Every single thing in my closet

I have 49 articles of clothing in my wardrobe. 9 tops. 8 sweaters. 2 jackets. 11 pairs of pants. 1 dress. 10 t-shirts.

(Ok, it’s a little more if you count activewear, pajamas, and painting clothes. That number brings my total up to 86, which honestly feels like I need to go purge some more haha)

It’s minimal in number and style. It’s simple, mostly timeless basics with a little bit of wiggle room to explore trends and try something new. 

Note: Most of my clothing is old, so I have linked similar items for your reference, but very few are exact! I included the year of purchase so you can get an idea about how long things can last with heavy use and proper care.

9 Tops

Tops are a bit of a pain point for me. I feel like I’m getting closer to nailing down the perfect fit for a top, but I have a ways to go before I’m 100% happy with this portion of my wardrobe. I’m also looking for more versatility moving forward so I have more flexibility with each piece.

1. Madewell sheer tank top – purchased 2015
2. Marine Layer white tie front top – purchased 2019
3. Uniqlo long sleeve blush top – purchased 2016
4. Madewell velvet blush short sleeve top – purchased 2019
5. Marine Layer windowpane flannel – purchased 2019
6. Jenni Kayne crepe tank – purchased 2020
7. JCrew black tank – purchased 2015
8. JCrew chambray popover – purchased 2011
9. Express multimedia longsleeve top – purchased 2015

8 Sweaters

I love wearing sweaters more than anything else, but live in Houston, TX so my window of opportunity to actually wear a sweater is pretty small. I wear cardigans year round and try to look for lighter weight sweaters that I can wear Fall through Spring.

1. American Eagle Open back sweater – purchased 2017
2. Christian Siriano windowpane sweater – purchased 2019
3. Madewell black mock turtleneck sweater – purchased 2018
4. Marine Layer thick open cardigan – purchase 2019
5. Target Funnel neck sweatshirt – purchased 2016
6. American Eagle cardigan – purchased 2017
7. J Crew car coat – purchased 2017
8. Patagonia re-tool snap pullover – purchased 2013

2 Dresses/Jumpsuits

My dress category really doesn’t get a lot of wear. I would rather be wearing pants almost always, so I reserve these items for dressier occasions. Both of these pieces can be dressed up or down and could be worn to either a wedding or a funeral. Black is where it’s at for these occasional pieces. 

1. Banana Republic jumpsuit – purchased 2017
2. Loft wrap dress – purchase 2018

2 Outwerwear

Again, Houston has very few days where I want something more than a cardigan, so this section is sparse. I’ve been looking for a rain jacket for over 2 years. The perfect one will come along one of these days. 

1. Denim Jacket – purchased 2013
2. Patagonia sweater coat – purchased 2012

11 Bottoms

My bottoms are almost all jeans. Not surprising because I live in jeans, but after seeing this list I’m thinking I need to add a skirt or nicer pair of pants to my shopping list. All of my jeans are Levis. Find what fits and stick to it. 

4 pairs of shorts

1. 3 pairs jean shorts
2. 1 pair other shorts

5 pairs of pants

1. Green Marine Layer pants 
2. Black jeans
3. Medium wash jeans
4. Light wash ripped jeans
5. Dark jeans

7 Shoes

Every pair of shoes I have can be worn with jeans, which is a win in my books. I’m still transitioning from living in a cooler climate (I moved to Houston from Chicago in 2018) so I have a few more boots than I need, but otherwise I’m doing pretty well in this department. Since my wardrobe has a neutral base, I use shoes as an opportunity for an unexpected pop of color (I’m looking at you, yellow slides!) 

1. Mule slides
2. New Balance sneakers
3. Toms wedges 
4. Rothys chelsea boots
5. Leather boots
6. Suede boots 
7. Birkenstocks 
8. Moccasin flats

In my drawers

I have all of the basics in my drawers. These are my non-fancy clothes that really get the most wear. I wear a tshirt at least 3 days a week, so I’ve found that 5 is the perfect amount for me. I have 2 tank tops, 2 long sleeve shirts, and 1 crewneck sweatshirt in this category to bring my grand total of comfy clothes that I can actually leave my house in to 10 items. 

Basics

• 5 tshirts 
• 2 tanks
• 2 long sleeve shirts 
• Amazon Basics crewneck sweatshirt 

Lounge

• 1 long sleeve pajama shirt
• 1 pair pajama pants (I also wear these as sweats)
• 5 plain white tshirts 

Activewear 

• 4 pairs leggings
• 5 pairs shorts 
• 4 tank tops
• 4 long sleeve shirts
• 4 short sleeve shirts 
• 3 swimsuits 
• 2 pairs of shoes (one is dirty for outside activities and one is clean for the gym)

Painting clothes

• 1 short sleeve shirt
• 1 crew neck shirt
• 1 pair of jeans
• 1 pair of shorts

That’s everything.

I know a lot of other people rotate their clothes for each season, but I’m not ready for that. I am still working on finding more versatile staples that I feel really good wearing. I am seeking out pieces with fabrics that will wear better, and last longer. I’m making a conscious effort to shop with more ethical brands and also hone in on my style. It’s always a work in progress, and I could definitely cut back even more, but this is where I’m at right now with my minimal wardrobe journey.