This post is part of a series called “35 Days of Favorites”, in honor of my 35th birthday. You can read more about the details here…
I have LOVED owning less clothing. Because I only keep what I love wearing, I rarely feel like I don’t have anything to wear.
Owning less clothing made me realize fairly quickly which item was my favorite:
That grey scarf is the best clothing purchase I’ve ever made. I have worn it over and over (and over and over…) again since buying it last year. I have a few other scarves, but none as versatile as this one.
It goes with almost everything in my closet, it’s comfortable, and makes me feel like I’m just a little bit dressed up when I go out.
Along with discovering how much I love my grey scarf, here are a few other things I’ve learned about owning less clothing over this past year:
1) I love scarves and cardigans, in general.
Being able to layer, and mix and match, means that while I don’t have as much clothing as I used to, I feel as though I have more options for how I want to wear what I do own. This has kept me from getting completely sick of my clothes over the last winter (along with the fact that I only keep what I really love).
2) The Three-Piece Rule feels true to me. I can be wearing jeans and a t-shirt at home, throw on a cardigan and a scarf (usually my grey one!), run out the door, and feel like I’m wearing a different outfit without actually having to change.
3) Having one or two neutrals as the base of my wardrobe is smart. I stick with black or navy, and only buy clothes that go well with my basics, usually grey, white, or jewel-tone colors.
Sometimes I look at my clothes and wonder how boring it must be for people who see me constantly wearing so much grey, black, and white, but it’s easier to mix-and-match, it fits my personality to keep things simple and basic, and I honestly don’t think anyone thinks about my clothes enough to notice or care.
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It feels kind of ridiculous to write out my wardrobe strategies, because I’m a little embarrassed to confess how much I think about my clothing. However, being intentional and knowing exactly what I want has helped me save money, simplify, and feel better about what I’m wearing.
And I love the idea of thinking about clothing so that I don’t have to think about clothing – I figure out how I will dress myself well, and then I stop thinking about it, and just feel comfortable and satisfied with what I’ve got.
There are so many fantastic articles and blog posts out there on how to own less clothes. Here are a couple that are influencing the way I think about my wardrobe:
A Practical Guide to Owning Fewer Clothes
How to Downsize Your Wardrobe With Common Sense
But having said a whole lot on owning less clothes, I also want to add this:
I have a lot of clothes because as it would turn out I just really liked getting dressed. To some, 30 pieces is a lot. To others, it’s a fraction of their closet. In my mind this idea of being a minimalist, perhaps the complete opposite of who I am, was who I thought I needed to be. If I shop too much, then becoming opposite of that would help me, is what I thought. I would peer into my friends’ closets and see half of what I owned and would be ashamed of the amount of items I had. So I decided to look at my closet in a different way and what I saw was not that I wanted less, but that I could do more. (Kendi Everyday)
If you love owning a ton of clothing, then do what feels right for you.
I want to own less clothes, because I want to own less stuff in general. I want to simplify my life, which includes my closet. I just love the idea of doing more with what I already own. Basically, it comes down to this:
Use what I own. Be content with less. Shop well, when necessary.
What’s your clothing strategy? Do you use what you own? Love to shop? Want to own less? I’m curious to hear your wardrobe thoughts!
Ordinary Days 
Well, of course you know that I regular participate in clothing swaps which helps me weed out items that I don’t really use or love. But I do find that because it’s “free”, I end up bringing home more things than what I really NEED…or even totally love. I always bring those items back to the next clothing swap, but it would be great if I could control myself and only bring home a few items. Even if I bring a whole basket full, it doesn’t mean I need to LEAVE with a whole basket full. 🙂
I also LOVE cardigans! Especially the blue one you’re wearing in this picture!!
Thanks, Andrea! Yup, cardigans are pretty fantastic.
And I can see how it would be hard to say no to free clothing, even if you don’t completely love it. I find the same thing with shopping secondhand, because it’s cheap. A friend once told me, “If you wouldn’t buy it new, don’t buy it secondhand.” I think of that often when I’m shopping. I haven’t always stuck to it, and then I’ve regretted it!
But one of the beauties of cheap or free clothing is a greater freedom to try things you wouldn’t normally wear, because if you end up hating it, it’s not an expensive experiment!
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