When do you know you have ‘Enough’?

My wardrobe and style journey has been fraught with indecision. I’ll be the first to admit it, as my fickle-minded self has ping-ponged from wanting a bare bones wardrobe, to lusting for more choice and freedom. A leisurely browse through Pinterest while listening to back-to-back episodes of The Minimalists Podcast is enough to remind me of my underlying closet mission, but when I’m a few hauls deep on YouTube or have found a new ‘it’ girl to follow on Instagram, my resolve goes out the window. I’m not going to say that I’m a minimalist, because I don’t think I am by any means, but I have been thinking about the concept of ‘enough’ a lot lately. And more specifically, when do you know that you have ‘enough’?

ASOS, Topshop or Zara, the bulk of my wardrobe purchases tend to be from brands that I consider to be thoughtful or part of the ‘fashion revolution’, or pre-loved items which have found a loving new home in my closet. This change in habits spurred my initial closet declutters, and largely shaped my attitude towards shopping for my wardrobe.

My own wardrobe is ever-evolving, but I’ve done a little bit of ‘soul-searching’ recently, and it’s really guided me back towards a simplified wardrobe of quality basics. I don’t need my outfits to be ‘spicy’; I’d just like to look polished, put together, and effortlessly chic before heading out the door. I want what I’m wearing to bring me joy, and I also want to try and support designers that are serving as change agents, and leading the charge in what we look for when we do choose to add something new to our closets. So let’s talk through some of the strategies that I’m planning to use to determine whether I have ‘enough’…

You need a lot less than you think

I’ve used this statistic so many times in the past, but it’s kinda true what they say… you’ll wear 20% of your closet 80% of the time. Despite trying to push myself out of that pigeonhole, ultimately, I’ve found it to be overwhelmingly true, and very telling about our own behaviour when it comes to things that we have. It’s why I’ve felt compelled to participate in Lee’s seasonal 10X10 Challenges. It’s a strong reminder that you can do a lot with very little. Same goes for when I’m travelling – regardless of whether it’s for a week or a month. I pack what is essentially a capsule wardrobe, and I don’t ever find myself *wishing* I had more. I make do with what I have. Really hitting this home was when I was recently digging through my accessories, and stumbled across this bag which I’d completely forgotten that I owned. If that’s not a sign that I have more than I need, then I don’t know what is.

Track what you’re wearing

I used to track what I was wearing religiously. It was a strong indicator of the types of silhouettes that I gravitated towards, and it helped me to pinpoint what I was, and more importantly, what I wasn’t wearing. It served as a strong reference point for me if I ever felt like I needed to part with an item or two in my wardrobe, and given the choice that I had, it was also a reminder that I had more than enough to wear. I’ve felt inspired to start tracking what I’m wearing again, and I think it can be a useful tool in identifying whether you actually have gaps in your wardrobe, or if it’s perfect as is (a little tip I got from Anuschka’s book, The Curated Closet).

What are your triggers?

I can happily go without buying anything new for weeks. Months even. Which begs the question: why am I shopping so mindlessly if only to part with that item six months later? The reality is that I’m easily triggered, and it doesn’t help that shopping tends to be an emotional crutch for me. If I’m feeling stressed, adding a new pair of shoes ‘to cart’ seems to bring some relief, and perhaps more difficult for me, is the anniversary of my mum’s passing, which is a time that brings me a tremendous amount of grief. And for anyone who has dealt with a similar tragedy in their lives, you may be familiar with the act of shopping to try and suppress the wave of emotions that you’re going through.

Then, there’s the inspiration that I get from Instagram. See the same skirt enough times and it’ll convince you that you should add it to your wardrobe. Discover a new brand which shares your aesthetic and values, and you find yourself wanting to support it. I’m a highly visual person, and it’s pretty easy to get caught up in that see now, want now mentality, rather than appreciate inspiration for what it really is.

Put the focus on what you have

Following on from my previous point, rather than pining after something new, I’m planning to purely focus on what I do have. Next time I think I need a new simple tee, I’ll remind myself that I have a drawer full of them in my wardrobe at home. It’s part of the reason why I’m so interested in tracking that I’m wearing, as I feel that act will give me a strong sense of what I have, and reduce the temptation to buy something very similar to what I already own. The thing that struck me the most when I recently decluttered my closet, was the number of sheer multiples I seem to have in my wardrobe. I got a few questions about why I was parting with so many classic items, and the reality was, I had duplicates, and I could see that I have more than ‘enough’.

Change the way you approach shopping

The main way that I’m planning to approach the idea of having ‘enough’ is my changing my approach to shopping for my wardrobe. I’ve settled on doing the five piece French wardrobe challenge again in 2019, as a way to minimise my purchases, but maximise what I add to my wardrobe. I don’t want to be shopping just for the sake of shopping, but rather to fill a gap I have in my wardrobe. To set myself up for the year, I’ve started a running list of items I think would complement what I already have; whether they’re an upgrade on something I own already, or merely a missing piece of the puzzle.