How many pants should you own

Everything I write about comes from the desire to help as many women as possible live their best lives after the age of A Very good article. I have over pairs of shoes I only wear about I feel you pain Mandy! I also get worried about chucking things out, but when I do I feel much better!

I think peoccasion. This was shocking to me I have significantly less outfit than your survey Primary reason is that i am living in middle east where clothes are expensive and lower quality So I shop less and also swap them with my sibling. And i guess generally speaking Women in less wealthy countries are the same. Thanks for article, very informative. Hi Zohre, yes I would absolutely agree. This post was focussed on mostly a United States and Western European audience, and I can see that for some women it would not resonate.

I love that you shop less and swap clothes with your siblings. I did the hanger trick starting last summer, and have found that I really do wear almost everything in my closet. I just LOVE variety. Interesting read for sure!! Love the article! Interestingly enough, I am in the lower group of responses in most all of the questions you polled and am still trying to downsize. My main problem is dresses. I work at an office so I often wear dresses to work. Also in general I just dresses more flattering and comfortable than a top and pants.

Yet each time I go shopping for more I end up coming home with another dress. If come autumn it has worked well then I will simply donate all the dresses I have packed away. I will say so far it feels wonderful to walk into my closet and it not be packed full of clothing.

Hi Melissa, Thanks for your lovely reply and suggestions too. Good luck with downsizing and re-organising your closet.

I enjoyed your article. I have been working on purging for more than a year. A few months ago my entire department were let go.

It was a shock after almost 22 years. Now, with more time while on the Job hunt again, I find myself letting things go even more. I keep reminding myself to hold on to some for when I am working again. I am, however, taking your advices and only keeping those which make me feel good and confident wearing them.

Glad you enjoyed the article Linda. Good luck with the job hunting. Also, it is hard to tell if an item is going to be a favourite when you buy it! Going clothes shopping can be a bit like russian roulette! Me too, if it needs hand washing, or dry cleaning I have to remind myself not to buy it! Hi Jo, Thanks so much for your timely article on Wardrobe matters.

Having just been through 9 months of disruption and repair works due to water damage in 2 bedrooms, which are now clean, dry, repainted and carpeted: the Games Room however still resembles a well stocked OP Shop, and my W. Couple this with my recent intentional weight loss, and it seems to be the perfect timing and incentive to embark on a ruthless and hopefully satisfying clear out, rather than just shoving it all back from whence it came!!

I like the idea of photographing special outfits before passing them on so that someone else can get pleasure from wearing them. I shall be organised and ready to go forth and purge. Wish Me Luck!! Good luck Shirley! I can understand how you might cherish that one day a week to do your own thing — and a clear out needs concentration! Well, it does for me at least!

Your email address will not be published. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. They were also fun to use, real hands on type things. It depends on the job you are trying to get what type of clothes you should wear. My husband and one son are welders by trade.

If they showed up at an interview in good clothes they would be laughed out of the shop. They have to wear grubbies since they will have to show how well they weld.

Interviewers do that kindly to being told they will have to wait until the interviewee goes home to get clothes or he needs a place to change into the appropriate clothes. Clean but work clothes are the best bet. My other son never wanted to work in dirty places so he went in dress shirts and jeans or dress pants. It of course depends on your own personal life style so you may have to sit down and just do some figuring.

I have gotten along with only a black skirt for years and dresses. Of course if your color palette is different from mine you may want to add a navy instead of brown etc. If you work and have to wear dresses every day or you attend an extra amount of church services where dresses need to be worn then you may have to add extra.

It depends on when they wear them. I would say no more than tops. Like Tawra said I would say 4 if they have to wear a dress once or twice a week. I might let them have a few more tops like 5 everyday tops and 3 nicer dressier tops. Most people do laundry every day or at least twice a week so you can usually keep things washed up.

Now the reality is you have little girls. They love their clothes but you still may have to put the brakes on and the older they get if you make them pay for things other then the basics and do their own laundry this will help some. Also one thing which really helps and may seem like a pain but in the long run pays and that is twice a year when the season changes from cold to hot, go through their clothes with them.

Get rid of too small, worn, ugly and they never wear etc. People tend not to sort through their clothes in a big way a couple of times a year so things start taking over.

Mark, If your girls really like a lot of variety and money is tight, be sure and take them to Good Will, or any thrift store. Changing life style makes for changes in what is considered decently covered. Getting back into politics so meetings and travel are on the agenda.

At least not at my age. Young skinny figures can get away with more casual items. At my age my self confidence needs the boost of the clothes I wear. For Christmas my husband bought me a velour outfit. I bought a cream coloured tshirt that looks really nice so that is sort of my mix and match outfit.

Different coloured shirts and a red velour top from another velour outfit so I can have about 4 from the one basic. At least that will let me be dressed well for the winter. Already starting to look for something similar for spring and summer. So when you are getting new clothes think of the care of them.

Ironing every time you want to wear something is inconvenient and for some downright painful so avoid them. Instead of dresses for girls try skirts blouses and sweaters so you get more outfits when you mix and match them. Rhea pretty much it means 7 cool weather and 7 warm weather shirts.

I would sometimes do things like buy short sleeve shirts for summer and then just buy long sleeved cardigans for my daughter to wear over her short sleeve tops when it was cold. We have all hit this issue at some point — in some form.

He was is total distress — he wanted to keep this shirt — she was determined — the closet was too small for clothes he cannot get into. At last a happy compromise was reached. The shirt did not go in his closet, she used it to make a pillow sham for a small square pillow to toss on his bed. So — she got the closet cleaned out and he got to keep the cute logo that was what he really liked about the t-shirt.

Rhonda, mom has done the same thing for my kids. It makes it so much more peaceful if you can do things like that to help them get rid of stuff. They say great minds think alike. Too creepy, my daughter is starting to think like me. Bet she loves that!!! Thanks for the tip Rhonda. I just did that with my granddaughters sweater and gave it to her for Christmas. The sweater had pockets on it so one side is to lay on and the side with the pockets she can use to put her treasures in.

When my grandkids discovered that Nan can make a pillow out of their favorite clothes they more then willing give them away. They also love the quilts I make for them so I tell them to give me their favorite things and I will some day make a quilt for them. One tip for quilters. I just saw on Fons and Porter to slide a small cutting mat inside the t shirt then lay your square cutting ruler on top of the logo or part you are cutting and cut.

Thought this was a great idea. Oh, how true. When my grandson was tiny, my daughter had about 30 pairs of trousers for him — the washing and ironing became just unmanageable, because she left it for ages because there were so many clothes, and then was faced with a mountain of laundry …. And here I thought I was the only one to make such lists! The point is really think it through and make a similar list for your family and their needs and to keep it to a minimum.

It would be a rare thing indeed to find someone who would have an exact list to fit our needs! Not many have to consider mudboots, chore tennies, and poultry processing clothing!

Besides, I plan to show it to my children. What we did was to watch what we wore for a month. Once it was worn and washed, instead of putting it back in the closet or drawers, we left it folded and neat in a laundry basket. At the end of the month, everything that was left in the closet and drawers was taken out and switched with the laundry basket of clean clothes! Then we just set the laundry basket of UNUSED clothes aside in the room and lo and behold, very little of it was wanted.

I think we waited a couple weeks and then when it was clear that no one wanted to wear the left overs, we donated it all to Goodwill! And no one had that panic feeling of having to choose right away in some big stressful cleanout.

It was a really gentle way of cutting back. Hi,My husband and I have 4 children and I have homeschooled for 5 years. All of our children have a day of the week that is their laundry day. They all wash and dry their clothes. The older two fold and put away their own and the younger ones wash and dry and I still hang or fold for them. The older two do theirs that way as well even though they dont have to now that they fold their own.

Makes it alot easier on them to have all their outfits incliding pjs reay to go. Well, here in Florida spring is in the air! Drove past the bay this afternoon going to my daughters house, and people were laying out and the kids were in the water splashing around!. I put on a cotton skirt and blouse and flip flops this morning. Anyway, I was looking at what I have for spring and summer wear, trying to decide what to buy. Do we really need to go out and spend a fortune every season on clothing?

One thing I remember thinking that I wished I had to put on last summer was a pair of black capri pants. I have several tops that would match. So it looks like that will do me. He hates for me to get rid of anything. He has a drawer full of nothing but socks. It is just Dh and my self at home now. Each Jan when others are making their resolutions for the year I make up a clothing replacement list for each of us.

I have a note book back to that I have saved with each list and for that year each item we bought, where it was bought , price paid and how it stood up to wear. Over the years our cost for clothing has dropped each year. Since I know most of what we will want for that year I watch the sales, and garage sales and Thrift store. This year still on my needs list is a new winter Jacket the one I have will become my chores jacket. I patch work clothes for the yard, for hubby and I too, and many other small sewing things to make clothing last longer, fit better and look better too.

Of course using the right method of cleaning works too! We moved to a smaller house recently and I am so happy.

When we had a bigger home it was just an invitation to store more not needed stuff. There is a huge gap between the two. There are only seven days a week, so why would one person need shirts and pairs of shoes, etc.

I just did that yesterday! It looks so much neater! Now I just need to get rid of some of the outfits. It sounds like you are on a roll Angi. Good job. In our house, we each have a limited amount of space for clothing. My husband and I have 12 ft of hanging and shoe space and a standard chest of drawers each. Our son has two chests of drawers, but only 3 ft of hanging space. Everything hangs or is in drawers all of the time. It is so much easier. I very quickly learned that my little one had difficulty with being stimulated by changing clothes at bedtime, so pajamas quickly dropped off our clothing list for her.

Hope My family and I can get even more help from our new found friends….. We often refer to the clothes situation and the Clothes Demon… Seems he always wins.. Hopefully my wife will read along with me and we and Fix this situation once and for all. This article gives me so much encouragement! I have 4 children We just have way too much everything and it is so far past manageable.

Erin you sound like many of us. I once read about a woman missionary who loved her clothes but when she went on the mission field realized she had to get control of them. She bought 7 dresses all the same style but in different colors. She said it changed her world. She never gave clothes a second thought and it saved her so much time. On Mon. She never had to worry over what to wear again. Of course that is the extreme for most of us but boy it would be nice to be able to do that and not think about clothes any more.

My aunt was a manager at a large, well known corporation for years. She actually retired from this corporation. She made a lot of money and felt like she had to spend a certain amount of money to dress the part. Apparently they had a lot of drama in the office with the women all competing to be the best dressed and constantly focusing on wardrobes. Corporate passed down a dress code for the ladies: Black, gray or navy skirts no shorter than knee length or slacks, white blouses, jackets optional, black, gray or navy flats or pumps, small, minimal jewelry.

At first my aunt was really disappointed because she had such a wide variety of work clothes to choose from and could no longer wear most of it to the office. Then she went shopping for the new dress code approved items and said her life was changed.

Her clothing expense dropped to about a quarter of the amount she had been spending…she and her husband went on a week long vacation with the money she saved in one year! She felt a freedom from getting up in the mornings and knowing what she was going to wear without really thinking about it.

Then, after about a year, she was able to start letting go. A few things she kept for special evenings out or church but since then she only needs one closet. Do you have that list too? My husband could use to cut down on his clothing.

They eventually lose the weight again but it takes time, sometimes months. So if a person is in that situation I think it is fine to have extra put aside for when that happens. Also it gets pretty cold in Minnesota, at times negitive 20 degees with a negitive 30 degree windchill so we need extra winter clothes too. Layering what you have can only go so far up here, then you need winter specific clothing.

Thanks for what you do, I appreciate it. I had tons and tons of clothes from going up and down in sizes and having a baby recently and have a tiny, tiny closet. I recently gave away several boxes of clothing by using the following test— if I could only do one load of laundry, what would I wash? I did this for three pretend loads of laundry. I have learned now that babies can grow really fast and not to spend too much money on the smaller sized of clothes.

My husband is the King of simplicity. His jeans tend to rip at the pocket, and he will wear the ripped jeans around the house until I finally throw them away and buy him a new pair. It only seems logical to me to put the sheets back on the bed immediately after drying them.

Why bother folding and putting them away? This also brings some fresh smells into the house. It also elimates having to have an extra set for each bed. Maybe you only need one extra pair in twin and one in double.

I like the idea of YOUR putting their clothes away. When I watched my sisters kids for four months finding the perfectly folded and clean laundry at the bottom of the dirty clothes filled laundry basket made me see red.

Also when I have company I let them use my bed. So it is does save to put them right back on but seems as if I so often have things happen to prevent that. Like I said I always put my kids clothes away myself. Even though at the moment it seems easier for them to do it it really in the long run is a big headache and I can keep better control of their clothes and really made my life easier. We need to teach our kids to do these things but at the same time we sometimes expect more from them then even some adults find hard to do.

I have three pairs of sheets per bed. Usually two in common rotation and one almost-gone pair. This is because that lets me have one in the washer, one in the dryer, and one on the bed if need be. Sometimes it has needed to be. This list is such a great help to me when I buy school clothes for our grandkids. However, I blew that pairs of shoes list right out of the water.

Sherri, great idea on reorganizing and decluttering; All great tips! A couple of times a year our church ladies bring in gently used clothing. We end up shopping for each other. Last time I found a shirt that I could wear to work; a jacket that they all said has my name on it; a skirt, but a gave the shirt to Linda; We each got the piece we wanted.

At the end of the day, we can go back and claim whatever of ours is still there, or let it go to charity. I find that one of my barriers to giving things away is that I want it to go to a good home. I guess I want it to be loved like I loved it.

It helps me to part with things when I can see someone enjoy it. Especially the baby clothes! I wish my daughters-in-law enjoyed seeing their children in their husbands baby clothes more. Oh well… Maybe my daughter will enjoy that more! Why would of only one type of outfit be considered bare bone, especially if you are a stay at home? My teen son 17 has a lot of clothes, but he only wears 4 different shirts, and 3 different pants over and over. My daughter 13 , otoh, thinks bare bones is like what you describe.

She has enough clothes to go a month without repeating anything. This is for the average person. So just adjust. I see it is just women and children.

If given free rein many of them would wear the same old comfortable thing every day. I understand. That is a true point. Love this site. It is a help. Just figure out how often you wash and what your guy does for work. For example if he wears dockers each day probably 3 pair would be plenty if you wash twice a week. If he is in construction and comes home with filthy jeans each day and needs to wear a clean pair maybe he would need 4 pair where the guy who wears dockers could wear them twice sometimes.

Does that make sense? I only own three pairs of shoes. One pair of sneakers, one pair of Sunday loafers and a pair of white shells I almost never wear. I guess I am an oddball. I think the amount of clothing your article refers to as bare bones is a bit excessive.

Even a working woman can get by with a 9-piece wardrobe plus a few extra clothes for Saturdays, evenings, and work-outs at the gym or home garden. Of course, a sick toddler who throws up all the time will require more—unless you do laundry times a week.

There are some who will need more and there are some who will have a lot less. You are to work out what is best for you and your own needs. I have about half the amount of clothes which is the list now. At one time I had more and other times I have had way less.

If you are financially stable, no debt, savings,giving to others etc. The point I was trying to make was watch where you are spending your money if you are in debt. Do you really need that many clothes and can you save in that area.

On the positive side, since I only work days a month as a small-town sub, I save on gas and clothing expenses. Ah, yes, the laundry quandry. I have three kids. Each one has Very Few Clothes. My daughter 14 has Nice Clothes but only a few and she is happy with that. My almost year old is very sensitive to clothing so he has about 5 pairs of super soft polyester pants or shorts at any given time plus 6 or 7 silky running tops.

My 5 year old is tiny so he is still wearing 3T and 4T shorts from years ago — maybe 4 pairs, plus a half-dozen t-shirts. That can be done cheaply when that is only 4 to 6 outfits.

I briefly had two step-daughters and their clothes habits drove me crazy. They could make a mess even with those few outfits because they never put anything away.

Simplifying this part of our lives has been extraordinarily liberating, both financially and by reducing the chore of managing laundry. Angie it is a little hard without knowing more about your life style for example do you go to church each Sunday where he needs dress pants or is it more casual. Do you go out to dinner or over to friends where you dress more or less etc. The best I can do with out knowing more is usually a guy who has uniforms for work can get by with pairs of jeans 1 pair for work around the house in pairs of docker type pants tan pair, dark pair 1 pair of nice black or brown dress pants dress shirts polo shirts everyday t shirts 1 pair tennis shoes 1 pair dress shoes 1 pair semi dress shoes.

You can add or take away from this list of course. The main thing to think about is how often do you wash. If wash everyday you can get by with much less. A dress jacket is nice for a man to have for special occasions but not a must have.

Plus your husband may love to have a couple of old sweat shirts or t shirts to wear around the house all the time and if that is the case he could get by with less nice t shirts or polos.

You just need to adjust it but maybe this will give you a start. This is perfect! About 15 years ago I had a stroke — at middle age. Because of it I had a hard time doing laundry, and a hard time tracking money. So when I ran out of clothes, I bought more. So I bought years worth of clothes over the span of a couple years. So the temptation to be a clothes horse is gone. Now, I just put in the rag bag something that finally wears out, and if I finally have too few, I get more.

Problem is, I need more black pants, no polyester, and all of them are those stupid hip huggers that were awful the last time they were in style too. I have to agree with you on the hip hugger pants. Makes you wonder what the designers are thinking sometimes or what we are thinking going along with what ever they say. You throw in the tops which are too short and boy what a sight for sore eyes.

I have noticed they might be getting the hint though because the tops at least are getting much longer this year and the pants a little higher. What a shame. Others should stick to the time-proven classics.

I guess if you look like Kate Moss maybe you can wear hip huggers. Tawra use to dress like that when she was younger too. Some of the outfits she came up with just amazed. Thanks goodness she out grew it and now dresses very nice. I know you are not Catholic, but virtue is virtue, and we can agree as Christians on that. Even the Bible mentions Christian dress codes.

Those two female Saints among others would rather die than commit sins against modesty and chastity, so the least Christian women of today can do is dress modestly. I pity men of today that want to stay pure in their thoughts. On a cold winter night, right after I get home from work, I change into a nice pair of sweatpants and sweatshirt and then make dinner.

My house is old and drafty and this outfit, plus socks and slippers is very comfortable. Then, of course, they are great for the ragbag once they are beyond wearing. What we are talking about is the problem of so many now put on sweats and never get out of them. That may not be what they are thinking but that is the feeling they are giving off.

I wonder what else I do that bothers people? No need to be upset Mary. When we write these articles we have certain people in mind who — in the case of this are those who tend to spend too much money buying clothes and hoarding clothes.

There are always exceptions to the rules of course. We know that. Pajama pants are the warm weather alternative, but just as tacky and sloppy looking as sweats outside.

Women are the worst offenders in bad dressing. There are some men and boys that do, but I see many more examples of horrible dressing on women daily. Sometimes I wonder what happened to women??? I wear my jeans tight because I am shorter and baggy anything make me look like a rolly poly bear. Actually, a really good reason to clean out your closet is not only for more space and a more organized closet but also you can deduct what you donate to charity on your taxes!

This book also protected me against interest and penalties associated with overstating the value of my donations. I hope this helps someone out there trying to save money as well as organize their closet!

I found the books website at www. That sounds like a good book but you can just print off a free copy of the used clothing tax guidelines at the Goodwill website.

Add a tomatoe with curly hair for the head and there I am. Not a flattering look for me and that is all I can find in stores. I used to love the look of wide pants and bucaneer tops.

I was told that I looked great. Now if that would come back into style and I could lose the belly I would be a hot lady at Oh well the dream was nice while I wrote it. Actually Tawra, I thought the same exact thing! The Money Book complies with the IRS guideling and is updated annually to reflect the current years fair market value. So, you get more back when using this book and you can be protected as well.

Then on the computer I made myself a chart depicting my clothing as follows and placing a little colored block in front of each item. I would have much more room in my closet and money in the bank! I know what you mean grizzly bear mom. I have done the same thing with different items — not realizing how many I really had until I laid them out and either wrote it down or counted them. That is why I keep telling everyone to actually count how much you have of something like boys cars or girls dolls because we just see a pile of them there not realizing we have of something and we really only need 5.

It is the fastest, cheapest and easiest way to find storage for your home. I put dots in to show the seperation because it show how many tops go with the bottoms: Navy skirt suit………. Ivory Shell Navy pant suit……….

Lavendar Sweater Purple Suit …………. Raspberry T Teal Skirt Suit………. Raspberry Sweater Coral Jacket…………. Aqua Sweater Black Skirt…………. Royal Blue Sweater Brick Pant suit………. Light green Twin set Beige Skirt Suit …….. Purple …………………….

Indigo ……………………. Black Suplice Top ……………………. Black Tank. When I moved here to my new old house, I sorted and I mean sorted. I gave my self some lee way and went through 2 years and gave away 5 boxes of stuff, even parted with my beloved sweat pants. LOL I did keep a big pair that I wear over jeans to go out in the snow with the grands. I really thought I was done but when I put away summer stuff and got out winter a couple of months ago, I was even able to go deeper and put out another really big box.

Then at Christmas I got out the box of things that I wear at Holiday time and gave away a big stack of Christmasy sweaters. My daughter took them down the street where an extended family has had to move in together and the older lady actually teared up because she had always wanted a Christmas sweater and never could rationalize the expense at the time of year when she had gifts to buy.

I think I sent 3 sweaters and 3 embroideried shirts. I think a couple of them even were thrift shop buys so never were a big deal to me at all.

I intend to go through my summer wardrobe again come spring. I am not a high fashion dresser at all but still…. I heard at Christmas that it is so hard to buy for me and I suppose it is when I can give away that much stuff and still there is more. Gayla I know just what you are talking about. I remember when I was expecting with my second baby I had no maturity clothes and I mean none.

We went to church at least 3 times a week or more and I had one shift dress which I was getting by with. Besides being embarrassed that I had to wear the same dress over and over, at 7 months along it was getting way too small. We had a week coming up where we had to go to church every night.

I did some mighty praying. Boy was I glad she decided to clean out her closet. That is why now if I keep mounds of anything thinking I may use it some day I give my self a good shake and get rid of it because I know good and well there is someone who would be putting it to much better use then I am.

Besides by the time I do get around to wearing them again the chances are they will be out dated anyway. I recently had a startling revelation about butt cracks showing. LOL It really has to do with how your body is built. I have one little grand that is built like her daddy and they carry their weight on the front, with a bigger tummy. The rest of us have big butts. She would even lose her diaper and little slacks as a toddler.

She will be outside playing with the other kids and has to be reminded to pull up her pants and she just hates it. As they hand their clothing down update the number on the item. Also, buy mostly inter gender clothing.

Girls can hand down red, blue, green and yellow shirts to their brothers. Because boys may feel embarassed at wearing girlie things consider buying only boy pants as long as you can get away with it. When I cleaned out my basement, I found that I had saved some tops of my sons when they were in the year old range. And then it dawned on me; my sons might be thinking about college and which branch of the armed services they want to join, but my younger sister has a daughter who is dinosaur mad….

She can wear her nice stuff at home. I am a retired, year-old widow, living only on a meager Social Security income. I live in an apartment bldg. I have 2 sets of sheets, but often launder and remake the bed with the same linens. Just wanted to pass along my methods of survival. I love your newsletter and recipes! I think an answer to have your butt crack NOT show, is to wear underwear. If women would wear real underwear, instead of thongs, bikini, or none at all, when their low cut jeans slip down when they sit, you will only see the underwear, which is an improvement over a bare butt in public.

When picking out an outfit for running errands, hanging out or date night- black jeans are an easy choice. If you fall into this category like me, I would recommend pairs. You probably wear jeans on days off while running errands sorry yoga pants , exploring the city or for a dressier dinner date night. Breaking down your jeans into the following categories or scenarios is helpful:.

I recommend picking a versatile color so that you can wear it easily with different looks. These are for date nights or dressier dinner celebrations with the girls. Or for those who can wear jeans to work regularly. A slim or boot cut in a darker wash paired with a cute top, black leather jacket and a pointed toe pump is a classic night on the town look.

Comfortable jeans are the most relaxed pair and straight cut, great to wear while doing jobs around the house, grocery shopping, or a weekend trip to Home depot for my next DIY project. Black jeans are a staple for your wardrobe and you can easily use them to dress up or down.

When picking out an outfit for running errands, hanging out or date night, black jeans are an easy choice. White jeans are a staple for any summer wardrobe!