How many clothes do you own? Come in for a wardrobe chat :)

[Marghe87]

Various lockdowns and being on maternity leave have really pushed me to do a massive wardrobe declutter and reconsider the way I shop. I used to buy a lot of Zara, HM etc and was never satisfied with my clothes. I have now changed my approach and prefer to buy less but higher quality. If I can’t afford full price, I shop second hand and, I must say, it’s very addictive! I feel like I have transformed my wardrobe in a year or so, with the majority of pieces coming from Vinted. I am now much happies with the stuff I own but still feel I have a long way to go.
How many clothes do you have in your wardrobe (ie: how many pf each category) and how do uou normally shop? Do you keep your clothes for years and do you look after them or do you have a more disposable approach?

When I say way too many, I mean 2 wardrobes full plus a load in vacuum packed bags, plus a load at my MILs house because I don't have the space. The clothes at my MILs are ethnic occasion wear that are only required once in a blue moon.

Probably between 80 - 100 dresses and around 20 skirts. 15 coats and maybe a couple of dozen tailored jackets. 20-25 cardigans- but no jumpers.

In my defence I don't own any jeans, trousers, leggings, "leisure wear", t- shirts, jumpsuits, denim, sweatshirts, hoodies or that MN staple "a nice top"

Some of stuff is years old. I have a definite style so it's irrelevant whether my clothes are in fashion or not.

I only have a small wardrobe, so have to be really strict. Luckily I spend most of my life in jeans, so I don't need loads of different styles! I am allowed 100 items, but that includes nightwear, coats and pairs of shoes! I've got 15 jumpers, 15 long sleeved tops, 15 short sleeved, 5 pairs of jeans, a few skirts and shorts and a few dresses and jackets. A strict one-in-one-out rule applies. I am really happy with this system actually, nice and quick when choosing what to wear!

I have just retired early and got rid of the few work clothes that don't suit my lifestyle anymore. I seem to have around 10 of each clothing item so about 100 things. I couldn't do a capsule as I go out and on holiday a lot and would find it extremely boring and I can't get rid of items for the sake of it. I have loads of gorgeous clothes so don't need to shop very often but when I do it's very considered. I have a wardrobe full of skirts, dresses, jackets, tops and jeans a large chest of drawers for underwear, t-shirts, jumpers, gym stuff and a small chest with holiday clothes-bikini's, shorts, sarongs, hats etc.
I don't own a single cardigan or pair of trousers.

I’ve not long rejigged my wardrobe and had a really big clear out to streamline what I’ve got and make getting dressed quick and easy.
i have maybe 30 dresses - I mostly wear dresses to work (or sports clothes on a PE day!), 5 pairs of ‘tailored’ leggings, 20 various tops/shirts, 10 jumpers, 3 pairs of jeans, one cardigan that usually lives at work, 12 skirts of varying styles and that’s about it for the wardrobe.
sports/gym clothes are in one drawer, slobby house clothes (jogging bottoms and slouchy sweatshirts) in another drawer, summer holiday clothes live elsewhere.
coats/jackets (around 10) and shoes (50 or so pairs) are downstairs.

I share a small wardrobe with DH so only about 12 items hung up on rails and half a shelf space for jumpers. I have a small chest of drawers for everything else. A few hoodies hung up on the pegs and a net bag with tights, thick winter socks and leg warmers because they don't fit anywhere else. I have about 12 coats/jackets on the coat rack by the front door. A lot is mostly second hand. I know what my key pieces are and usually replace when its worn out.

I did a major clear out and STILL have about 3 large suitcases of clothes. I have about 14 different pair of jeans. When I say I'll fit into them at one point as I am losing weight will that ever work? Should I get rid and then re buy with money I don't have haha kids clothes are about 3 suitcases alone. I re use the older child's for the younger but it still adds up! I vacuum packed my winter clothes recently still takes up space in a wardrobe tho? Got rid of all my uni days dresses I thought I'd keep for sentimental reasons (20 plus years later!)

I have probably 10 items each of: skirts, dresses, tops, knits. Plus 2 jeans, 2 black trousers, 2 joggers, 4 coats, 2 blazers.

I’d like to be really minimalist but it’s hard because my weight has fluctuated in the past and I’m sure it will again. I’m currently size 12, but I’m holding onto clothes in size 10-14 because they’re good quality clothes and I don’t want to donate and risk having to re-buy in the future.

@Namechanged12344 you see I could never have 14 pairs of jeans as I work full-time and they only get worn at weekends sometimes. I have a denim pair, a white pair and a black pair. I am more likely to wear tailored leggings nowadays.

@PostMenPatWithACat I think at least 10 don't fit!!!! It's the wishful thinking! And different styles clearly boyfriend girlfriend and all the rest don't suit me but I still keep em!

I can't say how much of each thing without going up to count, but I can say I have half a small wardobe (my section is 2' wide) for tops, I have a small closet (3') for dresses and trousers. A drawer for pants, a drawer for socks, 2 drawers for pjs, a drawer for tee shirts.

I have an embarrassing number of clothes.

I’d love to pare it down but I’m a bit of a collector and I love the thrill of a new purchase. I travel a lot and feel much more comfortable when I have a smaller wardrobe for a trip but I just can’t pull it together day today.

I long to be one of these people who when they have an occasion: formal lunch; walking dog with friends; black tie; casual dinner has the perfect outfit. I have 50 potentials (not even kidding) most of which are rarely adequate, let alone great.

@PostMenPatWithACat also where do you get your tailored leggings (sorry for derailing slightly!) I also work FT but have only 1 black work skirt and 1 pair of leggings (slight structure to them definitely not tailored). Thanks!
This thread has helped me start thinking about not needing 14 pairs of jeans! Thank you!

@Namechanged12344 White Stuff. Tailored may be the wrong word but they are a heavier weight and have a little turn up.

Thanks @PostMenPatWithACat for the reply!

I've been doing Project 333 - summer 2022 will be my third season. I have around 33 items out per season and tbh it is plenty. That covers me for work clothes (presentable client-facing but not suit formal), one outfit smart enough to do a sales meeting, non-work clothes, outdoor walking/gardening clothes, coats, shoes. It does not include running kit, underwear, pyjamas - but I have also limited myself to 2 sets running kit, 8 pairs pants, 2 sets pj's etc. I have a funeral outfit and a couple of evening/wedding outfits that I hold on to too, and I don't count those in the total.

The 33ish items has seemed plenty (I think I had 30 one season, I have 36 this season). Summer has been hardest to plan - I'm in Scotland and I wore a thermal vest & jumper last week but am in shorts & tshirt just now!

Tbh I realise now that I could probably manage on 20ish if I needed to. It would also be less if I had less different 'looks' that I needed to cover (e.g. If work was a uniform or exactly the same as my casual clothes).

I used to buy a lot of crap from the sales and never wore them. When I had a house move I decided to give it all the charity, only keeping what I wear for daily use. I now have a very minimalist/capsule wardrobe but good fitting, quality items:

6 pairs of jeans in different wash/colours/cuts
3 pairs smart trousers
3 midi skirts (can be dressed up or down)
1 pair leather trousers

15 t-shirts in various shapes/cuts (black, white, grey and navy)
1 denim shirt
3 silk shirts
4 linen/cotton shirts

6 jumpers
3 cardigans
3 blazers
1leather jacket
4 coats (puffa, 2 tailored coats and a rain coat)

5 dresses (can be dressed up or down)

4 beachy/holiday dresses (which I get away with wearing on those rare hot days in the UK)

It's not for everyone but I do use everything I have. I work from home and have young children so I'm rarely going out. I live in jeans and t shirts/jumpers most days. Apart from my t shirts most of the items in my wardrobe have been around for years (the coats and jackets are around 15 years old).

Not many but probably less/more than some people

3 x leggings
2 x jeans
2 x trousers

2 x dresses
2 x jumpsuit
1 x skirt

One small drawer of long and short sleeve tops/T-shirts

4 x shirts
8 x jumpers

6 x footwear
4 x coat/jacket

2 x pjs
1 x tracksuit bottoms for home wear only

Underwear and socks, but again minimal

I find that plenty. I used to have so many clothes and never anything I wanted to wear. Now I buy very little and only brand new if I absolutely love it

PROJECT 333
What counts as "in home loungewear" ?
If you wear it on a trip to supermarket, does it not qualify as "in home loungewear" ?

If you wear a pair of gloves does that count as one item or 2?

Does a pair of socks count as part of the 33, is one pair of socks one item or 2 items?

What do you wear when the washing machine is running?

I don't understand how people who work daily in an office can squeeze into the Proj33 rules unless they heavily repeat outfits. I did have (male) office mates who wore exact same thing daily, tbf. Head to toe. maybe the socks varied, I didn't look closely.

ps: do coats, waterproofs or jackets count in the 33?

What about commuting clothes, are they exempt if I change out of them when commute stops?

@lljkk I don't think there's an absolute hard & fast set of rules. I just googled it a bit, I think I initially heard it mentioned here.

In general you don't count sports kit (as long as you really do wear it for sport), technical 'kit' & underwear. Gloves I'd say are one item!

I don't know what in home lounge wear is. I have a fleecy hoodie I wear on top of pyjamas or sometimes round the house if it's freezing. Maybe that's it? FWIW I counted that in my winter 33!

For me, the main benefits are (a) really easy to get dressed in the morning, I can see all of my stuff so I have weeded it such that it mostly all goes together and (b) easy to spot the few things I need to buy either as a replacement for knackered stuff or because I know I'm missing something (eg I know I need one 'going out' top for this summer that will go with a navy/tan/olive palette).

I included everyday coats, but I do have an 'apocalyptic rain' coat and a 'hiking up proper mountain' coat that I didn't count in but just use as required - in my head they are more sports/technical kit.

Also I haven't had a completely different set of things each season. I'd say more than half of my 'summer' wardrobe was also in my 'spring' wardrobe.

I take it that Project333 doesn’t mean have that number of items in your wardrobe —I’m fine if it does (in each wardrobe!)—🙄😄

I have a couple of wardrobes; the second wardrobe stores mostly out of season clothes and coats. All the clothes are in film covers. I need to change it for summer now as I've brought some things over but need to switch things over. I'm putting it off!

I also have a couple of shelves of cardigans, but I love cardigans and have loads. I have a smaller two shelves for gym/dance/exercise clothes. They're the dangerous thing because I can always manage to justify that I definitely need something if it's for exercise, etc

I've had a couple of large culls, over the years, and some smaller ones. I'm due another.
Skirts are another thing I like and I now easily have an awful lot. I was supposed to be doing low-buy this year but haven't managed it, but I'm going to make another attempt.

I buy from a few favourite shops and also from Vinted, and like some vintage clothing.