Fool's Gold

As promised, the next few posts will be about the economics of having a very small closet.
I'll begin with tackling head on the idea that having a large surplus of items to wear somehow protects you from certain doom in the future should your financial world hit the skids.

The typical thinking goes something like this: If I run out of money, I won't be able to buy any new clothes. If I can't buy any new clothes, I'll have to rely entirely on what I already own. And if I don't own enough clothing then I'll run out of clothes to wear. I might eventually end up in rags. So I'd best keep all the clothes I currently own just in case.

But here's the rub: if it doesn't suit you now, it won't suit you later. There is a reason most of your wardrobe goes unworn through the year...the clothes are either too big or too small, don't fit your lifestyle, don't flatter you, or aren't comfortable. Perhaps they are orphans, without anything to be worn with. Perhaps they are terribly out of style. Whatever the reason, chances are extremely good that that reason won't change, no matter what happens in the future. I'll repeat: if it doesn't suit you now, it won't suit you later.

The goal of having a very small closet is ultimately looking your best daily. If all these clothes you are wanting to hang onto won't help improve your image...even in the future...there is no reason to hang on to them. That awful polyester suit hanging in the far back of your closet is not suddenly going to become your go-to outfit merely because your old suit is looking a bit worn. That's faulty thinking!

Ok, but what about a real disaster? What if I pare down my wardrobe and we have another Great Depression? Well, if we do, then a great many people will be in the same boat, experiencing the same hardships. If things really are that dire, there won't be many shops to shop in . Fashion will take a back seat. But you will know that no matter how many times you've worn the clothes you have on, they still flatter you. If they grow slightly threadbare, you will still look pulled together. Looking neat and pulled together will always trump wearing new clothes that don't flatter. And if you are truly fixated on a disaster scenario, just remind yourself that people in centuries past survived with only two or three outfits a year. Heck, people in THIS century make do with that or less. Even with a pared down wardrobe, your closet will still have far more than that. You'll survive!

Holding onto clothes "just in case" is like fool's gold. You think you're rich, but you're not. Learning how to build a small but functional wardrobe is where the real gold is at.

See you next time...same blog time...same blog channel....

(For more information on wardrobe planning, or to sign up for my free e-zine, please visit my Wardrobe Planning Website.)