• Hi, I am the owner and main administrator of Styleforum. If you find the forum useful and fun, please help support it by buying through the posted links on the forum. Our main, very popular sales thread, where the latest and best sales are listed, are posted HERE

    Purchases made through some of our links earns a commission for the forum and allows us to do the work of maintaining and improving it. Finally, thanks for being a part of this community. We realize that there are many choices today on the internet, and we have all of you to thank for making Styleforum the foremost destination for discussions of menswear.
  • This site contains affiliate links for which Styleforum may be compensated.
  • We would like to welcome House of Huntington as an official Affiliate Vendor. Shop past season Drake's, Nigel Cabourn, Private White V.C. and other menswear luxury brands at exceptional prices below retail. Please visit the Houise of Huntington thread and welcome them to the forum.

  • STYLE. COMMUNITY. GREAT CLOTHING.

    Bored of counting likes on social networks? At Styleforum, you’ll find rousing discussions that go beyond strings of emojis.

    Click Here to join Styleforum's thousands of style enthusiasts today!

    Styleforum is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

The Paradox of Choice and Is Less More?

Ambulance Chaser

Stylish Dinosaur
Supporting Member
Joined
Mar 7, 2002
Messages
13,935
Reaction score
10,021
Like many Styleforumers, I have way more clothing, shoes, watches, fragrances, etc. than one person needs. I often get up in the morning, open my closet, and can't decide what to wear. Then I default to the same things. Sometimes I think I would be happier and better off with fewer items from which to choose. Does anyone else feel the same way? And did you make a change by selling off some of your stuff that didn't get enough use?
 

Phileas Fogg

Distinguished Member
Joined
Feb 9, 2020
Messages
4,712
Reaction score
4,467
Like many Styleforumers, I have way more clothing, shoes, watches, fragrances, etc. than one person needs. I often get up in the morning, open my closet, and can't decide what to wear. Then I default to the same things. Sometimes I think I would be happier and better off with fewer items from which to choose. Does anyone else feel the same way? And did you make a change by selling off some of your stuff that didn't get enough use?

Over the past few years, I’ve been culling the herd, so to speak. I know the feeling. I’m limiting clothing purchases to only the necessities but if I do want something extravagant, I first have to convince myself to get rid of something to make room. If I can’t, then I won’t get it.
 

usctrojans31

Distinguished Member
Joined
Dec 12, 2009
Messages
2,239
Reaction score
1,366
I wrote this in another thread and will echo it here. Sometimes, physical limits are a clear advantage. We live in a one bedroom apartment downtown, which means space is at an absolute premium, so impulse buys are practically nonexistent.

I do firmly believe that the world will be fundamentally different once this pandemic ends. People will be more casual, hybrid models will be the norm and the need for more stuff will fall by the wayside.

My recommendation is to review your closet and identify items by wear frequency and function. Anything that does not get worn at least once a year should be sold or donated (with formalwear as the exception). Evaluate whether you are defaulting to the same things because you like them or if you're on autopilot. If the latter, force yourself outside of your comfort zone and break things apart. If the former, you clearly have a tier 1 of your stuff when you visit consigning it or donating it.
 

Keith Taylor

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 4, 2019
Messages
354
Reaction score
754
Then I default to the same things.

I do the same, and I find my behaviour very annoying. The things I default to aren’t even the nicest things I own, and I have many items of clothing that I’ve not worn out of the house even once - maybe 10-20% of my wardrobe.

I live in a small apartment and have genuinely run out of space for new clothes. I have a rack in the hallway that my wife bought for coats, but I rolled all the coats into bundles and piled them precariously on top of a wardrobe so I could use the rack for blazers. She wasn’t impressed.

I don’t want to give anything up but every so often I’ll go through my stuff, have a moment of brutal honesty and grab a few things that I know I’ll never wear. I hand them to my wife in a bag and tell her to give them to her dad or brother - pausing for a moment to slap the bag and yell at the clothes, a la John Lithgow in Harry and the Hendersons - and then go right back to eBay and order more. I’m a lost cause.
 

mhip

Distinguished Member
Joined
Apr 8, 2020
Messages
8,269
Reaction score
8,662
Like many Styleforumers, I have way more clothing, shoes, watches, fragrances, etc. than one person needs. I often get up in the morning, open my closet, and can't decide what to wear. Then I default to the same things. Sometimes I think I would be happier and better off with fewer items from which to choose. Does anyone else feel the same way? And did you make a change by selling off some of your stuff that didn't get enough use?
That's interesting, as I'm in the same boat.
I like the fact that I have more clothes than I can keep straight, because sometimes I get surprised when I do a deep closet dive.
I also like my routine. I check the weather, and then during my egregiously long shower, I start to formulate an outfit for the day...
 

Clouseau

Inspector
Joined
May 18, 2013
Messages
6,260
Reaction score
11,042
Like many Styleforumers, I have way more clothing, shoes, watches, fragrances, etc. than one person needs. I often get up in the morning, open my closet, and can't decide what to wear. Then I default to the same things. Sometimes I think I would be happier and better off with fewer items from which to choose. Does anyone else feel the same way? And did you make a change by selling off some of your stuff that didn't get enough use?
Yes I think that less is more. For a few years I decided to buy less items, but to buy better quality. Trying to avoid MiChina stuff for example, but it is complicated as so many things are made there.
So now I am looking for « ultimate items » (for example next brogues will be C&J Pembroke), I think it is better to buy one quality pair of shoes than five cheap pairs.
I also now try to only buy items I « need » or replacement of old ones.
 

Bronze Age Sartorial

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 2, 2021
Messages
72
Reaction score
52
I usually just donate anything I no longer wear/want to Goodwill or charity.

This org seems like a good option. They provide CM attire to veterans transitioning into the professional world.


 

Featured Sponsor

How important is full vs half canvas to you for heavier sport jackets?

  • Definitely full canvas only

    Votes: 55 35.5%
  • Half canvas is fine

    Votes: 60 38.7%
  • Really don't care

    Votes: 17 11.0%
  • Depends on fabric

    Votes: 27 17.4%
  • Depends on price

    Votes: 28 18.1%

Forum statistics

Threads
505,160
Messages
10,578,964
Members
223,882
Latest member
anykadaimeni
Top