How Many Clothes Do You Need? – Building Your Wardrobe

Imagine this: You’re desperately looking for some way to blow off steam but you don’t know what to do. Your eyes fall on your closet and voila! You know the perfect thing to do: shopping. But how many clothes do you need?

Do you like clothes?

Are you a fanatic of clothes? Maybe you find yourself wanting to spruce up your wardrobe every time the season changes. Opening your wardrobe would mean opening up into paradise and you want to make sure it’s perfect. Retail therapy sounds good every time it gets into your mind.

You love picking out different pieces of clothing. It’s practically endless. You can get jeans, skirts, jumpsuits, crop tops, sweaters, dresses, and the list goes on. With that many options available to you, it’s no wonder you can’t choose.

Whether you’re looking for something cheaper or you want to splurge on name-brand clothing, the bottom line is: you like clothes.

On the other end, maybe you’re not really into clothes. You only have a number of clothing items in your closet and they’re just enough to make do with. Neutral items, timeless pieces, and simple clothing are enough for you.

You don’t really buy clothes that much but you get worried that maybe you’re not buying enough. You often find yourself repeating the same outfits or wearing the same clothes over and over and thinking to yourself if you can do more.

The clothing industry

Regardless of whether you consider yourself a fashionista or couldn’t care less about what you’re wearing, the clothing industry remains one of the top industries in the world.

There are a lot of clothing shops catering to what you need. These shops all have distinct styles that vary depending on their vibe. From Brandy Melville to thrift shops, there’s almost certainly a shop for anyone under the sun.

How many clothes do you need?

Now we come to the age-old question: How many clothes do you need? The answer is entirely up to you.

While the number of clothing items you need depends on your preference, different factors also come into play. You can ask yourself these questions to help determine how many clothes do you need.

How often do I use them?

The most important thing to keep in mind is how much you use your clothes. If you’re using them weekly, keep spares in the same style just in case it gets dirty.

Take work clothes for example. How many clothes do you need for work?  If you own five button-downs that you wear each day of the week, you should stock up on more of them as a backup. You should be able to have enough clothes to wear to work.

The same goes for other occasions such as casual meetups with friends or formal gatherings. Your closet should have clothes for different purposes. How many clothes do you need for each purpose depends on how often you use them.

If you don’t wear some clothes often such as tops for partying, you shouldn’t buy as much because they aren’t going to get that much use. You might even forget that they exist.

How often do I do my laundry?

How many clothes do you need? The rate you do your laundry can affect the clothes available to you. If you wash your clothes every week, a smaller wardrobe will suffice.

If you go long months without doing the laundry, you might want to buy more clothes. You don’t want to be wearing dirty clothes and soiled underwear. To avoid that, own a sufficient amount of clothing that lasts you a month or until when you do your next laundry.

Are these clothes necessary?

Don’t skimp on something that you need. Learning how to distinguish what clothes you need is important.

Buy clothes that are essential especially if you live somewhere with extreme temperatures.

Even if you already have sweatshirts, a warm fleece jacket will help you during winter. Be sure to have heavy outerwear ready in your closet so you have something to wear when you brave the snow.

In the same way, avoid heatstroke in summer by wearing cool clothing. Have clothes that are breathable and comfortable to wear during sunny days.

Do I already have this?

Avoid buying things that you already have. Don’t pick up another white shirt if you have three of them at home, especially when you don’t use them that much.

Ask yourself: how many clothes like this do you need? Having multiple pieces of the same clothing is only good when you use that kind of clothing regularly.

If not, then you will just end up eating space in your closet which could have been used for other things.

Does this suit me?

It’s good to know what fits your body type and what doesn’t. Everyone has different styles, so shop for clothes that fit both you and the aesthetic you’re going for.

Don’t know what is best for your body type? Watch this video as a guide:

One thing you should not forget is that clothes should make you feel good. Your comfort and self-expression should be prioritized over everything else.

Think of other things to consider

Consider your situation right now. Are you moving somewhere colder or warmer? Are you working somewhere with a strict dress code or in an office with a laxer policy about clothes? Think about other factors specific to your situation and adjust your wardrobe appropriately.

If you’re deciding to buy clothes for your children, think about how fast they grow. Will they outgrow what you’re buying? This is important especially for infants and toddlers who grow up fast.

Always have staples

Staples are called that way for a reason. They’re must-haves in your closet and they work well with almost anything.

Keep key pieces in your wardrobe that you can dress up and down for any occasion. That way, you won’t have to spend so much on clothes that are just a fad. Keep staples for all weathers and all occasions.

What clothing items are considered staples? It varies from one person to another but the usual items that come very handy are the following:

• T-shirt
• Tanktop
• Button-up shirt
• Sunday dress
• Little black dress
• Jeans
• Work pants or trousers
• Knee-length skirt
• Shorts
• Cardigan
• Sweater
• Jacket
• Hoodie
• Socks
• Stockings
• Sleepwear
• Activewear

Here is a video listing some wardrobe essentials to consider owning:

Figure out what you want

Your style from a year ago may not reflect your style today. Try to look for the direction in the style you’re looking for.

Perhaps you’re more into low-waist jeans now instead of high-waisted ones. As you grow older, you may prefer more neutral colors instead of the bright tops you used to wear.

Figure out what you want in your clothes so that you can decide more easily which ones to keep and which ones to discard.

Organization is key

Being organized will help give a bigger picture of the entirety of your wardrobe. Find a way of organizing that suits you. Organize it by color, or by type of clothing, or both. Try not to organize it by styling it into outfits, as this may clutter your wardrobe and take up too much space.

Organizing will also help you count the number of clothes you have right now. You may even unearth some items that you’ve long forgotten about.

Arranging your clothes also clears up space in your closet, making it look better.

Sort your clothes

Sorting out the clothes you have may give you a bit of a surprise. Sometimes, you find clothes from years ago that you forgot about.

Those little tops shoved to the back of your closet may well become the vintage clothes that may get in style again. Just look at the trendy Y2k tops that have come back in fashion.

Aside from finding old gems, you may also realize how many clothes do you need. Clothes that are very worn down, those that you don’t like anymore, or clothes you’ve outgrown can be weeded out and donated, repurposed, or sold.

Tips on buying clothes

Facing a wardrobe crisis? Think about what clothes you’re going to buy next. Below are some tips that might help you.

Quality over quantity

The classic saying stands true here. When picking out clothes, always choose quality over quantity. A high-quality leather jacket will last you years and may even be passed down to other people. Quality clothing also tends to be timeless, so you can wear it whenever because it never goes out of style.

Choose clothes made of good fabric, great tailoring, and neutral colors. These clothes will become staples of your closet for years to come.

Pick out colors

When looking for clothes, don’t just buy various colors willy-nilly. Take the time to examine the colors and look at what would go well with your closet. This way, you avoid buying something that you regret because it clashes with your whole closet.

For starters, you can incorporate neutral colors because they can be paired with almost anything. Pastels are also a good idea to introduce colors without being too overwhelming.

However, don’t be afraid to experiment with being bold and bright! As long as you know which colors look good on you, you can mix and match to your heart’s content.

Go thrift shopping

Thrift shopping can actually be very lucrative. Many people discard items that haven’t even been worn down and are still in very good shape. In fact, you can find many trendy items in thrift shops.

If you get some practice in thrifting and have a good eye, you may even find hidden gems! If you look hard enough, you may even find some designer pieces in there that only need a little love and care to return them to their former glory.

Learn how to sew

Sewing is an underrated but extremely useful skill. If you have even a basic grasp of sewing, you’ll be able to tailor your clothes to fit you just right! You may even turn some old thrifted clothing into a new and exciting piece custom-made just for you.

If you’re scared of trying sewing, consider doing fun DIY projects first. There are many instances of people cutting up their clothing for fun and having it turn out great.

Determining how many clothes do you need

How many clothes do you need? There is no fixed number as it depends on you. Consider factors such as the weather in your area, the purpose of your clothes, and your style, to name a few.

Whether you have a lot or only a few pieces, clothing is an important part of daily life that allows a glimpse into your personality.