What proportion of your (working) wardrobe is over a year old?

[TheOGCCL]

I'm talking about the clothes you wear day in day out. Yesterday I wore some jeans (about a month old), a cardigan (about two months old) and a top (about five months old) with some ankle boots which pre date the pandemic at least.

I just can't seem to get together a wardrobe of clothes that I feel happy to wear for years and years which I'd ideally like for environmental reasons. My head is turned by new fashions, e.g. my skinnies feel very dated, I'm buying more oversized clothes lately, whereas a couple of years ago it was smaller things. Items lose their novelty value, they shrink or fade a little. I change my mind about what sort of neckline suits, I age. So I buy new and end up with a lot of churn in my wardrobe. (I am the opposite of a hoarder and do not have a lot of space so if things aren't being worn, they go).

I think lots of others must be like that given all the talk of buying new clothes on here and other forums and the influence of, er, influencers. My weight is stable and all my clothes fit me, can't use that excuse. I tend to buy mid range stuff, Esprit, M&S, Mango.

Any ideas??

Most of my stuff is a couple of years old, but I'm not at all interested in clothes

How old are you?

I was obsessed with buying clothes for years and years but now I seem to already have whatever comes into fashion so barely buy anything.

If you buy half decent quality (not Primark / Boohoo / George) and look after it (no tumble drying, iron on the correct heat) things should last a few years at least. More if you wear it for a year or two and then put it away until it comes back in fashion.

Most of the things I think of as "new" are 2-3 years old. I only really buy a handful of new things a year.

Today I wore a top for work that must be at least 10yo, with a cardigan that I bought post pandemic when we had to work with the windows open, a skirt that's a bit newer, maybe 18months and boots that are at least 5yo and on their second set of heels.

75% of mine is, especially work stuff. I buy new weekend stuff occasionally & it filters into my work wardrobe after a year or so.
Today I'm wearing a black short skirt that is at least 5 years old over leggings & black ankle boots that are 2 years old with a black jumper that is around 7 years old!
I have regular culls but I do love old faithful outfits & I work in a smart casual environment where they all feel suitable.
My oldest garment is a pair of M&S shorts from 1994!

100% . I mainly wfh and resent spending money on work stuff so just wear out of date stuff

Well over 90% The only things I have bought new this winter are a cardigan and some boots.

I'd just carry on as you are if you enjoy new clothes and novelty, you don't have to try to be someone you're not. If you want to be more environmentally conscious buy and sell using Vinted or eBay.

I buy loads of classics and weird stuff from charity shops and mix it up with new + accessories.
Depends on the dress code but...
Right now black skinnies (I know, old!) DMs, max mara silk shirt and sleeveless wool/silk tank, earrings. Got a compliment.
Last week a TEENAGER complimented me: black cashmere polo neck, black ankle boots, logo belt (all charity) and newer shaped trousers (new, but bargain quite posh brand) , necklace.

I have a full chest of drawers though and half a wardrobe full.

Most of my clothes. A lot are second hand too.

Almost all of it! Some of it is 20+ years old, and just regular clothes, not "investment pieces".

I bought some new clothes last January, and a new pair of jeans last week (but only bought the jeans because I've lost weight and my old ones don't fit. I'll keep the bigger jeans for when I inevitably put the weight back on as they're fine apart from the size).

90% probably…
we are on the casual side of smart/casual.
officially jeans not allowed but I wear good black ones a lot with an ironed shirt.
I think people if they notice anything notice the smart-ish shirt, I even get the odd compliment on them.
boots I have for years - occasionally re-heeled.
I also have some boring trousers - dark colours. In winter I have a couple of above knee skirts and I wear various tops with them…
I’m very boring but it works for me,

Pretty much all of it is a lot more than one year old.

Almost all of it. I hardly buy new clothes anymore

Probably 95%

even with the decline in garment quality manufacturing, there just isn’t reason to replace items that quickly. They do last quite some time unless you have an incredibly small wardrobe and everything is in heavy rotation.

but every time I see an article telling me I have to stop wearing a certain cut, collar, or color, I just roll my eyes and ignore.

Most of it. And most of the rest is 2nd hand.

I have not bought anything new specifically to wear at work this year, but I have bought a new padded warm coat as the zip and elastics on my perished old coat ( 10 years?) need replacement. I have a lovely thin wool coat (4 years old) but it’s not warm enough for mid winter. I bought the coat with commuting in mind, - as it needs to cope with weather and waiting for trains on windy cold platforms and be light and easy to carry. It also has side zips to assist sitting or cooling without full removal! Practical rather than stylish! I also bought a wool sleeveless sweater which I hope will keep me warm and update several other items.

I've bought quite a bit of new stuff recently which I do feel guilty about. I've lost weight (medical) enough so my clothes looked baggy and unflattering, so I've bought some cords, 3 jumpers, a cardigan, a sleeveless pullover and a couple of going out tops. Mostly ebay and sales but it's more than I've bought for years.
I've kept a few things in case I gain weight again and given the rest to our hospice shop.
I do feel bad from the environmental point of view but nothing I've got is particularly fashionable so I'm planning to keep wearing them for the foreseeable!

Of my winter clothes, 100% is over a year old, and I think the newest is over 2. My work clothes are older than that and my oldest skirt (1980s Benetton) has been given to DD as it's a better fit on her. I did buy a summer dress in the second hand shop in September. I also have a brand new swimsuit because my previous one fell apart in the summer.

But when I can bring myself to do it I need to get a new pair of jeans because my smartest pair has developed a hole and I have to replace my white trainers because after 4 years of heavy use they have fallen apart.

A lot of it. Have two dresses that I bought in the last year. Most of my blouses and trousers were bought pre-pandemic.

90% I would say. I think I've only bought a couple of pairs of pyjamas, two t shirts and a pair of leggings in the last year.

It would have been about 70-80% but since the dreaded start of the menopause I have changed shape and size so a good 50% of my wardrobe has needed replaced. Vinted has been great for replacing like with like - so Reiss top for a (new to me) Reiss top.
I handwash all of my more expensive stuff (Jigsaw, Reiss, &Other Stories) and jumpers so that they wear better. I do make sure that I style things in the most on trend way, so rolled hems, jumpers over dresses etc.

100% of my work wear is over a year old. Most of it predates covid. I am still working from home and just can,'t be bothered with workwear any more. I am pregnant, so did get maternity stuff but not a single thing with work in mind. I would never have worn these things into the office, but fuck it, people only see my shoulders up. Now that I am big, lots of days I have leggings or PJ bottoms on the bottom half.

Thinking about my day to day wardrobe as opposed to specifically work clothes, about 50%ish. I like buying clothes, and resell stuff on Depop. I also buy on Depop as well as new.

Per pp, I am in peri menopause and my shape is changing a bit - I have gained a bit of weight since starting HRT and am more on the 12 side of 10/12 at the mo. I wear jeans a lot and have bought a few pairs in a 12 over the last six months because my 10s feel uncomfortable.

Almost 100%.
Got a new monki dress in the sale. Way way more colourful than my usual clothes. That's been my only purchase this year. Not for want of trying. Buying smart proffesional but not business attire is a nightmare! Too short! Too long! Too boring etc etc. I've got enough clothes to rotate for 8 days...and I do. Recently recycled the oldest cos dresses but still wear one 10 year old shirt dress, at the moment with thermals and thick sole loafers.

At least 95% of my clothes are over a year old, I've bought very few things in the past year

At a guess well over 50% of my wardrobe is 5+ years old