How many clothes and pairs of footwear do you own in your wardrobe? I'd have had no idea before I trialled a new online wardrobe management tool for my clients recently! It turns out I have 200 items including all my clothing and footwear. The Hot or Cool Institute who came up with the magic number of five new items a year for their campaign, suggested ‘A Sufficiency Wardrobe’ of just 74 items. So I have more than double their suggestion! Which isn't a surprise to me after a 20 year career in the fashion industry. But I'm also not sure I entirely agree with the number 74, as I always ensure I'm wearing everything in my wardrobe at least a couple of times a season, minimum.
It definitely helps to be able to see the wood for the trees, so refining your wardrobe to suit your lifestyle, personal brand and everyday needs is essential in maximising what you own. This is what I work with my clients on when we do a Wardrobe Edit. Tiffanie Darke has also been writing on this topic in her recent sub stack "How Many Clothes Do You Own?" I totally agree with Tiffanie’s list of ten key items for your wardrobe which should be super high quality and worn on repeat. The 20 key items I usually advise are as below:
The Leather Jacket or Aviator Jacket
Wide Leg Trousers
The White Shirt
The Casual Sweatshirt
The Basic t-shirt with a twist
The Blazer
Straight leg Jeans
The Breton Stripe T-Shirt
The Everyday Dress
The Slip Dress or Jumpsuit
The Lace Up Boot
The Block Heel Boot
The Trainers
The Loafer or Ballet Pump
The Cashmere Sweater
The Denim Shirt
The Wool/Duster Coat
The Casual Jacket
The Pleated Midi Skirt or Slip Skirt
The Statement Bag
The Or Foundation has also been running their “I can count, why can't you” challenge encouraging consumers to count the number of items in their wardrobe and then to ask 3 fashion brands how many garments they are producing each year, if you'd like to get involved.
It was no surprise to me that knitwear & sweatshirts and coats & jackets make up two of the biggest categories in my wardrobe, as they've always been my loves and what I enjoy investing in. Funnily enough, my buying career at M&S started on knitwear followed by coats, so maybe that's partly where my influence came from! It also highlighted a gap to me in trousers, I realised I need some more smart casual trousers to enable me to maximise the tops in my wardrobe and create more elevated looks.
When I was younger I was always more of a dresses girl, I don't know if it's becoming a mum or just my changing and evolving style, but I'm definitely enjoying jeans or trousers more these days. This is the beauty of looking at your wardrobe in this level of detail, it highlights areas of overconsumption (often Breton stripe t shirts or jeans for my clients!), categories where you might be missing key pieces, and allows you to see your entire wardrobe more clearly. You can see the breakdown of my product categories below if you're nosey like I am!
I've definitely learnt over the years that investing in fewer, better quality pieces, which will stand the test of time, saves me money in the long term and allows me to create my own individual sense of style. I made many a mistake in my 20's, buying into cheaper fast fashion versions of items I loved, only to have them break or wear out in such a short time period that they had to be replaced, and I may as well have bought the more expensive, better quality item in the first place!
Thinking of 2025, my intention will definitely be to stick to the Rule of 5! I'm all about being fully intentional with my wardrobe, and I've really enjoyed slowing down my spending and shopping habits. I also love the opportunity to find things second hand and create my own unique style.
Would you be able to know these same numbers and details for your own wardrobe?
I will be launching a brand new Luxe Style VIP service in 2025 where you can have your whole wardrobe uploaded onto your own bespoke online platform and managed by me. So any upcoming events or occasions you have I can create look books (like the above) for you using your existing wardrobe, plus adding in any key new pieces I've found for you online. Helping you to maximise your existing wardrobe and saving the stress and hassle of dressing for key events.
You'll also get 2 personal shops a year with me in person or online, and a Wardrobe Edit & Colour Analysis, to kick it all off (unless you're an existing client in which case you'll get an amazing offer excluding these!) and make sure you're clear on what suits you and gives you ultimate style confidence! Prices will start from £199 a month (£129 a month if you've already done the colour analysis & wardrobe edit recently), if you're interested, pop your name on the waitlist HERE! I'm SO excited!
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