to think 30 pairs of jeans is a bit much?

[Bargello]

Coffee with a couple of friends today, I have lost a bit of weight recently and was saying that my jeans don't fit me any more, so I was going to buy two new pairs. One friend pipes up "only two?" and I sad that yes, a couple of the not really fitting pairs are fine for round the house, and it's almost summer and that I have leggings, other trousers, dresses etc. And two pairs of jeans is plenty - one to wear, one in the wash.

Friend horrified. She has 30 pairs of jeans (at least) and can't understand why anyone wouldn't want multiples in every colour, every cut, regular jeans, going out jeans, posh jeans, cheap jeans.

Anyone want to admit to more than 30 pairs??

As an aside, and on the issue of storage, there seems to be a bit of an aspirational thing about having a dressing room fitted out with open fronted fittings so it looks like a boutique, with the quantity of clothing to match. (i know we are talking about the top 10% ers here)
But by contrast I’ve read that the Parisians look chic because they have so little storage space as their flats are expensive per square foot. They have to choose clothes that can be worn repeatedly- so plain, good quality, versatile. So fewer clothes = more stylish as well.

I've just had a sort out of my jeans - been wearing mostly skinnies for years now and decided life is too short. I had 10 pairs and have thrown out 9 of them and replaced with 2 pairs of comfy baggies and a pair of 'mom' jeans 🤣

Some of this is approaching hoarder levels, even if it is organised in separate rooms, see this story on a clothes hoarder.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-63428098

I can see the logic in that. If you simply don't have the space because you're living in a tiny studio apartment in central London or New York then you have to be ruthless. You wouldn't have 30 or 80 pairs of jeans because there is simply nowhere to put them - nothing to do with not being able to afford to buy jeans.

I also think that the "dressing room", or stuffing the spare room with rails and wardrobes is a fairly new thing. Of course the super rich always had loads of clothes and people to look after the clothes and extensive storage, but 50 years ago - or even 25 years ago - most of us who live in ordinary 3 or 4 bedroom houses had a wardrobe of clothes not a room of clothes. And it all comes back to the fact that clothes now are so much cheaper than they have ever been and people shop and buy stuff as a hobby not because they need something to wear because their old coay/dress/shirt has fallen to bits.

There is so much ‘I’m so much better than you’ sneering on this thread.

Really? Do you think it's OK to be hoarding dozens of pairs of jeans with no thought about the impact on the planet?

That's not sneering.

3 pairs. One to wear, one in the wash, one clean.

Just one of the many ways life can be so much simpler for blokes. None of my mates judge me for my clothes

I know right? Not everyone can afford more than a few carefully selected pairs to cover most occasions. Not even second hand, I have two new, two second hand.

’too many clothes = not stylish’
’too many jeans = ruining the planet’
’I’m so frugal - yay me!’

Yes, I think this is sneering when you’ve no idea of what other things people do environmentally and take no real notice of those who’ve talked about keeping clothes for years, buyIng second hand, re-purposing clothes etc.

The use of the word ‘hording’ is indicative of this too - it has instantly negative connotations .

Lol, I think I have 5-6 pairs, but I don't wear a couple because I never bothered to get them tailored. 30 pairs is insane!!

Agreed. There is so much sanctimony on threads like this. People may have accumulated 30 pairs of jeans over a lifetime in different styles and fits, but they may not be wasteful in other ways. And no western person is without environmental ‘sin’ these days.

I have a couple of pairs of jeans because I don’t like them. It does not mean I’m not wasteful in other areas of my life.

The planet? Well you have posted recently about your holiday to Majorca last year, your trip to a perfume factory in France, your planned holiday this year to Rome with your three teenagers etc. How much damage do you think you are causing the planet?

Honestly, it really irritates me when flying/travelling abroad is one of the worst things people can do for the planet, yet they berate somebody who has collected 30 pairs of jeans over their lifetime.

I have about that number give or take, I haven’t actually counted. As far as storage goes I do have a room that I’ve turned into a dressing room.

I am environmentally conscious in some ways, and not in others.

The friend in the OP was questioning only buying two new pairs. That doesn't suggest she has amassed 30 pairs over a lifetime. It sounds like she regularly buys multiples.

Gosh you must have time to be advanced searching @Bintastic , I suggest you get a better hobby.

Everyone makes choices and everyone has their own priorities. I think the argument that you can't comment on one aspect of consumerism/consumption/environmentalism unless you are living in a cave and eating nettles is a bit weak, tbh.

But by contrast I’ve read that the Parisians look chic because they have so little storage space as their flats are expensive per square foot. They have to choose clothes that can be worn repeatedly- so plain, good quality, versatile. So fewer clothes = more stylish as well.

That's an interesting theory. Possibly some truth to tht. Although Brits also have small houses by international standards (we had a whole thread on this recently) but are not known for dressings stylishingly.

I am quite bored today, I admit. But I do always look up the history of someone who is preaching. Because I know there will be some hypocrisy found. You don’t get to make sanctimonious comments about the planet when you are doing your bit to ruin it yourself.

I was just quite shocked because in a lot of ways she talks about being "eco" - has an electric car, veganuary, hand me downs for the kids etc. But doesn't see a disconnect between that and 30 pairs of jeans.

Like you don’t see a disconnect between your foreign travel and jeans sanctimony I guess. 🤷🏼‍♀️

Let's compare like with like... A pair of 501s apparently produces about 33 kg CO2. A return flight to New York 890 kg. So Your friend with 30 pairs of jeans is responsible for the same amount of CO2 from her collection as a return flight to New York (a bit further, maybe, let's say Washington DC), or 4 return flights London to Rome. Not saying one is better than the other (they are clearly both bad) but it's good to have an idea what this means in absolute terms.

Oh well, if we are not allowed to think that 30 pairs of jeans is excessive unless we are exemplary in every other aspect of our lives than I had better stfu.

I will tend to have 4 or 5 pairs in a particular style, but they should last me 10 years or so. 30 is insane, you must forget half of them are there lol.

I have one pair of jeans. However, I do have 32 dresses and 18 skirts. My hands are a bit buggered thanks to RA so a dress/skirt and tights if needed is so much easier to manage. Most of them are from the charity shop.

Just what I was thinking. I'm sure OP knows her friend's situation more than a bunch of MN randoms.

Owning 30 pair of jeans is ridiculous anyway, whether they were bought in one year or one lifetime. No-one needs 30 pair of jeans, or 200 dresses.

One good thing about this thread - it has cured me of my regular thought that I have far too many clothes, it seems I am a minimalist compared to many others!

One good thing about this thread - it has cured me of my regular thought that I have far too many clothes, it seems I am a minimalist compared to many others!

Yes, if I'm absolutely honest, it's making me want another pair of jeans - oh dear 😬

I have one pair of jeans at a time.

I'm a denim Luddite.