How many clothes do we actually need?

[Britneybritneyspears]

I'm currently clearing out my wardrobe and am trying to have as few clothes as possible (I started with an enormous amount but have reduced it significantly). I currently have:
3 raincoats
2 winter coats
2 denim jackets (1 patterned)
5 pairs of trousers (incl jeans)
1 pair of dungarees
4 plain white t shirts
8 tops/ t shirts
4 cardigans
8 jumpers
6 dresses (2 smarter and 4 everyday ones)
I am still wanting to reduce down further (I need the space and it's been good to sell things for bit more money!) and was just wondering what I have too much of
Not sure if it's relevant but I'm a sahm so I don't have to dress for work. Would love to hear of anyone with much less and how they make it work.

Forgot shoes! I have:
2 pairs of trainers
2 smart pairs of shoes
1 pair of wellies
4 pairs of trainers/ everyday shoes
1 pair of boots

I'm impressed!! I have far too much and really should have a massive clear out.

Interesting question - seems like you could lose a rain coat but that list seems pretty slim to me

@WalkingOnMarshmallow I had multiples of this to begin with! Once you get going it does get a lot easier!

Depends how co-ordinated you are, how old your kids are, if you do a sport, how often you run a wash load.

None of my clothes get worn a second day. Not through want of trying but I seem to be incapable of not dropping stuff down me if I'm wearing something that could be worn again, or if I don't, small fingers get wiped on me. If I can by some miracle get jeans or a jumper past day 1 they last a lot better.

However young kids mean lots of wash loads so I don't need much stuff other than sportswear...

Always need to buy more to get through an entire holiday!

@randomsabreuse I'm not very co-ordinated or fashionable! I have 2 year old twins and whilst it sounds really messy it's not bad at all actually. I do get a few wears out of each thing before it gets washed. I stay quite local most days so tend to just wear the same thing over and over but I do like to keep a few nice things for when me and dh go out

Maybe I should be ashamed of what I have....
18 pairs of jeans at last count
Maybe 10 pairs of denim shorts
3 denim pinifores
2 cord pinifores
4 none gym leggings
6 gym leggings
2 leather jackets
3 denim jackets
1 Mac
3 fur coats
1 Barbour coat
3 walking coats
3 puffer coats
6 other costs I can't describe
2 tutu style skirts...... Hmmm...
1 draw of "other clothes"
6 maxi dresses
4 leopard print skirts.....

In total I have two larger wardrobes, one very large clothing rail, 7 draws of clothes, one large draw of bags, a box of jumpers a box of hoodies, 4 boxes of holiday clothes, one box of Christmas clothes, one box of fancy dress, 5 shelves of shoes and about 10 pairs of trainers

I've had a good clear out recently too 🙄

It depends on lifestyle, though, doesn't it? Now, I work from home, only socialise in a few circles, don't go out much in bad weather and am able to wash and dry clothes in the working week, I need much less.

A lot of what I have is kept because I feel guilty getting rid of things I've not worn 'enough'. I'm getting better at that, and over the last couple of years have radically thinned out my wardrobe. It's so nice being able to put away and get out clothes so easily because they're not all pushed together on a rail or in a drawer.

I have some in black bags that are halfway out of the house ...

I think you have few t-shirts! Your wear-wash cycle must be short. OTOH, I don't see why you need 3 raincoats.

Also depends on lifestyle job etc .
I need to be smart for work so dresses / silk shirt dress trousers at the very least
Also often need to walk between venues so raincoat / trench winter weight wool coat etc .
Also evening events etc

Too many jumpers and cardis? Not enough tshirts

I'm impressed with some of these. I'm good at summer clothes shopping - I have plenty of shorts and linen tops - but finding winter clothes I like is difficult. Plus I didn't buy anything during 2020 because furloughed/redundant. I'm trying to sort it out now. I have...

2 raincoats
1 winter coat
1 pair of black jeans
2 long sleeved blouses
5 tops/ t shirts
3 jumpers
1 wool Boden dress
2 calf length skirts

3 pairs shoes
1 x ankle boots
1 x heeled long boots

I need 2 x jeans, wool work trousers, some little knit tops, a jacket, some trainers. Everything else is fit only for the bin. 🙁

I've been having a clear out recently and I'm shocked at the amount of clothes I've got I don't wear, I've found several pairs of trousers, all the same! Not to mention work tops that are really similar. Ive also out on weight in the last 6 years, around 4 stone and I've been holding onto size 10 clothes it highly unlikely I'll ever get back into. I've taken bags and bags to the charity shop and I'm determined to only buy when I wear something out. The same for shoes and boots

Have you looked at project 333 @Britneybritneyspears ?
It has been around a long time now but was a big talking point when it came out.
I have been very minimalist in my time, am less so now, it is fun to get into it and it saves money, time and space.

Another fan of project 333 here

When I'm planning my 'capsule' wardrobe I start with thinking about what I do, then what clothes I need then put together the 'wardrobe'.

For example, three raincoats may be necessary if you need one warm, one lightweight summer and one sport activity related. while three identikit black business wear raincoats are probably too much.

Really admire Barack Obama's approach, having lots of identical blue suits and white shirts, to minimise the number of trivial decisions needing to be taken each day. Since lockdown, I've been trying to standardise my outfits, too, starting with ten identical tops and wear once each morning.

Specialised kit say swim suits don't count no do sports stuff like walking shoes

I usually wash once a week, so allow enough changes to last ten days. It's a bit of a secret I hug to myself. No one ever noticed that I wear the same thing every day and my life is earlier

Such a contrast to my own dear, late mother who could remember exactly what she was wearing on every occasion. I'm guessing I was a disappointment to her, clothes wise.

i'm actually a shopaholic i deffo have too many clothes, im so bad at letting go of stuff aswell

I have 3 raincoats. One is very light, good for warm but threat of some rain (or runn in the rain) , one is heavier, for autumn hillwalking and the school run. One is full length for really wet weather. I also have some cheap ski jackets for cold and wet (more than 1 because then I've got a dry one for the afternoon school run...) I've lived most of my adult life in western (aka wet) parts of the UK, currently near Glasgow.

@carefullycourageous I haven't heard of project 333 before, will have a look! Thank you

Oh dear..
I have a single wardrobe space for dresses, there's about 25 in there, different lengths, weight and purposes. Then 2 x 1.5m of rail for hanging tops/cardigans/hoodies/tshirts/jumpers and some jackets ( indoor jackets) 2 shelves for jeans, 4 blue, 4 black, I only ever wear 3 of those, 1 white that I've never worn, then another drawer for leggings ( 3 different lengths, mostly black but some coloured ) and joggers , and another drawer for nightwear and vests.
A further drawer for pants and bras, another for socks and tights. Yet another for flipflops and sandals and shapewear.
There's also about 7 or 8 pairs of trainers, 5 pairs of boots, and a few pairs of actual shoes ( can't remember the last time I wore them, certainly pre-covid). Coats ( 5) and outerwear jackets ( about 10 including a few denim ones) are downstairs on another rail.
I might be underestimating some of this, and there's quite a bit packed away which is too small .
So OP, I think your wardrobe is actually quite minimal!

Interesting, I dont have that many clothes but still have things I no longer wear.
I gave recently lost weight and changed my style.
This year I have started to wear dresses which I have not done for many years.
So I have been asking myself how much do I dare get rid of ?

how much do I dare get rid of ?

I have been known to pack things away in a suitcase or bin bag. It's easier to throw stuff away if I haven't missed it for a year.

Thanks FinallyHere.
I have actually done this with some items that are too big from last winter.
Tempted to be absolutely ruthless.

I think that your wardrobe is small in terms of items but not well planned
3 raincoats
2 demin jackets but no others jackets
no skirts

etc etc

I think I might need 3 Project 333's worth of clothes. There's so little overlap between my summer and my winter wardrobes and I think I need a mid season capsule for autumn and spring too.

I don't do Project 333 religiously but I am inspired by it. Currently I am fishing things out of the wardrobe that are now too summery and stashing them away, and soon I'll assess what's left, and start adding in cooler weather items.

If the clothing you have works for your life then maybe you've hit your sweet spot @Britneybritneyspears?

My hot summer clothes only get about 16 weeks wear a year but when temperatures soar I need them. It's the same for scarves and gloves and woolly hats when it's cold. Most of my coats, sun hats and summer sandals get no wear for 6 months of the year, but the other six months I really need them. I just store away what isn't needed right now and assess it seasonally.

I'd still rather keep the things I don't need often (smart coat, ball gown, bikini) than have to buy them again when needed.

@MaxmaraDress I think you might be right! Although I don't think I've worn a skirt since I was a school! I don't like my legs that much and only really wear dresses if I'm going out. Also although I did have to buy a light dress to wear in the heatwave