How many pieces is the ideal number to have in our wardrobes? 5 stylists weigh in
IMAGE VIA @SABRINARASO/INSTAGRAM
WORDS BY ALYSSA FORATO
“It’s really about having enough of the items you need.”
I grew up believing there was no such thing as too many pieces of clothing, as I adoringly watched an endless stream of ’90s and early ’00s chick flicks. Cher’s unmatched closet in Clueless and the incredible outfit changes in Mean Girls sang to my soul. When I grew up, I wanted to have a wardrobe just like theirs.
Now, times have changed. While I still appreciate an impressive wardrobe (the Barbie movie is a recent obsession), I’m well aware of the damage an overflowing closet does to the planet. Instead of running rampant with 12 different credit cards like Isla Fisher in Confessions of a Shopaholic, more of us are considering sustainability and making conscious wardrobe decisions.
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With the efforts of sustainable fashion influencers and websites like Good On You, capsule wardrobes and high-quality pieces are slowly replacing drop-shipped fashion and impulse micro-trend purchases. When we’re trying to shop sustainably, it can be tricky to determine just how many pieces we need to have handy.
Personally, I’m wary of overconsumption. When I purchase something new, I worry it may not be a ‘forever piece’. To find out just how many pieces make the ideal number in our wardrobes, I spoke to five different stylists and experts in the fashion space.
Kitty Le, editorial stylist
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I admit – I haven’t always been good at keeping a small wardrobe.I’ve been guilty of overspending and chasing trends, only to cast pieces aside after wearing them once. But we learn, grow and reflect.
Now, I have a uniform and I have a good idea of [the] proportions, colours and silhouettes that work for my shape and my height. I have a growing collection of high-quality designer pieces with bold textures or colours that I weave into my everyday wardrobe (so I don’t get bored out of my mind!).
I have a rule of 50/20/20. My wardrobe consists of 50 per cent tops and bottoms, 20 per cent shoes and 20 per cent accessories. I don’t want to give an ideal number, but I urge intentional, conscientious consumption. Discipline is key!
Jenna Flood, slow fashion stylist
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I believe that the ideal amount of items in someone’s wardrobe ties into their lifestyle. Personally, I can live with only a small amount of clothing and be quite happy. I don’t mind outfit repeating and I like making easy decisions when getting dressed, so a simple wardrobe works for my casual lifestyle.
I currently have around 100 or so items in my wardrobe. I have also been doing a wardrobe freeze this year, so no clothing can enter my wardrobe unless I make it or swap out a piece I no longer wear. For me, it’s freeing to have less – no more throwing clothing in giant piles, morning meltdowns of what to wear or outfit regrets when I walk out the door.
Sabrina Montagna Raso, fashion stylist
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As an avid (and perhaps problematic) vintage clothes hoarder, I feel I might not be the voice of reason in answering this question. So with that in mind, I don’t feel that I have an ideal number but rather enjoy having a full wardrobe of different cuts, colours and aesthetics to suit my indecisive mood.
You will always be sure to find a few silk scarves, one or two go-to bags and a fluffy hat amongst my wardrobe – the essentials, of course. Because most of my pieces are either vintage or from small designers, they’re all so different.
… If I were speaking to someone who wanted to begin a new wardrobe and offering advice, I’d suggest focusing on your favourite cuts and having two pieces in each category (trousers, dress, jacket, etc.) and going from there. After recently moving to London and beginning almost from scratch again with my wardrobe, it was a good challenge to work with what I had and find new ways of pairing those pieces together.
Lauren Di Bartolo, stylist and Founder of the Australian Style Institute
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Do we need a capsule wardrobe? No. But if we consider that we each have a wardrobe that is, in fact, a capsule or collection, it becomes pretty easy to determine whether what we have is working for us.
Some items are on high rotation while others are lucky to get a call-up, some are missing in action (you know the piece a friend borrowed, never to be seen again) and probably need to be added or purchased again.
There’s no ‘perfect number’ or essentials for everyone, it’s contingent on lifestyle. For example, if you work from home three days a week, your needs will be different than someone who works in a professional role. Different again if you wear a uniform to work.
Then there’s your taste. Wardrobe staples don’t have to mean boring classics, they can reflect your taste and style. It’s really about having enough of the items you need.
Cat Forsyth, writer and stylist
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The topic of how many pieces we should have in our wardrobes can be a rather precarious one – at least in my opinion. I’ve noticed in myself the (quite embarrassing) tendency to hoard, a habit that is worsened by my career as a stylist, and the need to have an ‘archive’.
The strategies that I’ve enacted… in an effort to declutter my wardrobe are, firstly, to be prudent when shopping (if you already have something similar, if it doesn’t really fit you or if it needs a lot of mending, leave it behind!), and secondly, to sell the things I’m not wearing on a resale app like Facebook Marketplace or Depop.
Overall, I’d say that there is no ‘perfect’ amount of clothes you can own – instead, aim to just buy what you’ll truly wear and love.
For more on building the ideal wardrobe, head here.
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