The Resolved Wardrobe
When is your wardrobe actually "done?"
“How many clothes do we need?”
It’s a question that gets asked a lot—both by people desperately looking to build a functional wardrobe and those who wish to avoid overconsumption. It’s also a question that has no answer. At least, no universal answer. There are people for whom a dozen clothing items is more than enough to happily live their life and get dressed everyday—there are others for whom less than 100 pieces will leave them hopelessly bored. That’s not to say the concept of “enough clothes” is based purely on how much clothing you want, but rather that you and the person with a much larger or smaller wardrobe than yours could simply have different needs.
Understanding your needs is important: not just “work, play, everyday” clothing, but: what is it you do for work and how would you like to present yourself there (even if it’s just from the chest up on Zoom)? What do you do for fun and what different outfits do you need for rock climbing and concerts and dive bars and chic lounges? What is your version of comfort for running errands or navigating an airport or dropping off your kids at soccer practice? Your needs may be different if you travel everywhere by car vs. by public transit. Your clothing choices may be different around family vs. chosen family. You may want to present yourself differently for every activity while someone else may be content wearing some version of the exact same outfit no matter what. The Resolved Wardrobe meets all of those needs, in the most optimal way. So, how do you know your wardrobe has been “resolved?” And, more importantly, how do you “resolve” it?
When you have an event come up, you don’t have the urge to buy something new to wear…maybe you even know exactly what you plan to wear from your closet and you’re excited to wear it!
You wear/style the majority of your pieces (there will always be a few outliers) differently every time you wear them, even if it’s just with different shoes or accessories.
Even your pieces/outfits for your “off-days” (i.e. running errands, are comfortable, and easy to throw on while still making you feel put-together.
You feel good and well-dressed no matter the season: your wardrobe covers the breadth of your local climate.
You have very few items that you simply never wear. It’s fine (and expected) to own items you only wear once or twice a year, but those items must also serve a purpose (and not just be something you’re saving for some nebulous “special occasion” that never seems to come).
You’re happy with your wardrobe and aren’t constantly looking for something new to add to fix all your fashion-related (and perhaps life-related) problems.
You don’t get stressed out when trying to get dressed for the day or evening.
All of this isn’t to say your wardrobe is perfect and you’ll never want/have to add anything and you can just wear exactly what you own forever and ever: your wardrobe is a living, breathing being just like you, and as you evolve, your needs evolve, and your wardrobe evolves. But, there is a point where needs are met, wants are worth waiting for, and getting dressed is an exciting exercise rather than a daunting daily task, and we want those times to last as long as possible. So, what’s keeping you from it, now? And how do you get there?