When I first started revising the contents of my wardrobe, I would religiously tally up how often I wore each item. The key for me was to wear it at least 30 times during its life span in my wardrobe… though it probably goes without saying that many pieces just didn’t make the cut. While I’m not so rigid with it these days, perhaps one of the most useful evaluations of my style and wardrobe has been identifying my most worn items every season. So somewhat inspired by Lee and my old methods, I decided to take this one step further and keep a summer wear count for the season. I wanted to see exactly how often I wore my most cherished staples, and also get a sense of how much of my wardrobe I was actually reaching for. Safe to say, I was pretty surprised by the results.
Wearing Everlane polka dot cami, 3.1 by Phillip Lim shorts (also here), Elleme bag, Jane Debster slides, Linjer watch, Pandora bracelet, Mejuri necklace, au|rate earrings
WHAT I WORE
Over the course of three months, I found myself reaching for a staggering total of 90 items in my wardrobe: 70 items of clothing, and 20 pairs of shoes. Given that at one time my wardrobe consisted of just over 70 items for the warmer and summer months, this came as a bit of a shock to me. I’ve never claimed to be a minimalist, but I have made major efforts to streamline what I own.
Part of this spread of items is due to the unseasonably cool start we had to summer, and the cold spells thrown in the middle. My husband and I were quick to decide that this has quite possibly been the worst summer we’ve experienced since living in Sydney. I found myself wearing sweaters, jeans and long-sleeved tops, sometimes just once over the summer, and given my wardrobe isn’t split into spring/summer and autumn/winter staples, I have a feeling that this total isn’t quite reflective of my usual style choices in a season.
For warm days, I found myself reaching for a short-sleeved shirt and denim shorts – a summer uniform which worked perfectly for days spent sweating it out at home. I also found myself wanting to wear sundresses. A lot. And anything open-toed was generally also a winner.
So let’s dive into my ten most worn items from this summer wear count.
MY TEN MOST WORN ITEMS
Jane Debster tan leather slides | worn 17 times
If there was one hero in my summer wardrobe, it was a pair of tan leather slides from Jane Debster. I’d initially bought these with the intention that they would replace my desire to splurge on the Saint Laurent Nu Pieds slides. Instead of the vintage-yet-modern square toe, these are rounded, and a bit less of a statement, but the colour and the ease of which you can throw them on made them the perfect addition to so many of my outfits. Plus, it helped that they’re quite comfortable too – you can walk long distances in them quite easily, though I will say they did take a couple of wears to break in. A shoe that I’ve continued to wear through the start of autumn too.
Topshop blue denim mom shorts | worn 11 times
As I mentioned before, denim shorts became such a large part of my daily uniform, and there was one pair that I felt most comfortable in; these ones from Topshop. I love the vintage mid-blue wash, the relaxed fit at the waistband, and the loose fit through the leg. These are ultra flattering and I like that they aren’t too short either. Basically, they’re a good blank canvas for a summer outfit and quite often came up trumps when I was deciding what to wear.
Sportscraft snakeskin sandals (old but similar) | worn 10 times
These were the sandal of my 2017 summer, and I was so excited to pull these out into rotation once the weather warmed up. These have a nude backing at the heel, and a criss-cross faux snakeskin band across the foot which is a statement, but due to the muted colour palette looks very neutral. I like the d’Orsay style of these as it makes them a little more special, and they’re a great choice for me when I want to jazz up a basic outfit.
ATP Atelier heeled sandals | worn 9 times
I umm-ed and ahh-ed over these sandals from ATP Atelier for a good 12 months or so before finally pulling the trigger late last year, and I’m glad I did. I was missing a nice simple strappy sandal with a low block heel which could elevate my every day outfits. These are quite comfortable, however I do find that my foot occasionally slips off the footbed so I wanted to note that in case you’ve been eyeing these up. The hardware is a light gold so they work well regardless of what colour jewellery you’re wearing, and I’ve just come to really like the style. The quality has held up nicely too – I wore these a load in the lead up to summer!
Madewell white short-sleeved shirt (also here) | worn 8 times
Some of my favourite wardrobe staples tend to be those which pull more basic, this being one of them. I bought this close to three years ago now, ahead of our trip to Italy and the US, and it’s become such a workhorse every season. The dropped shoulder gives the shirt a slightly more interesting silhouette, and I like the weight of the cotton. It’s soft but slightly thick so it has a bit of structure to it. This really billows out when tucked into skirts or shorts, which often helps to balance things out nicely.
ASOS washed black denim skirt | worn 8 times
Another older purchase, I loved reaching for this skirt when I wanted a change from my daily uniform of denim shorts. This style is quite fitted which I’ve come to prefer over a more a-line silhouette, and despite being from ASOS, the quality has really held up.
Dr Denim blue wash shorts | worn 8 times
My other most worn shorts of the summer were a pair from Dr Denim which I’ve had for two summers now. These are 100% cotton so there’s no stretch, and I like that they have a finished hem. It’s a nice clean alternative to the distressed hem the Topshop shorts have, plus these are a lighter blue wash so perfect for pairing with my summer whites.
Everlane editor flats | worn 7 times
Despite my niggling complaints about these shoes, they’ve gone on to be one of my most reached for styles in my wardrobe. I love the square vamp detail at the toe, and the dainty straps are really elegant, plus the style is just flattering overall. Aside from the strap stretching out on one of the shoes (which I’m still yet to get repaired), these have held up really well, which makes me wonder if it’s just a fault with my pair. The toes haven’t scuffed, and the suede looks great even though I’ve not really cared for these like I might do with a more expensive pair of shoes.
J. Crew white denim skirt | worn 6 times
This white denim skirt from J.Crew was one of the defining pieces of my style in late 2017 and early 2018, so it was great to be able to pull this one out again. Unlike the ASOS skirt, the denim is softer and has stretch to it, which makes it the more comfortable choice. I love the raw edged hem, though am starting to shift away from a-line silhouettes in favour of something more fitted, so this hasn’t always been my first choice. Still a favourite though and once I foresee myself continuing to wear through 2019 and beyond.
Veja esplar sneakers | worn 6 times
It’s probably worth putting it out there that I’ve never been much of a sneakers girl, except for during my pre-pubescent years. So to see that a pair of sneakers was something I reached for a lot – and post my 31st birthday too – was a bit of a surprise. Luke bought these for me as part of my birthday present this year, and they’ve really lived up to the hype. I love how consciously and ethically they’ve been produced (each pair arrives with a booklet explaining how each material is sourced), and the price point is incredibly reasonable too. One thing to note is that the tongues on these are very stiff straight out the box, and it probably was only around the fifth wear that I really felt that this was no longer digging into the front part of my ankle. They fit true to size too – I got the EU40.
OTHER REFLECTIONS
Lack of colour | I tried to really get into colour in 2018, and while there’s a few I’d be happy to add into my wardrobe, my most worn of the summer truly highlighted how infrequently I tend to reach for it. I favour black, white, grey and denim more often than not.
It’s all about the shoes | A large proportion of my most worn items just so happened to be shoes, which isn’t only down to how infrequently I like to switch things up, but also an indicator of how I really rely on a good pair when I find them. Safe to say, I’m starting to re-think my stance on shoes and in future, will be happy to splurge a little more in order to get something special.
Quality control | As part of this experiment, I also found myself keeping tabs on quality, and while I’d say a large portion of the high street items I have in my closet fared quite well, one brand kept popping up that entirely missed the mark: Brandy Melville. I’d hazard a guess that I’m not really their target market, but the declining quality of the items I have bought from there has reinforced my decision not to buy anything new from them in the future. While I have the odd piece that’s held up well, I’d rather spent two or three times more on a basic to ensure it’s something that lasts for years.
