Photo Credit: Domino
One of my clients’ girlfriends told him he had too much clothing. I asked my client how much clothing his girlfriend had, and he replied about the same as him. I didn’t care for that double standard, but I imagine she was in the throes of space protection. People can get crazy if you threaten their space.
In another couple’s closet, there is a female client of mine that possesses significantly less space in their closet than her husband. Her solution was to buy more clothes to force him out of her side. (Although competition is no reason to purchase clothing, she really did need it.)
Many of my clients have acres of space in their walk-ins they share with no one. These clients sometimes leave the space open to collect dust, while others pile paperwork and dirty dishes on shelves better suited for sweaters. Yes, I’ve seen dishes. Others keep clothes they do not need to disrupt the emptiness.
Each client and closet is different, so the answer to how much clothing one should have in one’s wardrobe depends entirely on you. Here are the key factors in determining the perfect amount of clothing for you.
Closet Space
I don’t believe you should own more clothing than your closet can hold. If a new item doesn’t fit in your closet, don’t buy it, or donate something before adding it to your wardrobe. The exception of course is seasonal stowaways. Heavy coats can be brought in during the cold season and summer shorts can be stored. Vice versa in the warm season.
On the other side of the small closet is the massive closet I mentioned early. A mammoth closet is not an out of work person you give a job so they can feed their family. Just because you have mammoth storage does not mean you need to fill it.
Laundry
How much laundry you do dictates how much clothing you will need. If you wash your clothes once a month you are going to need at least 30 pairs of underwear and ample clothing to get you through that time period. This particularly pertains to workout wear. I have some clients that have half a wardrobe of athletic wear, but do laundry every single week. You only need enough Under Armour to get you through your next laundry cycle.
Personal Style
The minimalist and ease seeker will want much less clothing than a fashion enthusiast who gets easily bored. The latter will want diverse colors and garments, whereas the first will want minimal garments in a similar palette that flows easily with each other.
Lifestyle
A man with a hefty social life, diverse travel schedule and constant client meetings will need more than double the wardrobe of the fella who works from home and rarely hits the town. Each area of your life needs sufficient supplies. The more categories of dress, the more clothing you will need. I generally want my clients to have two weeks worth of clothing for each category of their life. Less, if we pursue a lot of multi tasking garments like dressy chinos that can go from work to a dinner date.
Want a shorter answer to how much clothing should I own? Okay. You should only own two weeks worth of clothing for each avenue of your life, per season, at one time. Two weeks for Summer, two weeks for Winter. No real need to own more than that.
