If you had to rebuild your wardrobe with 15 items

[Neighbourmystery]

My friend is a total minimalist . As long as I've known her she's only owned about 15 items of clothing at a time (she actually used to blog about it) she also has one shampoo bar at a time, one moisturiser etc etc she's never really worn make up so that is not a thing
One year on returning form holiday- she had her backpack stolen with every single item of her clothing in even her underwear. She had to go out and buy everything from scratch. I've often thought about this and am fascinated by the idea of having to just start again. For fun - if you had to start again with your wardrobe with a max of 15 items what would you buy?
You don't have to include a coat (my friend has one woolen and one raincoat parka type)

Mine would be :
Matching tracksuit (sweat shirt and wide leg joggers)
Barrel leg chino type trousers in 2 colours
Soft white t shirts x 3
Thin soft cardigan
Simple dress
Oversized plaid or denim shirt
Graphic t shirt
Cigarette trousers
Vintage or floppy oversized silk shirt
Soft velvet/denim or leather jacket

Anyone else want to play?

It’s making my heart hurt! I would hate to restrict myself like this. I love dressing up too much.

I can see it would be very freeing for some people though!

15 dresses or maybe 12 dresses and 3 cardigans. If I lost everything for instant replacement with no effort I'd go straight to Palava or Colenimo and buy multiple dresses and knitwear for everyday and Klements or Sister Jane or Batsheva for a dressing up dress.

But I'm never going to restrict myself to 15 items.

12 dresses and 3 cardigans is very sensible- I’m in.

I'd never find 12 dresses that fitted me properly, never mind 15. It's why I hardly ever wear them. I'm not even a particularly awkward shape or size. Never understand why so many people say they're easy.

I think counting the trouser suit as one item is cheating.................................

Otherwise I love your style - sadly brown doesn't suit me.

Ha, I will admit that thought crossed my mind too as I was writing it down 😀

I would happily swap it for one of the tops!

1 x kick flare jeans
1 x wide legged linen trousers, probably white.
1 x maxi skirt ( black?)
2 x white ribbed vests
1 x navy t-shirt, possibly a Breton
1 x white t-shirt
1 x white denim shorts
1 x fancy blouse
1 x lightweight jacket
1 x white linen shirt
1 x floaty maxi dress
1 x navy cardigan
1 x cashmere jumper, probably camel
1 x black leggings

I’ve read various threads on MN which have made very uncomfortable reading, this us right up there.

I think we are maybe (hopefully!) allowed a couple of occasion-specific outfits alongside our core 15 items. Or perhaps we are allowed a black dress and then anything else we have to buy off Vinted, and then sell on afterwards. Probably overthinking this now!

It would make food shopping a lot more pleasant - for everyone!

Jeans x 2 - 1 light, 1 dark, 1 wide leg 1 not
Wide leg trousers - 1 heavy weight 1 linen
Shorts
A black dress that I could dress up or down
A white t-shirt, a stripy t-shirt and a coloured t-shirt
A sweatshirt in a bright colour
2 cardigans - 1 neutral, 1 bright
A warm jumper
A white shirt
A denim jacket

I have only done this before on holiday when packing in a carry on where I've done the 5-4-3-2-1 method but that includes shoes, a jacket etc so if I didn't have to worry about shoes our outerwear I would pick:

2 jumpers

2 t shirts

1 vest

1 pair of wide leg jeans

1 pair of straight leg jeans

1 pair of wide leg cotton trousers

1 pair of smart trousers

1 long sleeved dress

1 sleeveless satin dress

1 cotton summer dress

1 pair of cotton shorts

1 pair of denim shorts

1 chunky knit cardigan

And then I'd have to stick to a very strict colour palette so everything could work together and I could put jumpers over the dresses in the winter etc. I'd probably choose black, red and grey.

But people stock up and have a spare in a cupboard etc or they might have received a gift so have a few bottles of shower gel, moisturiser etc

Five slightly boxy but not oversized hip length T shirts - one pale olive green, one ochre/mustard, one rust/burnt orange and two black.
One pair indigo barrel leg jeans.
One pair indigo denim culottes, just below knee length.
One chunky dark olive green cotton cardigan with wide sleeves.
One black slightly oversized sweatshirt, no longer than hip length with a loose hem.
Two vest tops, one black and one ochre/mustard.
One rust coloured dress, midi length, in a fabric that is smart enough for a night out.
One long ochre/mustard linen sundress with wide straps.
One long black or very dark green corduroy skirt, A line or pleated with plenty of fabric.
One light cotton cardigan, fairly slim cut, in black.

I'd also need a light blazer, a leather jacket, a pair of trainers, a pair of boots and some Saltwater sandals.

I think you may be taking this thread far too seriously ...

So you think this thread is up there with (just to mention a couple of threads that have bothered me of late) the current status handbag one? Where some women belittled others for being jealous of their wealth & buying power, & for not working hard enough to be able to afford designer handbags?

Or the thread over the summer asking what fashion sights were annoying people - & it became a really nasty sneering thread (where some women were referring to other women's breasts as udders, among other things), all encouraged & fanned by the OP?

By comparison, this thread is a lighthearted delight!!

I think you have taken my comment far too seriously.

One barrel jeans light wash
One white tshirt
One pair navy linen shorts
One white vest top
One navy crew fine knit jumper
One brown faux leather straight leg trousers
One pink silk shirt
One natural linen trousers
One casual dress wrap style
One navy silk skirt
One pair wide leg joggers grey
One grey crew neck sweatshirt
One white linen shirt
One Seasalt plantar coat
One linen jacket white or natural

Very difficult

This game is fun and has really made me think.

I would hate to have to go this minimalist as I do love variety, especially having some checked jackets and trousers in different colours to make work feel less drab (acid green or pink check rocks but wouldn't be for every day of the week), and some impractical dresses that I can whip out for an party (especially if fancy dress). I'd feel a bit sad without the range of options and sense of being able to surprise others and myself with my outfit regularly. But of course day to day that stuff takes up a lot of space and it's all an indulgence really.

I'll go for:

2 pairs track pants / leggings for exercising or for lounging around comfortably.

2 black tank tops for exercising or for wearing with literally anything else. One plain, one with a band logo.

2 black t shirts for wearing with literally anything. Again, one plain, one with a band logo.

Matching black suit jacket and trousers with subtle embroidery for a bit of character (I've got a suit from Disturbia that I would keep for this purpose.

1 pair black shorts.

1 pair one pair skinny checked jeans.

1 big cosy long black jumper.

1 dark grey ankle length coat.

1 raincoat.

2 dresses - both quite structured and a bit dramatic but different lengths. I'll again go for black so can accessories very differently.

Who's to know that, though? People seem to get offended - even outraged - by very little on MN ...?? How would I know it was unserious?

I miss my 20s and having a female roommate to share clothes with; double the outfits!

I think I had about 15 items all through uni and never really noticed. My wardrobe is rammed now but I probably wear 10 items. I'd have

Bootcut jeans
Wide trousers
Jersey trousers
Vest top
Short sleeve top x2
Long sleeve top x2
Fine merino short sleeve jumper
Merino jumper x2
Cashmere jumper x2
Blazer
Smartish jersey dress

Colour palette probably navy, light blue, teal.

@EleanorMc67
I’m not easily offended, I may have to tweak my writing style though by the looks of things so that I’m not misinterpreted .
Didn’t see the threads you mentioned, but from your description they sound very unpleasant.

I love this thread! I’m thinking of doing a capsule wardrobe so getting lots of ideas.

2 pairs of blue jeans
1 pair of black jeans
1 lightweight wide-legged black trousers
1 white oversized shirt
2 smartish black tees
1 going out top
1 long skirt
2 wrap dresses - one black, one colourful
1 black long-length cardigan
1 chunky knit green cardigan
2 jumper dresses

I can’t remember what the caveat was about coats but I’d need a winter coat and a denim jacket too.

Edited for typo.

I’ve got 15 different pairs of black boots 🥴

One pair of perfectly fitting Levi’s.
black longline vest top
black short sleeved well cut boxy linen/cotton mix t-shirt.
Open cardigan-fawn colour
denim skirt
black knee length dress-can be dressed up or down.
black floral dress
scarf
black trousers.
denim jacket
birkenstocks x 2 summer, x1 boots
Fly London boots