goldenpig

37 Comments

• Scarlet replied 11 years ago

  I think I would base my answer primarily on space--if it fits, it's not too much, and I would adjust as my home dictated. However you mentioned feeling stressed that it is hard to get to everything and not just reach for your favorites. If it's really a source of stress than I would put some more thought into whether downsizing would really help here (seems that you must have some clear preferences for some items, so maybe that wouldn't be that hard?). Alternatively just removing the stress by letting your morning impulses guide you and not imposing another demand on yourself that you need to mix it up more. Then you can just evaluate once a year what you have been reaching for and maybe get rid of the things you haven't been drawn to.

• Deborah replied 11 years ago

  Natalie I think the answer is different for everyone and is dependent upon budget, lifestyle etc. The fact is I have more clothes than I need! I have been purging and purging and I am now down to a much more manageable and workable closet but my numbers are not dissimilar to yours. Sometimes I am overwhelmed by the fact that I have so many choices that like you I stand in front of my wardrobe in the morning a little dumbfounded. However I am now in a position where I can generally shop my closet for any event that arises relieving the stress and pressure of having to find something to meet a deadline. Ideally, I plan for my wardrobe to become smaller not bigger comprising items that are worn and loved frequently. Again I do think how many clothes we have is a personal thing and dictated by many factors. I think about this often myself.

• Irene replied 11 years ago

  30 of everything sounds like a lot.. 30 coats/jackets? I mean, I think have too many coats and the number doesn't get past 10 or 15. The same goes for pants, and dresses, and purses. I have quite a few of each category, too many in some people's minds, but it still less than half of what you own.

  You either don't wear half of them, or are certainly in absolutely no need of new clothes. Unless you have the money, space and time for them, of course. We all have our little vices.

  PS: It's true that I'm younger and thus have no 'historical wardrobe' to speak of. Besides, I went through a major weight-loss three years ago which forced me to change my whole wardrobe. Still, my mom owns fewer clothes than I do, and she's 54 and a fashion victim obsessed with matching scarves, shoes, bags and jewellery, so you can imagine how many items she has.

• Mochi replied 11 years ago

  It's funny because I am seriously in a deficit with clothing now, yet I still am capable of thinking in terms of what would be an optimal sized wardrobe, and your post hits home that there can be too much clothes, and that while I can't speak for what you "need" (and yes, that's in quotes), from my point of view your wardrobe size would be completely staggering and overwhelming. I know myself that I would want to get a lot of use out of things I really loved, and just not be paralyzed with choice issues or simply not remember or be aware of what I even owned. So with that bias mentioned upfront, I can say that if you're writing this post at all, you may have more stuff than you can deal with. You wouldn't be the first one I knew. I had a friend who also had closets full of clothes (they had a huge house with a lot of storage). She kept buying more, simply because shopping was a stress reliever thing for her. So that could be influencing my impression...but yes, I do think that there can be too much!

  (Edited to add that I'm sorry I have no idea what would be an ideal-sized wardrobe for you....hope others are more helpful there!)

• Lyn D. replied 11 years ago

  I guess I have around 1/4 to 1/2 of the items you have (except for about the same in shoes) BUT I am a SAHM at the moment so don't need corporate pieces as you and others would.
  It is also influenced by available space, income and personal taste too, of course.

• replied 11 years ago

  I love this post because I personally obsess about questions like this. Here are my initial thoughts.

  One, space and accessibility have always been an issue for me. I don't feel overwhelmed by the volume of my clothing until I begin to run out of space. Space does not seem to be an issue for you. Congratulations on that.

  Two, use is the second issue. I have a hard time rationalizing keeping something IF I find I do not use or wear it. I make excuses for things that I love. I keep those things regardless of space, accessibility, or use. It is hard for me to imagine that you thoroughly "use" your current volume of clothing. Of course, you may very well have a different life style than me and do find you use a greater variety of clothing and clothing styles than I do.

  Three, passion. I have a passion for certain clothing items (e.g., purses). I have yet to feel I have too many purses. Rather my frustration centers around swiftly changing out purses and storing unused purses. Something I continue to work on.

  It sounds like you know what you are doing and have control of the situation.

• Sveta replied 11 years ago

  Natalie, this is a very personal thing for everyone. However the fact that you asked about it and I have a feeling it bothers you - I think it means you may have too much. Your closet should delight you, not stress you - either because you have nothing to wear or too much.
  For me the main criteria for building a functional wardrobe is to have enough variety but in the same time wear all my clothes (except a special occasion stuff) on a regular basis. I also like to add at least a few new things every season to feel fresh and that's why I want to keep it relatively small. I am seriously considering doing Angie's "one in - one out" principle from now on...

• Kim replied 11 years ago

  Is your wardrobe seasonal? Do you have distinct climates, like I do? I probably have 200 things all together, but less than 1/2 of it would be usable in all seasons. (I really have 3, because "spring" only lasts a few weeks around here then on to shorts weather! Fall lasts longer, but still only maybe a month. Winter is the dominant season with summer being second at about 3.5 months long.

  Winter and summer clothing almost never cross over simply because the weight of the summer clothing would not do at all during winter here. We drop down to -20C and in summer we hover around +30C and humid, so it is quite a range.

  My criteria for a functional wardrobe would be having enough choices to be happy but also getting enough wear out of my clothing before I retire it. That's a personal thing, and I like to wear my stuff into the ground but am usually bored with it after 3 years so I have to get it's value by that time.

  If you are starting to feel overwhelmed by choices I'd say you have more than enough and might want to consider paring it down a bit as the year goes by. I think the idea of "fun with fashion" is that your wardrobe shouldn't stress you.

• Kristin L replied 11 years ago

  If it's causing you stress, then it may be too big. But, like others have asked, does it emcompass all seasons? Why don't take a break from purging for the next month or so and just see what you gravitate towards? You can also try putting some things up and then go back to the container in a few months. If you didn't miss it, then it can go.

• christieanne replied 11 years ago

  I was stressed about this same thing yesterday. I was putting away laundry and trying to pull out a week's worth of work things to be organized and noticed that I am running out of space. For me, space is the definer. I re-did my closet and purged so much in last six months and was feeling great until yesterday.
  Still have holes (a couple more blouses and lightweight blazers to take me through until October) but feeling a bit overwhelmed. I still however have some older things that I have not worn for some time - it's wear or go for my strategy until Oct 1 (which is start of Fall here really).
  For you, if you are overwhelmed often then you may be getting too many choices. Or you may just need to plan ahead. Pull out a week's worth of things so you have a smaller area to look at. You can also try the reversing hanger after wear so you focus on the things you have not worn.
  For me, adding things when I have unworn (or unworn for a very long time) clothes is not the right thing to do unless it's pretty specific (gear maybe or formal). You have to make your own boundaries though.

• mrseccentric replied 11 years ago

  This is one of my perennial most fascinating wardrobe questions: what is the perfect size wardrobe?

  Natalie, I'm known as a small, well-edited wardrobe fiend so my viewpoint may surprise you - but i don't think that you necessarily have too many clothes. The only person that can answer that question is you, Natalie! What strikes me about this is that i don't see anywhere that you have clearly stated your own wardrobe needs and goals. We all have very different personalities, lifestyles, interest in style or fashion, careers, live in very different climates and cultures. All of these factors and more (how often do you like to launder, how easy is it for you to find replacements for wardrobe holes) influence how big your wardrobe should be - and even more important, what particular pieces you need to fill that closet.

  So my advice would be to just sit with this amount for a while and spend some time working on honing your needs and goals. If you truly do feel overwhelmed at times, Kristi and chritianne both have great ideas on how to cope with that. And as christianne said, it's a really good idea to keep track of what you're actually wearing - turn hangers, take a daily outfit snap. But that only helps if once a month or so you sit down and spend some time reviewing what you've learned.

  It took me about a year and a half to get a good handle on my optimum wardrobe size once i really started focusing on that. Just in terms of style goals and consistency, i could be happy with about 40 pieces of clothing.....but i'd be laundering a lot, and i need things to wear when it's really really hot for the summer around here, and it is very difficult for me to replace key pieces so it's a good idea to build in some backup.....etc. For me, anyways, it took a while to figure these things out. And you need to go thru at least one year to capture the seasons, special events, etc.

  I've been interested in a stylist named Jennifer Robin for a while now. She's a nocal lady (yay!) and has published a book on personal style called "Growing More Beautiful".
  http://www.growingmorebeautiful.com/

  You might want to take a look at her book (she has a blog as well, with valuable but intermittent posts). She is a visual artist and makeup artist as well as a stylist and she approaches personal style from a 'creativity' point of view. She also has a very practical side, it's a great mix. Anyways, i've associated her with you in my mind for a while now, some of her ideas may help you figure out your own personal style goals and how that looks in terms of wardrobe size.

  Isn't it funny how even a pretty big wardrobe can still not have the right clothes in it - like you MOTG-side lack? That's why great wardrobes take a lot of thinking and practice! It takes a while, but there's no rush. You have enough room, so have fun wearing your clothes and thinking about what you want from your closet. HTH!!! steph

• Gaylene replied 11 years ago

  I'd agree with the above ladies that the size of your wardrobe depends on your lifestyle and your personality. One thing that I have found, however, is that it is possible to have a bit too much fun with fashion (sorry, Angie) if the fun revolves around constantly shopping to fill wardrobe "holes". Building a wardrobe and coming up with creative outfits can be so much fun, especially when you have the support of others.

  Along with some of the others on this forum, I've had to rebuild my wardrobe from the ground up this past year because of a fairly significant weight loss coupled with a major career change. Thanks to this forum, my rebuilt wardrobe is significantly different than my previous one. Angie and ladies made me rethink many of my "no, I can't wear that" ideas.

  But, a few months ago, I started to realize that I was probably never going to wear out some of the items before I would want to replace them. I had to ask myself if I wouldn't prefer to keep my wardrobe updated by adding a few new items every year instead of "completing" my wardrobe in a particular moment in time. That made me pull back on my shopping. Right now, my goal is to wear everything in my closet (which is probably about 1/3 the size of yours) for the next year. As I mentioned before, I told myself I could purchase a set number of items (arbitrarily I chose 12) if I really thought the item was worthy of being added. So far, only new 5 items (a sweater, a trench, a watch, a pair of espadrilles, and a handbag) have made it into my closet.

  Everybody has different goals for their wardrobe so I don't think there is a right or wrong size. But, as some of the previous posters have mentioned, if you think it's too much, then it probably isn't the right size yet. And, I've come to think that building the perfect wardrobe that fulfills all of your needs all of the time is an illusion. If you love fashion, you'll always be tempted by that new style or silhouette so your wardrobe should have room to grow.

• Angie replied 11 years ago

  Don't be sorry, Gaylene! I am not an advocate of large wardrobes (I think you might recall that too), so having fun with fashion does not mean constantly shopping. It also means SYC, SYB, being creative with the items that you have, and being PPP with 95% of your purchases.

  Natalie, it's impossible to create a benchmark for the perfect size wardrobe. As others have already said, it depends so much on your lifestyle, personality, budget, style preferences and space constraints.

• Janet replied 11 years ago

  I really like Steph's comments on this. Natalie, my wardrobe is probably about the same size as yours -- I purged a lot last year but have built back up, based on my new size and my refined style direction and goals. But I'm always looking and trying new things, so I consider my closet to be fluid and flexible. As we speak, there are a few things in there I'm giving the side-eye, wondering how much longer I'll justify space for them, but I'm giving them a chance 'til the end of the season.

  To many, my wardrobe would seem too big. But I don't feel overwhelmed when I open my closet -- I do feel like I have lots of fab options to take me through whatever the day's (or night's) activities may be. I don't think there is a perfect formula or number for a wardrobe, I simply think its different for everyone. If your wardrobe works for you and fits in your available space, it is the perfect size.

• cheryl replied 11 years ago

  Natalie, you have a lot of good responses here. I actually have a larger wardrobe than you but I am completely happy with it. I live in a 4 season climate, so I do need variety although I keep my clothes out year round. I keep a clothing spreadsheet/inventory and track my items and I try to wear things fairly equally. I get bored easily and don't want to wear the same things over and over so a small, curated wardrobe would not work for me. I also tend to hold on to things for years and I am a very frugal shopper because I don't have a lot of money to spend, so I don't have to worry about a big cpw issue because most of my items are very inexpensive.

  That being said, if you are feeling overwhelmed maybe you need to pare it down a bit, but I think since you have the room and aren't overcrowding your closet, then it is all good. You are like me and love to add new things so I think SYB and maybe going to a 1 in 1 out rule (except for your major holes) will help keep the wardrobe from getting any larger.

• Diana replied 11 years ago

  I personally wouldn't worry about it as long as it fits your available space and budget. I have a lot of clothes (don't know how many, will probably never count) but I am a hoarder and don't tend to get rid of things for years unless they fall apart. I periodically have purging fits that are generally inspired by having no hangers left in my closet for new purchases, but I probably still have more clothes than most people. I don't have a ton of closet space but it is pretty crammed! It doesnt' bug me except perhaps when I have to pack it all up to move!

  I figure fashion is one of my hobbies and therefore it's not just a practical put-some-clothes-on-in-the-morning thing for me, so I don't feel that I should limit myself to what is practically necessary. I mean, I also have more yarn than I can knit, yet I still buy more.... I guess what I am trying to say is that practicality is not the best or only consideration when it comes to things you love.

  I am practical enough to say don't go into debt for it though!

• velvetychocolate replied 11 years ago

  I think it's hard to say, because everyone is different, has different likes/dislikes, lifestyle and so on.

  Space is certainly an issue, but here's another thing...

  I sometimes feel like I have too many clothes, and yet - a lot of them aren't workable for me, for one reason or the other. Too many mistakes, and still too many wardrobe holes. I would be happy with the amount of clothes I have if things were better shopped for (curated), edited, 'integrated' with the other pieces and so on. It seems like there's a lot of stuff in my closet, yet I'm always frustrated trying to find something to wear. I actually really need more clothes, but I don't have room. :(

  Your closet does *not* sound like that at all. You seem very organized and on top of things, and you've been editing all along the way.

  Having said that though - does the number of items you currently have bother you at all? If so, then you might want to edit some more.

  Also, here's something else to consider - when you have space in your life, even if it's just extra room in the closet, and your clothes slide easily across the rails - you are inviting something new to show up. When you see something fabulous in one of your favourite stores, you can get it without feeling like it's all just too much.

  When you have space - you have openness to possibilities, a chance to try something new. Meanwhile, the things you do have, shine more, because they're not crowded out.

  Does that sound weird?

• Mellllls replied 11 years ago

  Obviously there's no easy answer but if your wardrobe stresses you out then it might be too big. I have a large wardrobe but I live in a four season climate and need casual, business casual, and business formal clothes. And my rage wardrobe doesn't stress me out. I certainly have more shoes than you!!

• replied 11 years ago

  I forgot about the seasons. I too have to work with different seasons that do not overlap. The reason this did not occur to me before Kim mentioned it is that I put everything that is off season in storage and only have what can be worn that season in my "working" closet. I guess I have double the clothes one would see in my closet at any given time. Whenever I do a count though, I only count what is in my "working" closet at that time.

  So I am curious, do you Golden Pig count totals or seasonals?

• ManidipaM replied 11 years ago

  Natalie, I agree with those who've said only you can really and usefully answer that question for YOUR wardrobe. It's not only about seasons and lifestyle and ease of shopping and storage and budget---though those can all be limiting factors. But personal style itself plays into it.

  For instance, I hardly ever wear more than two garments (not counting undergarments or even tiny layers like camis etc) most of the year, and at best I usually wear no more than 3 layers. But there are people actually layering far more than that --- stands to reason they'd need a larger wardrobe OR a larger washing machine and drying line!

  Similarly, how matchy is your style? If I wanted to match every pair of shoes with a similar coloured bag or belt, and also in a similar style (so a casual and a dressy black shoe would need different partners), my wardrobe would have to grow by leaps and bounds.

  How much boredom can you stand, for that matter? I tend to wear my favourite outfits into the ground for a few months... as in twice a week or at least twice a fortnight. IF they survive this treatment for more than half a year, though, I'm very likely to be bored enough to put the outfit (all its pieces) into cold storage for the next year. Now, this is partly because I used to make outfits into unbreakable sets, and the situation may be less drastic with more remixing --- I'm yet to learn if this instinct actually points to a personal truth. But if I *couldn't* bear to wear the exact same outfit twice a week, or really hated breaking up 'sets' EVER --- my wardrobe would need to grow.

  Also, do you have several chameleonic styles---I often want variety of vibe more than actual pieces. I sometimes use accessories to achieve it, and sometimes the garments themselves. If it was more often the latter, or you had more styles to use than I do, again, more clothes needed.

  Finally, and this is often a crucial issue for me, how well can I preserve my clothes? Not very well means more wear and tear, hence more back-up, hence bigger wardrobe.

  If fashion or appearance were a lower priority and travel or education a much higher priority for me, as is the case with some of my close friends, my wardrobe would be much smaller on the other hand!

  As you see, these are all very intensely personal factors and not external (weather, lifestyle demands). Which is why, the real answer lies in your personal comfort zone.

  FWIW, I probably have more clothes than you overall. Perhaps not the same proportions (fewer bottoms, more tops, fewer jackets, far more shawls and scarves, more shoes...). But they are not 'too much' for me though I could and would like to go leaner --- but that's not a necessity, to go leaner. I want to, but I can also control what is in each location --- since my wardrobe is spread across two cities --- at this point. Even without owning a closet, and even though I wish I *could* see everything at a glance (which would definitely be easier), I no longer feel quite so overwhelmed after the last few purges.

  Do I know what to do with each item or am I equally happy with them all? No.

  Do I feel I'd like to hang on to all of them for a bit and play with them, and feel I *can* do so without undue stress. Yeah!

• christy replied 11 years ago

  Natalie, as most people here have said, there is no "correct" number for how large your wardrobe should be. It's hard to tell from this snapshot of your closet (side note - I'm totally envious of the storage space you have for your shoes!!!), but do you keep your work and casual capsules separate? That's something that has worked for me quite recently. I've begun carving out a space for my decidedly more casual items and separated those items from what I would wear to work.

  Now, naturally, there is going to be some cross over. But my *very* casual button downs do not live in the same space as my dressier button downs. My sweaters that have been demoted from work wear to casual wear are in a separate space from sweaters I would wear to work. I've even separated out my casual jackets from my dressy jackets. The reason I've found this to be so helpful is that I'm most rushed in the mornings when trying to get ready for work, kid dressed and fed, and both of us out the door. If I keep my work clothes options separate from items I would never consider wearing for work, it makes it that much easier to see what I have available to me at that moment when I'm feeling most rushed. I also keep like items together and organized by color. When I'm figuring out what to wear casually, I usually have more time to consider if I want a dressier item to cross over into my casual wear.

  Good luck figuring out what works best for you! :)

• Kari replied 11 years ago

  Natalie, I'm going to have to come back to this post to answer your actual question - but first, is that YOUR closet? Oh man, I'm drooling in envy over the space you have available and the lovely shoe racks. No wonder you're enjoying getting dressed these days!

  (Closet envy - I live in an apartment and have a reasonably sized closet, but it has those awful sliding doors so I can only access half of it at a time. SO ANNOYING!)

• ironkurtin replied 11 years ago

  I use an emotional bar...

  - Do I feel overwhelmed and guilty in my closet?

  If the answer is yes, time to shed - and to be *ruthless.* If no, I move onto logistical questions:

  - Can I fit everything in my closet?

  - Can I find what I need easily?

  - Am I wearing everything?

  If the answer to these are all yes, then I'm good. If it's no, then I need to shed again.

  I have a very small house and very small closets. I actually find this helpful for discipline. But I certainly wish I had a closet like yours! It is so lovely!

  Personally, nothing is more restful to me than going into my closet and seeing the tidy order of possible choices and colors, all lined up. (I'm a Virgo.) I actually spoke about this to my shrink a long time ago. My husband was making me feel guilty about enjoying clothing and arranging my closet, but I would seriously walk into it and feel the knots in my back unkink. My lovely therapist's feeling was that if my clothing didn't break the bank and made me happy, it was utterly worthwhile. I remind myself of this sometimes.

• Joy replied 11 years ago

  Reading the replied to your question, there are lots of ways to think about this. When rebuilding a wardrobe from scratch, I know that I was happiest and most creative with quite a small closet. My space isn't very big..sliding door closet size, not anything that one can walk into.
  Considering climate and lifestyle, I think of how often a garment in normal rotation is likely to be worn before the weather changes, etc. to consider how many of that type I need. For example, I'm likely to wear shorts/clams for at least part of each day for 16 weeks. If I have 7 pair, I may only wear each 16 times in a seasonIn reality it's less than that because I may wear something more than once before washing. That means that 7 shorts/clams is plenty for a season. That is exactly how many I have and it seems like too many but the hot season is just beginning this year. I plan to purge later in the season and possibly replace a couple at midsummer sales, but I don't want to add more pairs, if that makes sense.
  The hot weather times that I don't wear shorts, I'll wear a dress or casual skirt that can take me to non-dressy dining out, shopping, meetings, etc. I probably wear this 4-5 days a week at least part of the day. I have 4 dresses and 9 skirts that fit this category right now, but that is too many. I'm planning to take time this week to look at these and other things in terms of making capsules and purging what doesn't fit in. These pieces are most often the ones that are also part of a travel capsule, so I've got to think carefully about each piece. I could go on, but you can see my method. It's not worth having even things I really like if they don't get much use before they look dated.
  What I probably have too many of are various accessories...scarves, belts, jewelry...that I use in different ways to keep the same few clothing items feeling fresh and to create new looks when SYCing, if that makes sense.

• Mo replied 11 years ago

  I agree that it's a very personal answer, but I went from probably close to your numbers down to about half, and am very happy with the results. I had 9 or more pair of just blue jeans. Now I have 4 and don't miss the others one bit! I am finding that I still pull favorites, but I do wear more of everything in general than I did with the larger closet. It's no exaggeration to say almost half of it was worn only a couple times per year. I still have pieces that only get 3 or 4 wears a year (fancier dresses mostly) but nothing like before. It feels good to know I'm going to get some wear out of my clothes before they date or wear out. And I do have plenty variety with my roughly 150 pieces, plus 35 pairs of shoes.
  I could probably purge a good dozen more items soon as I find I'm not pulling them out much anymore. But since I have the room, and am content with the amount for now, I will wait.

• rae replied 11 years ago

  There have already been many awesome comments on this subject, but I think my main criteria for wardrobe critical mass are:

  1) if the wardrobe is too large to fit into your space

  2) if the wardrobe is too big for you to actually wear.

  Since you aren't worried about space, then my question to you would be whether you get to wear everything you have. If there are gorgeous pieces that you love but never get around to because of time and a preference to repeat other favorites, than the wardrobe may be bigger than you personally need. If you're always looking in the closet and feeling bored, it may even be too small for your preference!

• goldenpig replied 11 years ago

  Thank you so much everyone for your insightful comments! I've loved reading all of them! I agree there's really no magic number, but I was just wondering if there was a consensus on what a reasonable number is. I'll try to answer all of your questions and elaborate below.

  First of all, yes, that is my closet! We were lucky that it already had great Elfa shelves when we moved in. We also enlarged the closet (it had an unfinished space behind it) several years ago so now there's a small narrow library/office behind the closet. DH has his clothes on the other side of the closet. I've done a lot of work to clean up and purge stuff so that pic from December is just after a major purge and reorganization.

  I am very happy when I walk into my closet now because everything is organized by clothing type and by color within each category and I can see everything. I would go in and sit on the ottoman and just stare at my clothes sometimes to relax (the rainbow of jackets is quite soothing to look at). Unfortunately one of the cats got trapped in the closet one day and peed on the ottoman so now I need to replace it (the ottoman, not the cat) so I can have something to sit on.

  I just realized going back over the inventory posted in the link above that I was counting accessories (belts, scarves, earrings, necklaces, tights, shoes, handbags, etc) in that total. So in reality I probably have more like 180 actual pieces of clothing not including shoes/purses/accessories (or PJs/underwear/loungewear which are in my dresser drawer). And I don't separate out work wear and casual wear since my true casual wardrobe is kind of thin (most of my MOTG stuff is dressed-down workwear with jeans or denim jacket). We don't have any major season changes here in the Bay Area so I don't separate out by season either. So basically what I have available is all out on the racks (as they like to say in the stores).

  As for having too many items, yes I agree 30 pieces of outerwear sounds like a lot especially since it doesn't snow here. But actually I'm counting everything from jackets to blazers/suit tops to coats (including raincoats and snow parkas that wouldn't really be part of my "outfits"). Also I like to have duplicates of things in different colors (leather jackets in black and cognac, denim jackets in white and blue, wool peacoats in navy and rust orange) so that I can plan similar outfits but match the right colors.

  For example, here is the full breakdown of my outerwear:
  15 jackets--2 suit jackets (grey and black), 2 leather jackets (black and cognac), 3 denim jackets (cropped white, cropped light blue, hip length dark blue), 4 blazers (hip length raspberry, cropped mustard and green, ink blue jacket), 1 red fleece jacket, 1 ski parka, 1 windbreaker, 1 faux shearling vest, and 1 cropped trench
  13 coats--3 trench coats (red, black and beige), 4 wool long coats (old black, old herringbone, purple tweed, rust orange), 2 wool short peacoats (navy and rust orange), 1 faux shearling parka (olive), 2 puffers (cream and brown), and 1 red raincoat
  Within these there are definitely the workhorses like my ink blue jacket and two leather jackets that I wear all year round, and some gear that I hardly ever wear (ski parka, windbreaker, raincoat) but are good to keep for the couple times a year or so that I need them. Then there's stuff like the faux shearling vest that I bought last fall that I'm keeping for now to see if I'll still pull it out next fall--if not maybe that will be the first to go. Or the short black and white trench that is so wrinkly, but DH likes and picked it out for me--I'd hate to get rid of that one. The shearling parka and puffers maybe I don't really *need* in our climate, but I get cold easily so I love having something warm to quickly throw on over my dresses in the winter since I don't typically layer much with scarves and sweaters. Most of these non-gear pieces have been worn at least 2-4 times a month in the fall and winter for the heavier coats and year round for the jackets/blazers. So they're getting used.

  So it's difficult to pare down because when I look at the overall number, I think OMG 30 jackets and coats--that is just too many! But when I actually analyze what should get cut, I have a harder and harder time since what's left is mostly new in the last year post YLF and also because I keep relatively few things that I buy (I try on a lot or buy a lot online but return most of it unless it is really truly fab) so I have relatively few "mistakes" left in my closet unless they were eBay purchases or non-returnable (which I try not to do anymore). And of those outerwear pieces, there are only a few in each category so it's easy to justify keeping it all.

  I think part of the problem is I'm usually rushed in the morning and just winging it. I need to spend more time planning outfits the night before so I'm not so rushed in the morning. Planning a skirt or pants outfit takes time, especially since I'm usually layering with a jacket since I get cold easily. And you have to make sure the top and bottom and shoes and jacket all go together. So when I'm late in the morning my usual temptation is to just throw on a dress because that's quicker.

  Also, I hate doing laundry and only do it once a week or so. I dry clean most of my work wear but only when they need it. I will rewear items multiple times unless they get smelly or dirty. I also tend to keep and like items for a long time (most items in my previous wardrobe were 5-15 years old) so I'm wondering if that will remain the same with my new wardrobe...if something's in good condition, fits and I still like it, I'm not necessarily going to get rid of it just because it's from last season or a few years old. So all of those factors contribute to my difficulty with purging and large wardrobe.

  Also there are a few irrational pieces in my wardrobe, like the pretty black and red cherry print swing dress that I bought off eBay for a possible costume--so impractical for daily use I've never worn it. I brought it to the consignment store, but then had second thoughts and went back a couple days later (it was displayed in the front window!) to rescue it. I'm still planning to wear it someday with a red cardigan if I can find the right occasion. That's one example of why it's so hard for me to pare down!

  Another issue that contributes is that I am happiest wearing statement pieces and bright colors and patterns, so not all my wardrobe is mix and match like it would be if it was all neutrals and solids...that's why I have to have three different colors of pencil skirts or three different colors of Converse so I can make an outfit that works color-wise.

  Also I really love being prepared for any occasion and having all wardrobe holes filled which is one of the main reasons I like to have a large wardrobe. I really love the stuff I have, a lot! The main problem with a large wardrobe in my mind is not being able to use everything I love because there's only so many days in a week/month and only so many outfits you can wear. Like I have some cobalt and orange skinny jeans that I have barely worn, that probably should go, but I can still imagine outfits that I could wear with them if I just got around to them (I typically don't reach for them because DH hates bright colored pants).

  I'm not stressed out by the size of my closet (which I admit is also large) or my budget (since we can afford it and aren't going into debt, all our other expenses are getting paid). I think what I need to do to eliminate any stress or guilt over having too many clothes is to have some more pre-planned FFBO's, and also to stop myself from accumulating because once it passes K/R and is in my closet, it's harder to purge it since I feel like it's really fab so why would I get rid of it. If I don't know about it, I won't want it! That way I'll have room to accumulate more pieces season by season and continually refresh my wardrobe without worrying about running out of space. Rae is right, if my wardrobe was super small and streamlined and all neutrals and solids, I would be totally bored and hate getting dressed! As much as it sounds great, I don't think I'm meant to have a minimal wardrobe.

  Thanks for listening to my rambling, I think this is really helpful for me to analyze myself and my closet because you've helped me uncover my issues and motivations and come up with a plan. For now I've decided that even though it seems large, I think my wardrobe is nearly the right size for me...if I stick to one-in one-out from now on, plus maybe a little bit more purging, it will be perfect! Thanks again for helping me figure things out!

• modgrl replied 11 years ago

  I would be scared to count... I know I have a lot of stuff but I also have many capsules to fill every day and a true 4 season climate (6 if you count the super hot days and super cold days as separate capsules). I don't feel bad about having options for whatever the day may bring me.

• RoseandJoan replied 11 years ago

  Natalie,you have curated a beautiful wardrobe through working hard and investing your time and money because it brings you pleasure. Please leave the guilt behind because life really is too short.

  I do wonder if organising your wardrobe differently may help? For instance if your wardrobe was organised into outfits (these skirts and these trousers work with these tops) would this save you time in the morning?

  As for my own wardrobe it is smaller than I would like and my clothes wear out before I am bored. I'm not great with the remixing so I repeat outfits often but I am happy doing this and experiment when I have the time and energy.

• fieldmouse replied 11 years ago

  At least it was only the ottoman, and not the clothes! :D

  Very interesting thread, and sounds like despite the size of it, your wardrobe is very much under control, carefully organized and brings you joy, so the size isn't a problem at all.

  I'm the opposite, I have a few favourites that I wear over and over again (usually a statement piece worn with different more basic sidekicks), I don't need a lot of variety at all and I'd like to have a very small wardrobe. Right now it's actually bigger than I need or like or wear, because there are a lot of items that I kept from purging 'just in case'. And - of course - the 'case' never happened, so I suppose I should find the time and energy to do it again and be ruthless this time...

• glam on the inside replied 11 years ago

  Thanks for starting this fascinating thread.
  I have far fewer items than you do, but this is a source of much frustration at the moment.
  You have been given lots of wise advice and insightful comments by other posters.
  I was going to say that an important factor is how many similar items you own, but reading your update, you seem to have variations on the things you love - like denim jackets in different washes and cuts.
  I also wouldn't feel bad about owning some special items that are rarely worn. In my experience, shopping for a specific event at short notice can lead to serious buyer's remorse, so snapping up something gorgeous and waiting for the occasion to arise seems smart to me.
  Thanks for raising this - I've enjoyed reading all the comments.

• cheryle (Dianthus) replied 11 years ago

  I haven't read through all of the posts (some are very long), but did read the first group. I agree that this is specific to the individual and depends to a great extent on how much of your wardrobe can do double duty - work and play. For me, if I have too much, I forget about items that I love and then don't wear them as often as they deserve to be worn. So for me, this is the main factor. Do you have pieces that you don't wear often but love because you have too much to choose from? If so, it may be time to pare down the closet.

  I think I may do that today myself.

• MsMary replied 11 years ago

  Natalie, I have been following this thread with interest.

  I am of two minds on this and haven't yet found a place to comfortably rest, I don't think.

  On the one hand, I feel like my wardrobe is too big because I don't feel like I get to wear my loved items often enough.

  On the other hand, I LOVE being able to reach into my closet and find the perfect piece for just about anything from a casual party to a fancy brunch to a YLF Picture Perfect Challenge. I feel like if I weeded out a lot of the stuff that doesn't get worn very often, I wouldn't be able to do that.

  I am trying to do one-in, one-out, because I am out. of. space. Other than that, I don't know. It's a work in progress.

• replied 11 years ago

  Great post Natalie! I saved it to read with my morning coffee. Lovely! You've gotten some great responses. I have a pretty small wardrobe, but I've been on a summer buying spree since that's my dominant season. I'm actually invigorated by a good purge, so it's hard for me *not* to cull when I start getting that overwhelming feeling of my closet getting out of control.

  I'm on a learning curve too. I buy clothes to experiment with different things to see what I like and what I keep reaching for over and over. I ask myself what I *don't* like about the things that I'm not wearing so I can avoid making the same mistake again. I don't think I ever want my wardrobe to be *finished*. I would rather have some blank space that is open for new possibilities. At the end of each season (such as they are), I only aim to keep the pieces I have really loved and look forward to wearing again the next year. By cleaning out the items that I feel *meh* about, I have some buying to look forward to when the season rolls around the next year. Sometimes they're perfectly fine items, I just feel done with them for some reason. So off to the thrift store they go, from whence they came, lol! (BTW that cracked me up about you rescuing your dress from the consignment store mannequin!)

  So, to your question, I think you need a lot of career wear, and your good quality things will last you a long time, so no need to scale back there, maybe one-in-one-out? Your MOTG category is a little lean, so that might be a fun area to concentrate on. You won't need a ton of clothes for this, but I'd branch out from the formulas that are working well for you (and DH likes) and add a few pieces. Sometimes a pair or two of neutral shorts is all you need to exponentially increase your outfit options.

• Mo replied 11 years ago

  Seconding Claire's comment about just a pair or two of neutral shorts for casual on the go. My army green cargo bermudas were HUGE workhorses in FL once I hemmed them from capri length. Ditto my white clam diggers.

• Suz replied 11 years ago

  Fabulous question and great replies. I would only echo others, Including Claire and Sveta and Angie. No perfect size - just what works for you - and it's always a work in progress!

• replied 11 years ago

  I don't know how I missed seeing this topic yesterday, but I'm going to reply to it without first reading what others have to say. For me, a wardrobe is too large if I'm not wearing 90% of it on a regular basis. A wardrobe is too small if I have to keep wearing the same thing day in and day out ad nauseum. Somewhere between too much and too little is the perfect place for my wardrobe to be, IMO. How large or how small would depend on my lifestyle and the types of occasions I need to dress for. If I were not working outside the office, my wardrobe would be a little smaller and a little different than it is now. Climate affects wardrobe size as well. When I lived in Central America, I didn't own winter clothing because I didn't need it. Since I no longer live down there, and since I now work in an office outside the home, my wardrobe is quite a bit different than it was back then. Hope this helps!