Does anyone actively try to limit their wardrobe?

Aug 29, 2008
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Just curious, after the closet count thread and various "do you buy multiples of this or that" threads. Does anyone besides me actively try to limit or minimize the number of items in their closet?

I love looking at all sorts of different clothes and shoes and bags and spend my fair share of time drooling over other girls' collections. But when it comes to buying for myself, I like my stuff to do good quintuple duty, go well with several different things, work in most circumstances (weather, etc) for most occasions, take some abuse and still look good. Mostly it's just about keeping some space and simplicity. It drives me crazy to worry too much about "stuff." I love being able to throw on whatever is around and have it work 90% of the time. It's an enjoyable challenge for me to find an item that fits and works for me and not just pick up something that looks great on its own and won't see much wear.

I'm also obsessed with the idea of "perfection." I have probably watched too many design shows and fancying myself tasteful I will nitpick at ways that clothes could be more chic or flattering. I have learned that if there is anything I don't love about an item -- fit, cut, color, pattern, texture, quality, detail, versatility, whatever -- no matter how much I love the rest it will end up in the corner unused. If I have two similar items I will always compare them and only wear the one I prefer. The other one lives for laundry day.

Is anyone else this kind of obsessive shopper?
 
I have a limited closet. I didn't realize it until I read the How Many Articles of Clothing Do You Own - but I don't own anything I don't wear at least four times a year. Only Formal and Costume pieces are worn that infrequently. I keep them because it would cost too much to rebuy them again when I need them, and there really is no substitute. Almost everything I own, I wear at least once a month.

My closet contains everything I could need. Ever since I found my "garden semi-formal wedding at 4 pm in August" dress, I haven't had to go shopping for an occasion. So when I go clothing shopping, and I do so just for fun, I tend to try on a piece. If it looks good on me, I then ask myself "is it any better than what I have at home?"
Usually, the answer is no. Sometimes, the item at home is nearing the end of its useful life, so I'll buy the new item, and then either donate or sell the old one.

Now, if only I could learn to do that for accessories!
 
Yes! that would be me! I'm a 'control freak' when it comes to adding something new to my wardrobe. It has to match almost everything that I already own AND be of exquisite quality.
I've learned my lesson well 2 years ago when I discovered I had a closet full of 'unique' pieces of clothing and nothing to wear.
 
I do. I love my clothes and I have to get lots of wear out of them. I spend quite a lot of money on really beautiful pieces that suit me perfectly and that go well with my overall aesthetic and other clothes I already own. I can't imagine not wearing clothes I've bought - it just seems really wasteful to me. So I adopt a practice of nothing comes into my wardrobe unless:
1. I really don't have something suitable for an occasion already;
2. it is a really beautiful piece that suits me, makes me look and feel amazing and is worth a space in my closet;
3. it is to replace something that has finally been worn out.

I have clothes that are 6, 7, 8 years old and I still love them and wear them.
 
I need to be more like this. I keep buying more clothes but there are still so many days when I have no clue what to wear or don't feel like wearing anything that I own.
 
i also posted in that thread. great thread :tup:
i don't have a lot and i usually rotate my cloths on a weekly basis. but i have some other clothes that i used to love but i still wear them from time to time.
i do buy quality clothes...though not super expensive but i spent what i could afford to make sure they last a very long time. half of my closet are more than 5 years old.
 
why would anyone WANT a limited wardrobe? i can't see that space may be an issue for some, but that still wouldn't make them WANT less clothes, would it?

i think when you have too many clothes...sometimes you forget what you have....there's 365 days a year...if you have like 1000 pieces...its almost impossible to wear each one of them...plus most of us buy one here and there...
 
why would anyone WANT a limited wardrobe? i can't see that space may be an issue for some, but that still wouldn't make them WANT less clothes, would it?

For simplicity, ease, less clutter, and I love knowing that everything is perfect for me. (Some of it's not, but that's in my never-worn goodwill pile.) Maybe some of this is the obsessive control-freak nature. When I have pieces I don't love I obsess over their flaws. When I have pieces I can't match, I obsess over wth I am going to do with them.

I am glad there are others posting in this thread! I thought I was going to be all lonely up in here ;)
 
why would anyone WANT a limited wardrobe? i can't see that space may be an issue for some, but that still wouldn't make them WANT less clothes, would it?

I don't know about other people, but for me, my attitude of less is more permeates every aspect of my life. I'm not a big volume consumer in any area (well, textbooks and academic journals but that's another story :P). I want one perfect item in a particular category, not 15 nondescript items purchased for the sake of buying something. For me, it's not the material 'owning' of a thing that brings me pleasure, it's the wearing of beautiful clothes that I enjoy. If I had too many clothes, I'd never get to wear them all (reminds me of that saying 'You can only eat one meal and sleep in one bed at a time').
 
Yes I try to only buy things that I "need" like if I already have 5 pairs of designer jeans that fit well and are new I probably wouldn't buy a 6th because I know I wouldn't get much use out of them ( unless I wore jeans everyday which I don't)
or if I already have a new holiday dress and I'm not planning on going to many parties I wouldn't buy another because I know that by the time a next special occasion comes along I would be bored of it.
 
Do I try? Yes!. Does it work? No! :roflmfao:

The concept of less is more is wonderful, and while it dominates other aspects of my life; when it comes to clothes I just cant help myself. I think, "no, I'm not going to buy anything, no..." Then I have an event to go to, and kick myself for not buying more to begin with. It's getting better thougn, I am trying to curb my consumerism and live more simply.
 
I try. I sell things I'm tired of on ebay to make room for new items. Looking in my closet and seeing all these clothes I spent a lot on and never wear makes me ill, so I sell all the gently used stuff on ebay to get it out of my sight! Most of it is "like new", I get tired of things SO fast, which is bad. But great for the buyers, since I end up practically giving away all these expensive clothes.
 
I have recently become much more aware of it too (hence counting my articles of clothing)...and I gave away half of my wardrobe 2 months ago. I don´t miss anything.
I am tired of randomly buying the latest cool AA collection that looks half decent on me. Now I usually go for
1- new basics
2- something to replace an old favorite
3-I can´t resist a trendy item here and there, and that´s usually low end.
4-a party/going out item
I have a few very special dresses or pieces, that attract compliments. They are the opposite of basic but I need a bit of "jazz".