Why Women Only Wear a Third of the Clothes in Their Wardrobe

Posted by Gill Hart Dec 5, 2008

If ever there was a good argument for applying the principles of a capsule wardrobe, it is the recent findings that, although the average British woman spends around £1,000 a year on clothes, she only wears a third of them!

The Daily Mail 's December 5th 2008 article, "Women spend £1,000 a year on their wardrobe but only wear 30% of their clothes” revealed that research carried out on 778 women for The Clothes Show Live, found that “women generally own 100 items of clothing yet only wear 30 of them, while the rest stay on their hangers.”

Interestingly, when it comes to British women’s clothes-buying habits, the cost of the average woman's favorite item is less than £50 but is kept for 12 years. This is likely to be a piece that the woman feels most attractive in.

Why do women only wear around a third of their outfits? Well, for one, we women tend to hang on to items that have a special sentimental value, representing a happy time in our life. We also keep them in the hope that either we may one day fit into them once again, or they will come back into fashion. I know that's true for me, particularly one dress which I bought a long time ago when I lived in Dubai, which seemed to posses magical pulling powers!

Whereas up until a few years ago, the idea of a “capsule wardrobe” was just an overused phrase to me, I can’t believe what a difference applying the principles has made to both my buying habits, and my self confidence when I open my closet. Favoring quality over quantity, color-coordination and less is more, (instead of staring blankly at an overstuffed wardrobe wondering what an earth to wear) I have around just 40 pieces hanging happily, of which I feel good in any number of them. The psychological difference is amazing, not to mention the ease of packing when I go away on a trip.