Every girl wants to have a stylish and well-rounded wardrobe, but it can be hard to know how many outfits are enough. Having too few clothes can mean you’re always doing laundry and never have anything to wear. But going overboard and having a huge closet overflowing with unused items isn’t ideal either. So what’s the right number of outfits for the average girl’s wardrobe? There are a few factors to consider when determining the ideal size for your personal collection.
How Often Do You Do Laundry?
One of the biggest factors in determining your ideal wardrobe size is how often you do laundry. If you wash clothes after every wear, you can get by with fewer outfits. But if you tend to put off laundry day, having more options ensures you’ll always have clean clothes ready to wear. Here’s a quick guide based on laundry frequency:
If you do laundry:
- Every 2-3 days: aim for 10-15 outfits
- Weekly: aim for 15-20 outfits
- Every 2 weeks: aim for 30-40 outfits
Of course, adjust up or down based on your personal preferences. But in general, the less often you do laundry, the more clothes you’ll need on hand.
What’s Your Lifestyle?
Your daily activities should also help guide your wardrobe size. Do you need lots of athletic and leisure wear for working out and lounging around the house? Or mostly business casual and formal attire for the office and events? The more categories of clothing you require, the more items you’ll need overall. Think through your average week – how much of the time you spend in each setting or doing various activities. Then build your wardrobe to align with your lifestyle.
Here are some wardrobe size guidelines based on lifestyle:
Mostly home/casual activities:
- 10-20 outfits
Home & office balance:
- 20-30 outfits
Frequent social events & occasions:
- 30-50+ outfits
Of course, you’ll likely need pieces spanning all categories. But determining proportions can help decide your total wardrobe size.
What’s Your Climate?
Weather patterns in your area should definitely impact your wardrobe size. If you live in a warmer climate, you can likely get by with fewer outfit options year-round. But for those in locations with four distinct seasons, you’ll need a larger wardrobe to account for both warm and cold weather attire.
As a general guideline:
Warmer climates:
- 15-25 outfits
Four seasons:
- 25-40 outfits
Be sure your wardrobe includes weather-appropriate shirts, pants, dresses, outerwear, shoes, etc. Having those layered pieces for winter plus lighter items for summer expands your collection.
What’s Your Personal Style?
Your own fashion aesthetic and preferences also impact ideal wardrobe size. If you adhere closely to a signature style, you may need fewer pieces in your color scheme and aesthetic. But if you like to experiment with different looks, you’ll need a larger arsenal.
Here’s a look at suggested outfit numbers based on style:
Minimalist style:
- 10-15 outfits
Casual style:
- 15-25 outfits
Trendy style:
- 25-40+ outfits
Knowing your own style personality helps determine what’s “enough” when building your wardrobe.
Do You Follow Trends?
Along those lines, your interest in staying on top of fashion trends also impacts ideal wardrobe size. If you like to rock the latest seasonal looks, you’ll need to rotate pieces in and out more frequently. But sticking to more timeless classics allows for a more streamlined wardrobe.
As a guideline:
Stay current with most trends:
- 30-50 outfits
Only occasional trend follower:
- 15-25 outfits
Not trend-focused:
- 10-15 outfits
Filling your closet with of-the-moment fast fashion will call for greater numbers. But keeping clothes classic and long-wearing leads to less required.
What’s Your Budget?
Available money to spend is of course the practical consideration when determining your wardrobe size. Having an unlimited clothing budget means you can amass a vast collection to suit any mood or occasion. But for those with smaller budgets, keeping wardrobe trim and targeted is key. Think about how much you can realistically afford to spend on clothes in a typical season when deciding how many pieces to own.
Here are some suggested outfit numbers based on seasonal budgets:
Budget of $500 per season:
- 10-15 outfits
Budget of $1,000 per season:
- 15-20 outfits
Budget of $2,000+ per season:
- 25-40+ outfits
Remember to also budget for essentials like undergarments, tights/leggings, accessories and shoes to complete your looks.
Conclusion
So how many outfits should the average girl have? While recommendations vary based on laundry habits, climate, lifestyle and budgets, a good general guideline is 20-30 outfits. This allows for plenty of mix-and-match potential without going overboard.
Aim for:
- 5-10 tops
- 5-10 pairs of bottoms
- 5-10 dresses / sets
- 3-5 pairs of shoes
- 3-5 jackets/outerwear options
Fill in the rest with layering pieces, accessories and undergarments suited to your climate. And don’t forget to replenish stale pieces with a few new options every season.
Following the above tips will help determine the right wardrobe size for your unique needs. Stay realistic about how much you’ll actually wear as you build your collection. And focus on quality over quantity so you get the most use out of each piece. A thoughtful wardrobe of versatile staples you love is always better than an overflowing closet of unused clothes. So find your ideal outfit number and keep your closet fresh, functional and fashionable.
Key Takeaways
– Laundry habits, climate, lifestyle and budget impact ideal wardrobe size
– Shoot for 20-30 outfits including tops, bottoms, dresses, shoes & outerwear
– Focus on quality staples you’ll actually wear instead of having too many unused pieces
– Replenish stale items each season to keep your wardrobe feeling fresh
– Finding the right number of outfits keeps your closet functional and fashionable
Additional Considerations
Beyond the major factors discussed above, a few other things may impact your ideal wardrobe size:
Capsule wardrobes
Some people aim to pare down their closets dramatically and adopt a “capsule wardrobe” of only essential pieces. This minimalist approach requires as few as 10-15 total outfits. But it takes discipline and creativity to mix and match a small collection.
Special occasions
If you attend events like galas, weddings and black tie parties throughout the year, you’ll need a selection of formalwear in addition to your everyday options. So occasion-specific attire should expand your total.
Wardrobe sharing
For those who share a closet with a roommate, partner or family member, you can likely get by with even fewer individual pieces. Combining wardrobes expands possibilities.
Space constraints
Small closets or lack of storage may impose practical limits on wardrobe size. If you’re short on space, keep numbers reasonable.
Hand-me-downs & heirlooms
Sentimental pieces like heirloom jewelry or mom’s vintage dress take up closet space, but you want to keep them. So factor special items like this outside your wearable outfit tally.
Sample Wardrobe Breakdowns
As additional examples, here are two hypothetical girl’s wardrobe breakdowns:
Girl #1:
- Does laundry weekly
- Lives in a 4 season climate
- Works in a business casual office
- Likes to follow trends
- $1,000 seasonal clothing budget
Her ideal wardrobe size: **25-30 outfits**
This could include:
- 8 office-appropriate tops
- 5 pairs of dress pants
- 4 business casual dresses
- 6 casual tops
- 4 pairs of jeans
- 2 casual dresses
- 3 dressy tops
- 2 formal outfits
- 1 suit
- 2 pairs of boots
- 2 pairs of heels
- 1 pair of sneakers
- 5 jackets/coats
Girl #2:
- Does laundry every 2 weeks
- Lives in a warm climate
- Works remotely
- Not into trends
- $500 seasonal clothing budget
Her ideal wardrobe size: **15-20 outfits**
This could include:
- 5 basic tees
- 3 tank tops
- 4 pairs of shorts
- 2 pairs of jeans
- 3 casual dresses
- 2 nicer dresses
- 1 pair of sandals
- 1 pair of sneakers
- 1 pair of boots
- 2 cardigan sweaters
- 1 denim jacket
Tips for Curbing Clothes Accumulation
Once you’ve defined your ideal wardrobe size, it can still be tricky to avoid accumulating excess pieces over time. Here are some tips to help keep your closet clutter in check:
Declutter ruthlessly
Do regular purge sessions where you’re extremely critical about each item. If you haven’t worn it in a year, toss or donate.
One in, one out
Before buying any new piece, get rid of something else to make room for it. This keeps numbers steady.
Shop your closet first
Before hitting stores, dig into your existing wardrobe to re-discover forgotten pieces. Seeing what you already have curbs impulse purchases.
Wait 30 days on wants
Put possible purchases on a wish list. If you still want the item after a month, then buy it. Time often causes passing trends to lose appeal.
Stick to a budget
Only allow yourself to spend so much per month or season on clothes. A defined budget prevents over-spending.
defaults
Avoid buying too many clothes “just because” they’re cheap or on sale. Make sure new items fill a functional need in your wardrobe.
Following these tips will help you keep your wardrobe curated, useful, and the ideal size for your needs!
