How Many Clothes Should a Woman Have? — Shopping on Champagne | Nancy Queen | Fashion Blog (2024)

We have more clothes than ever before, so why do we constantly feel like we have nothing to wear?

In this post, we’ll cover how many clothes a woman should have in her wardrobe AND how to make them work for YOU on a daily basis.

You can read the entire article or watch the video below!

In a recent survey from ClosetMaid, the average American woman has 103 items in her closet.

Photo credit: ClosetMaid

However, with all of those clothes, you’d think we’d be more satisfied. The results of this survey of 1000 women revealed:

  • 21% of our clothes are unwearable

  • 12% of our clothes have never been worn

  • 33% of our clothes are too tight

  • 24% of our clothes are too loose

  • 10% of us are depressed every time we open our closets

So, how many clothes SHOULD we own?

Additionally, how can we make the most of every garment we own?

Let’s start by talking about how many clothes we need.

As much as I want to give you a straight number, it really varies from person to person and your lifestyle.

It doesn’t matter if you have 50 garments or 500.

It all boils down to this ONE QUESTION.

For example:

  • Do you open your closet and say, “I have nothing to wear.”

  • Do you spend more than 5 minutes in the morning choosing an outfit?

  • Do your clothes fit your CURRENT lifestyle?

  • Do you buy more special occasion outfits OR everyday outfits?

  • Do you hold onto clothes for sentimental reasons?

  • Do you have clothes skinny or fat clothes in case you lose or gain weight?

  • Do you feel depressed when you get dressed?

  • Do you have any clothes that need to be mended or altered?

If you answered YES to any or all of these questions, it’s time to re-evaluate your closet!

The problem is NOT that you have too many or too few clothes in your closet.

It’s that you don’t have THE RIGHT clothes in your closet for your CURRENT lifestyle.

You see, whenever we have a lifestyle change, our clothing needs change as well.

We tend to hold on to those old clothes either for sentimental reasons or because we think we’ll need them in the future. We also hold onto clothes for when we lose or gain weight.

Holding onto clothes, we don’t wear only creates visual clutter that we have to look at every day. single. morning. Ugh.

It doesn’t have to be that way.

Let’s fill your closet with clothes you need, feel good in, and love to wear every day.

Create the Closet of your Dreams

Just by making a few simple tweaks to your wardrobe, you could:

  • Have a closet filled with clothes you love to wear.

  • Get dressed in a cute outfit in under 5 minutes.

  • Have clothes that fit you.

  • Have clothes you feel good wearing.

  • Have an organized closet with a place for everything.

  • Get compliments every time you go out in public.

I have been helping people create closets full of clothes they love to wear and fill good in for decades, I’m excited to help you, too!

With this simple 3-step process, you’ll be able to have a closet full of clothes you love and feel good in every single day.

Step 1: Weeding Out

Go through your closet and remove any of the following items. You can resell them, donate them, or have them mended/cleaned/altered if necessary.

  • Clothes that don’t fit you today including too big, too small, or need to be altered.

  • Clothes that don’t fit your CURRENT lifestyle.

  • Garments that you’ve never worn.

  • Anything you don’t feel good or look good wearing.

  • Clothes that are stained, ripped, torn, or worn out.

  • Things you are keeping for sentimental reasons but don’t ever wear. This includes prom dresses, first date outfits, wedding dresses, etc.

  • Any clothes you haven’t worn in the past year.

It sounds counter-intuitive to remove items from your closet when you are trying to have a closet that works, but as you can see from the survey above…often times we keep clothes for the wrong reasons.

When we remove those items that aren’t working for us any longer aka. visual clutter, we’re left with a closet full of clothes we love to wear!

Step 2: Organizing

Now that you’re left with only clothes you love and look good wearing, it’s time to organize them.

Organize your closet by classification rather than by outfit.

For example, group all of your clothes like this: t-shirts, tank tops, blouses, sweaters, skirts jeans, pants, leggings, jackets, dresses, pajamas, socks, etc.

The reason for grouping your clothes by classification rather than by outfit is to allow you to look at your clothes as pieces that can mix and match rather than by outfits that can only be worn one way.

Step 3: Adding the Right Garments

How many times have you stood in your closet and thought, if I only had a red t-shirt for this blazer and jeans. Or I’d wear these shoes more often if I had a brown belt to coordinate with them.

When you find these gaps in your wardrobe, WRITE them down.

Then the next time you go clothes shopping, you’ll have focus and add garments that enhance your wardrobe rather than buying one offs that don’t build on the clothes you already own.

Let me know how this works for you in the comments below.

I want you to have a closet full of clothes you love to wear every day! If you have a question or comment about how to improve your wardrobe, please let me know.

Pin It for Later

How Many Clothes Should a Woman Have? — Shopping on Champagne | Nancy Queen | Fashion Blog (2024)

FAQs

How many clothing items should a woman have? ›

Caption Options. The researchers found that a “sufficient” wardrobe consists of 74 garments and 20 outfits in total. As an example, they've suggested six outfits for work, three outfits for home wear, three outfits for sports, two outfits for festive occasions, plus four outdoor jackets and trousers or skirts.

How many items does the average woman have in her wardrobe? ›

How many clothes does the average woman own? In a recent survey from ClosetMaid, the average American woman has 103 items in her closet.

How many pieces of clothing does the average person have? ›

People own an average of 148 pieces

Most survey respondents seem to have between 77 to 155 pieces in their wardrobe with a few outliers in the 300+ range. Again, I believe the survey data I collected skews a bit lower than what the 'true' average is for most people.

How many clothes should be in a collection? ›

Overall, a fashion collection must have at least 12 pieces; but this is not a rule. It all depends on some factors, such as budget, target market, execution time, sales strategy, and so. Another example is the capsule collections – the smaller ones, that commonly come with 8 pieces.

How many pairs of jeans should a woman own? ›

You should aim for 4 to 5 pairs of denim jeans, excluding shorts. It is a good number to meet your everyday needs, even though a woman own 7 pairs on average, and men 6.

How many pajamas should a woman own? ›

Depending on your laundry schedule, you might need more than 5 pajama sets. But for most people, 3 to 4 pajama tops and bottoms are more than enough to meet everyday needs. Keep in mind that you don't need to wash your pajamas too often. You should wash them only when you need to.

How many dresses should a woman own for minimalist? ›

There is no set number of items. A minimalist closet could have 20 pieces or 200. What matters is you wear all of them – and they all bring you joy.

How many pieces of clothing does a minimalist have? ›

A capsule wardrobe can have as many or as few clothes that work for you, but commonly they have anywhere from 30-50 pieces. The capsule checklist I've put together has room for 44 items, including shoes and accessories, but you can always have more or fewer than that.

How often should you go clothes shopping? ›

Shopping for new clothes every two or three months is a reasonable plan if your main goal is keeping your wardrobe fresh.

How often should you replace clothes? ›

Change and wash your workout clothes, swimwear, and underwear after every wear. Casual and formal clothes can last up to five times wearing them. Coats, jackets, parkas, hats, gloves, and other accessories can be laundered once a season.

How many leggings should I own? ›

On average, most people do well with three to five pairs of workout leggings, shorts, or a combination of the two. More than how many sets of workout clothes you have, it's important to have comfortable, high-quality gym clothes in your closet that are suited to your workout routine.

How many pairs of pants should I own? ›

Depending on your laundry schedule, you might need more than 5 pairs of pants. But for most people, 4 to 5 pairs of casual pants, including denim jeans, are more than enough to meet everyday needs.

How long does the average person keep their clothes? ›

According to the International Fair Claims Guide for Consumers Textiles Products, assuming normal wear, you can expect most of your clothes to last somewhere between two and three years. Here is a list of garments and their life expectancy (in Years).

Why do I hoard clothes? ›

People hoard because they believe that an item will be useful or valuable in the future. Or they feel it has sentimental value, is unique and irreplaceable, or too big a bargain to throw away.

Which color jeans goes with everything for ladies? ›

Dark indigo is the most versatile color, but dark blue, dark grey, and black can work as well.

How often should you wear the same jeans? ›

Jeans can typically be worn 3 times before washing. Leggings and tights should be washed after every wear to get rid of the baggy knees. Suits typically can be worn several times during normal use before dry cleaning (3-4 times for wool and 4-5 times for synthetics).

How often should you wash jeans? ›

A good rule of thumb is to wash your jeans after every 3-10 wears, or when they start to smell. If you're regularly active in your jeans (think: manual work, anything where you work up a sweat), wash them every 3 wears, but if you're working at a desk, you can probably go through multiple wears without washing.

Are you supposed to wear the same pajamas every night? ›

For pajamas, they suggest washing them after three or four wears. That's about two pairs of pajamas a week. While this standard is a recommendation, it's not the general norm.

How many shirts should a woman have in her closet? ›

How Many Shirts Should I Have? A regular person should have at least 7 shirts in their closet to have a clean one for each day of the week. However, our life circ*mstances vary and some women don't need as many to sustain them through the week.

What is the minimalist wardrobe rule? ›

A minimalist wardrobe, by definition, is minimal. That means there's less clothing to hang, fold, and maintain. Your closet is no longer stuffed like a Chipotle burrito. Instead, there's space between hangers and it's easy to see everything you own.

How many bras should I own minimalist? ›

If you want a minimalist wardrobe, you can start with 7 bras. This will give you enough options while keeping your closet functional. With this strategy, you can have 4 everyday bras and 3 bras for specialty use (such as going to the gym or for wearing certain types of dresses, etc).

What clothes do minimalists wear? ›

Simply, a minimalist wears their favorite clothes every day. Most days I wear jeans, a teeshirt, and a pair of boots. Or, when I feel like it, I wear a crisp white button-up shirt, jeans, a blazer, colorful socks, and a clean pair of dress shoes. (I avoid logos because I refuse to be a walking billboard.)

How many pairs of jeans should a minimalist have? ›

Two or three pairs of jeans. Only keep the ones that make you look and feel good. Three or four tank tops. For layering, and when the weather gets nicer, for wearing alone.

What does a minimalist wardrobe look like? ›

A minimalist wardrobe may contain as few as 5 outfits or over 100, which are rotated and swapped seasonally as a capsule wardrobe. The average number of items in a minimalist wardrobe seems to range from 20 to 50 pieces of clothing, which may or may not include undergarments and accessories.

How many shoes does a minimalist have? ›

Five pairs of shoes is the perfect amount for my current lifestyle because I have an appropriate choice to wear for anything on my agenda. I don't miss having more than one pair of each style or options for activities that haven't been on my calendar in years, like ballet class.

What to wear to look expensive? ›

How to make your outfit look more expensive
  1. Get it tailored. Raymond Hall//Getty Images. ...
  2. Wear a belt for polish. Daniel Zuchnik//Getty Images. ...
  3. Add gold accessories. ...
  4. Dress in tonal colours, like all white or all black. ...
  5. Keep handbags shiny and clean. ...
  6. Layer up. ...
  7. Dress up your denim. ...
  8. Buy timeless outerwear.
Jan 18, 2023

What makes a woman look classy? ›

If you're trying to be elegant, start by wearing classic styles of clothing, like knee-length skirts and tailored button-down shirts, and choosing clothes made from high-quality fabrics, like silk and satin. Never too baggy, never too tight; the clothing of an elegant woman looks like it was made to fit just her.

What is the 3 color rule in fashion? ›

The premise of the 3-color rule is not combine more than three colors in your outfit at any one time. The exceptions are black and white — they don't count, as they aren't technically colors, so they can be intermixed without actually adding a color to your outfit.

How often does the average woman shop for clothes? ›

The study found women spend more than 100 hours spread out over 30 annual trips shopping for clothes, and an additional 40 hours and 30 minutes looking for shoes. They also spend an average of 31 hours and 21 minutes a year browsing for books and magazines.

What age group spends the most on clothes? ›

The 45-54 age group spent the most on women's and girls' clothing in 2021, averaging $995. This age group is more likely to spend more money on clothing than other age groups.

What month do people buy the most clothes? ›

November and December are the biggest two months of the year by some distance in terms of sales volumes. The biggest online sales events occur during this two month period. Singles's Day, Black Friday and Cyber Monday and the Christmas shopping period all combine to make these the peak months for online retail.

How often should you wash your clothes after wearing them? ›

"If you're wearing something for a few hours, and not sweating, it's probably okay to wait 2 to 4 wears before washing. Or, after a full day's use," says Dr. Gonzalez. "If you're working from home, it's probably okay to wait after 3 to 4 wears before washing your clothes."

Should you change your clothes before bed? ›

Apart from the hygiene factor, having a lot of skin contact throughout the night may cause skin problems. So it's best to always remove your dirty clothes before you go to bed. Even if you're tired and don't want to. Your skin will thank you.

How long is it OK to wear the same clothes? ›

There's no hard and fast rule for how many times you can wear clothing again, but experts say there are a few types that should be washed after every use: underwear, socks, tights, leggings and activewear. This advice also applies to any other clothes with stains, sweat, odor or visible dirt, Mohammed said.

What is the most wanted fashion in 2023? ›

As highlighted by the Pinterest Predicts 2023 report, '2023 fashion will be filled with lace, tulle, ruffles and shimmer for everyone, based on rising searches from Gen Z and Millennials. “Ruffle shirt for men” and “sheer trouser outfit” are just two examples of this floaty trend.

Are skinny jeans out of style 2023? ›

Skinny Jeans, Skinny Pants & Leggings Are Back in For Fall 2023.

What not to wear with leggings? ›

Over-sized shirts, sweaters, and jackets work well, just remember there is a difference between over-sized and too big. Steer clear of wearing a fitted top with your leggings. The tight all overlook is not very flattering for many. Unless you're Sandy in Grease, it's a tough look to pull off.

What length legging is most flattering? ›

Leggings should fall just above the ankle—anything shorter automatically creates a stinted silhouette by cutting you off at the shin.

Is it OK to wear the same leggings everyday? ›

They really should be changed and washed daily.” You need to wash your leggings regularly, especially if you wear them every day. Just like underwear, it's best to wash them often to get rid of germs. Otherwise, you might get sick from them.

What should I remove first when decluttering? ›

Simple Ways to Declutter Your Spaces
  1. Start by removing trash.
  2. Begin by choosing one small area to organize — like a drawer.
  3. Sort items into three piles: Keep, donate and toss.
  4. Find a specific home for everything you intend to keep — for example, a hook for your keys.
Jan 12, 2023

What is the first rule of decluttering? ›

Rule #1 – Don't have a Maybe Pile

This is key to making decluttering easier overall – and it feels like it should make it harder when you first read it, right? Well – the fact is that decluttering involves decision making. Decisions on every item as to whether you keep it or let it go.

What is the rule of thumb for decluttering clothes? ›

A good rule of thumb is to get rid of any clothes you haven't worn in 6 months or more (with the exception of seasonal clothing).

How many pieces of clothing should I own minimalist? ›

How many clothes should be in a capsule wardrobe? A capsule wardrobe can have as many or as few clothes that work for you, but commonly they have anywhere from 30-50 pieces. The capsule checklist I've put together has room for 44 items, including shoes and accessories, but you can always have more or fewer than that.

How many clothes should a minimalist woman have? ›

Minimalist wardrobes are more flexible. There is no set number of items. A minimalist closet could have 20 pieces or 200. What matters is you wear all of them – and they all bring you joy.

How many outfits does the average American woman own? ›

Some may have a closet full of clothes while others may only have a few key pieces that they wear on rotation. However, a recent study conducted by ClosetMaid found that the average American woman has approximately 103 items of clothing in her wardrobe (excluding outerwear and shoes).

What is considered a small wardrobe? ›

A minimalist wardrobe may contain as few as 5 outfits or over 100, which are rotated and swapped seasonally as a capsule wardrobe. The average number of items in a minimalist wardrobe seems to range from 20 to 50 pieces of clothing, which may or may not include undergarments and accessories.

How often do minimalists wash their clothes? ›

Since I am a minimalist and my fiance, although not a minimalist, has a capsule wardrobe, most of our clothes are in neutral colors and we need to do our laundry once a week to have enough clean clothes for the following week. I would recommend setting aside one or two days a week where you do the laundry.

Can you be messy as a minimalist? ›

Messy Minimalism is a doable, grace-based approach to living a clutter free life. It frees you up to embrace the mess, live with less and create an imperfectly perfect home for you.

What is the size average American woman? ›

The average height for women in the United States is about 5 foot 4 inches (or about 63.7 inches) tall. The average height has increased over time.

How many pairs of pants does the average woman own? ›

The number of casual pants you only really need and wear is 4 to 5, even though most women own 7 pairs of pants on average, and men 6 pairs. Add 2 pairs of formal trousers to complete your wardrobe.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Kimberely Baumbach CPA

Last Updated:

Views: 5737

Rating: 4 / 5 (61 voted)

Reviews: 92% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Kimberely Baumbach CPA

Birthday: 1996-01-14

Address: 8381 Boyce Course, Imeldachester, ND 74681

Phone: +3571286597580

Job: Product Banking Analyst

Hobby: Cosplaying, Inline skating, Amateur radio, Baton twirling, Mountaineering, Flying, Archery

Introduction: My name is Kimberely Baumbach CPA, I am a gorgeous, bright, charming, encouraging, zealous, lively, good person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.