A funny thing happened on the way to the 21st century from the 18th century. For most of the 18th century, strict societal hierarchies dictated who was allowed to wear certain fabrics, colors and styles and the average woman owned only 5-10 garments. These were worn for years with only small updates in trimmings or alterations. Then, in the late 18th century, the Industrial Revolution democratized clothing by introducing mechanized looms (invented in 1785) and aniline dyes (1856, see Yellow blog), as a result, the average woman’s wardrobe expanded to 20-30 garments in the 19th century.
After WWII mass production and global trade produced an ever greater variety and quantity of clothing at lower and lower costs.
It is now not uncommon for the average woman to own 100-200 or more garments, often replacing them after only a few wearings. It is not difficult to imagine how so many options could be confusing! What to wear, when, where and with whom?
For the average woman with over one hundred articles of clothing in her closet, it is often a struggle to simply get dressed each day — there are simply too many options. The default strategy is to wear the same outfits over and over. It is certainly a simple and easy strategy but one which regresses towards the 18th century’s meager choices — and it’s boring! The overabundance of today’s bloated wardrobes can create a number of stress points.
Indecision and anxiety over choosing the “correct” look adds to the mental fatigue of confronting all the choices crowding the closet; the closet is full, but there’s seems to be nothing to wear. The realization that all these underutilized clothes represent thousands of dollars adds to a sense of guilt and yet, paradoxically, feeds a desire to fix the loss by buying more in the hope of getting a return on the new “investment.” The enticingly low prices of “fast fashion” and seasonal sales encourages buying and there’s always something “on trend,” fostering the desire to stay current. The encouragement of well meaning friends and salespeople can contribute to confusion about one’s own sense of personal style or needs. (See Your Wardrobe Needs A Plan)
So what’s the right number of clothes? The answer is an unsatisfying, it depends because there are many individual considerations. Many women aspire to a “capsule” or minimalist wardrobe consisting of about 25-50 basic mix and match pieces. This approach, while attractive, is ultimately too restrictive as most women lead very complex lives with multiple needs for professional, social, sports, travel and casual clothing. Where one lives is also a consideration since distinct seasons will require, at the very least, outerwear garments. A “Goldilocks” number — not too much, not too little — doesn’t exist. Rather, it’s more realistic to concentrate on quality over quantity and to create a cohesive wardrobe with pieces that can work for you and your lifestyle needs.
This may mean 100 or more garments but if they are cross coordinated and express a consistent identifiable style, the psychological and financial stress is removed. Knowing your needs and personal style also filters out the encouragement of others and reduces buying mistakes.
If a funny thing has happened on the way to your current wardrobe and you find either too much or too little in your closet, contact Purely Personal and get dressed for the 21st century with all the right options for your Purely Personal Style!
