I should throw on a fancy dress and swing in the yard with them.

 

[moolie]

I think all you folks with the dressy and nice clothing should invent one good excuse each year for puttin' on yer glad rags and goin' out on the town...just to justify keeping them that year!

If I had a ball gown I'd wear it with bare feet showing. I'd pick flowers in it, curl up on the porch swing with a book, wear it to Family Dollar or just to the library. Life is too short to keep all the pretties and silkies locked up for a special occasion!

Bee, my girls do just that. Maybe one day I should throw on a fancy dress and swing in the yard with them.

Now I wish I had a ball gown, that sounds like fun

I live in the city in an early 1980s split level home with a 4' closet in each bedroom, work at home but see clients and need to dress up, and go to church regularly. My wardrobe is in no way minimal and has been built over the course of about 20 years (yes, some pieces are that old). I don't shop very often, only if I need something. Everything is wearable/in constant rotation, and consists of:

4 pairs jeans (two "good", two for working in the yard etc.)
4 pairs capris (3 black, 1 denim)
2 pairs yoga pants

3 skirts (1 grey a-line, 1 long black pleated, 1 long blue print)
3 dresses (1 "little black", 1 purple jersey long sleeve wrap front, 1 blue print "50s housewife")
2 pairs dress trousers (black and grey)
6 blazers (2 long)
6 short-sleeved blouses
2 long-sleeved white button up shirts

3 wool cardigans (grey, forest green, white)
2 long belted wool knitted vests (grey, white)
1 white cable fisherman knit sweater

4 zipper-front hoodies
22 t-shirts (some short sleeved, some long sleeved, 3 polo collar--need to pair this down!)

I also have:

1 wool winter coat, 1 ski jacket, 1 rain coat, 1 black knee-length trench coat, 1 motorcycle-style jacket, 1 denim jacket, 2 fleece jackets, 1 pair rain pants, 1 pair fleece pants (worn under rain pants for snow/cold).

2 pairs runners (1 newish, 1 old for outdoor work), 1 pair Clarks clog style shoes, 1 pair ankle winter boots (for church or with dress trousers), 2 pairs leather sandals, 1 pair rubber boots, 1 pair Sorel winter boots. I need a pair of dressy shoes because my old ones wore out (re-soled them twice, now they're shot).