Sheesh, guess where I just bought new jeans -- d'oh!
Speaking of clothes, a recent report from a Berlin sustainability think-tank, the Hot or Cool Institute, calculates how many items of clothing the average person in a four-season G20 country such as ours really needs to fall within what the institute calls a "fair consumption space." This is defined as "a space where consumption levels stay below environmentally unsustainable levels yet above sufficiency levels that allow individuals to fulfil their basic needs." (See the news item found here).
The environmentally sustainable wardrobe number is 85 items in total. Clothing categories include coats and shoes, but not underwear and accessories.
Out of idle curiosity, I undertook a scientific investigation into my own closets and chests of drawers. This is the resulting data:
Coats: 5
Tops: 40
Pants, Shorts: 16
Sleepwear: 8
Athletic Wear: 3
Shoes: 10 pairs
Grand Total: 82 items
Phew! Just in under the wire!
And the kicker is that I don't even wear 30 of those items at all or only on a rare basis. For example, 5 pairs of shoes fall into this category. Most of these unused or rarely used items are kept "just in case I need them again some day," such as a few work-related dress pants, tops and shoes or my swimwear items. None of those items have been worn in the last 5 years or longer.
If those rarely worn items are removed from the calculation, my "actually worn" wardrobe total falls to 52 items.
So either I'm some kind of
Environmental Superstar
or I'm walking around like a
Cheapskate
Fashion-Challenged
Ragamuffin
Hmm, I don't think I'll ask people to cast their votes on that particular issue.
40 comments:
I doubt if I'm much of a threat to the environment, since my few newest clothes, from the thriftie and free cycle, are more than five years old, oldest about forty! Not fashion forward!
I really need to clean out my closet, 75% of what is there, I never wear.
I am like you for clothes I don’t wear. I plan for that to change this year.
My pants/jeans are from Costco. T-shirts and button down shirts might put me over the limit but I'm not really motivated to count. Have to do a donation to the shelter soon.
The throw-away mentality has always been foreign to me. I was a little girl in the 70s in Appalachia. Getting new anything was a big deal and usually only happened prior to school and summer vacation. Something new was a big deal. The rest of my wardrobe was supplemented with hand me downs and thrift store clothes. Now, I shop on Swap.com because I'm used to the comfy feel of broken-in clothes. Good to know I have the option of being a warrior, though I'm fine with ragamuffin.
I just got up to 157 before I got tired of counting. I need to clean up my act.
I still have a wool blazer that my grandpa wore and he died in 1959! and I still wear it...
Since I retired, my standard outfits are sweatpants and sweatshirts when it's cool out and cutoffs with a tshirt for warmer weather. I just want to be comfortable!
Does an item count if it was purchased more than 10 years ago? Because I got a lot of that. I get maximum usage out of everything and definitely fall into the ragamuffin category with you.
I was browsing the clothing section of Costco last shopping trip lol...didn't buy anything but was very close! ☺ 97 for me, but if my Red Riding Hood cape counts, 98! ☺☺
Don't know about you but I'm definitely the latter. That said, i hate all my clothes at the moment. (Because they've shrunk.)
6 jackets, 3 sleepwear and, like Mitchell, I got tired when I got to 166 in the tops and leggings active wear category alone. I'm not a clothes hog, it's just that I bought and have stored extras of the tops and leggings I like because it was so hard to find what I needed when I needed it. Besides ... I'm covered if the fashion gods decide to no longer produce leggings and the tops I prefer. The study did not have a category for cosplay costumes, so I'm not even going to try counting those. All in all maybe not a "Fair consumption space" but a "necessary just in case consumption space".
I thin the herd pretty regularly, though not shoes ... unless they're falling apart.
Ragamuffins UNITE! I hate buying clothes. I do have way more than their self-righteous count of 85 because I seldom throw anything away. But I do buy t-shirts with logos of charities. And I need lots of t-shirts in the summer. If I work outside I go through a t-shirt an hour because I sweat so much. (bet you did need to know that, did you?) Anyway, Costco doesn't carry bigger sizes so I'm safe there.
I have the fashion sense of Steve Jobs, so I really don’t have all that much in my wardrobe. I haven’t counted it up, but my guess is that my numbers would be under 50. I enjoyed this post.
I counted 43.
thecontemplativecat@blogspot.com
I have been forced to do anonymous since blogger and/or Google won't let me sign my own address. We cleaned out the closet and filled 3 bags. Not done yet.
@ Dunstan Skinner -- Impressive! Lowest count so far!
That's interesting. I don't own more than 85 pieces of clothing that I wear regularly. Way less. So yay me.
Oh shit.
I think I may have passed that number, probably before the pandemic. I have really not bought much after the pandemic, which tells you that it was just a compulsion.
I have kept my style under control, basically because H&M and Zara had not put out anything I REALLY like.
I did get a pair of Karl Lagerfelds for my bday, though...
XOXO
I hate clothes shopping. I have in my wardrobe jumpers that are 20 years old and I still wear them to this day.
I think I'll do my closet this week and post what I have.
If I discount stuff I have never worn and should take to a thrift shop, my total comes to 51, with the bulk of that being tops, six of which are Christmas designs and only worn at Christmas.
I’ve got clothes, that I still wear that are years old. I’m not into fashion I like to be comfortable.
Nothing I buy is expensive either. Even if something I like is on the expensive side. I wait until it’s on sale.
And it has to be cut by at least fifty percent
If not. I do without.
Yup I’m a cheapskate but I don’t care. I wear that badge proudly
Gosh, I'm well under that total. If anything I need some new clothes but have to budget carefully because I won't buy fast fashion. I prefer to pay more for quality that I will wear for a long time. Speaking of quality, outside of vintage and second hand stores, is it still possible to find a pair of jeans that are 100% good denim? No bloody elastane/recycled plastic/ etc.....?
i never was fashion chaser thankfully
i am impressed with your attitude towards clothing dear Debra
i think we all should keep check if things are in balance
having extended in laws family makes me have at least five to seven "rare clothing"
whenever i see that i have clothes more than need i try to give away and this adjust well until now
hugs
My numbers were similar to yours until I bought new undies this week.
The old undies are bad for the enviornment, believe me.
Cheers, Debra.
I would have to think about this. I have work/painting clothes that I can only wear at home, wouldn't be seen anywhere else in them. Then my go-to-to-town clothes, and last the never-wear-except-for-weddings-and-funerals clothes.
So, shoes, well here in the country, we have to have outside work shoes which are usually go-out shoes that are down at the heel. Then boots, of course. Add to that the never-wear-except-weddings-and-funeral pair. Then sandals for summer, and a couple pair of daily shoes and a pair of go to town shoes.
Then nightwear--winter gowns and summer gowns are a lot different from each other, lol. And add a robe and slippers to that, right? Not one bought-new item among them.
So I may exceed those limits, but almost all of my wardrobe is thrifted, much of it over 5 years old and some over 20. I feel okay about my clothes, since a lot of them cost me a quarter each, and I see this as recycling, and not adding to the mountains of clothing this world seems to be awash in today.
I'm so sorry...I just went on your blog to say that I didn't get your comment in my email today and now I see that I'm not getting your posts either..Here we go again!!
I'm probably within the sustainable level now but I have seriously thinned things out...Fun post..
I think I got you beat. Up until recently, I averaged one pair of sneakers every six years or so (still got a pair of Nikes from 2015). I still have an old pair of boots that I use in the summer when I'm hiking, and I average about one pair every 1 1/2 years. I have four pairs of jeans that should last me at least four years and I have three pairs of jean shorts going on five years. I wear the same fifteen t-shirts and rotate with the same 10 casual work shirts.
So yeah, creature of habit I am.
Oh no! I feel like mansplaining again!!! I am happy with my rags. If i didn't like them, i wouldn't wear them.
5 trousers, about 20 shirts that i choose by the weather and by color. 3 jackets, and a pair of shoes.
I just hate it when i am down to my last pair of pants, like last month. When you only have 1 pants or trousers, it can affect your well-being.
I get my gently used garb from the Deseret Industries, an LDS thrift store that we have in Utah.
I only buy clothes when I have to, so I'm sure I'm under the limit.
I should go count my own. I have purged and got rid of so many things this past year. I am not a clothes horse (anymore) but used to love fashion. Now I am happy with some classic pieces that I wear over and over and over.
My husband loves Costco and spends way more than I do on clothes. I cannot begin to tell you how many shirts he has but he has three closets FULL of clothes. I have one! lol. xo Diana
I haven't counted but I think I'm above 80's. Why don't they count under clothes or are some people walking around without underwear?
I guess I'm behind the times because I would imagine instead of Costco, it would be walmart, is where people buy their clothes.
Have a lovely day.
I regularly go through my clothes on the look out for what to discard. The Salvation Army could fill its bins with the clothes Someone doesn't wear.
We recently went to the local good will charity donation center and I got a dress shirt for 8 dollars. Nice.
Dear lissa- i don't count underclothes because i wear Depends. They are disposable and so in my view they don't count.
You ask, i answer.
I collect shirts like women collect shoes and purses. But most of my clothes were left in Ukraine or I would be embarrassed. I learned that I really do not need many clothes. My one pair of jeans is from Costco, bought 6 years ago, the other and a pair of dress slacks from Value Village. Three long sleeve shirts from Value Village, including one dress shirt. 5 sweaters, 7 t-shirts, three pairs of shoes. Two heavy winter coats, one fall/spring coat, three light summer jackets. Two pairs of summer shorts and five summer short sleeve shirt. Two heavy, two light sweatpants, one pair long PJs and one pair short PJs. That is it. I think 40 pieces.
@ The Blog Fodder -- Your Canadian wardrobe count puts you in the running for a David Suzuki award! And hey, nice to know someone ELSE's jeans came from Costco too!
I'll have to check but I'm confident that I can meet that level for an environmentally sustainable wardrobe. My regularly worn items are probably around your total!
LOL, I dare not actually count mine.
I don't buy clothes often but I do toss what can't be worn anymore
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