In a word, for me, restraint. And willingness to part with a little bit more money, I’m afraid.
If I were to truly restrict myself to my plan, I would have to forgo some opportunities in order to pursue possibilities. For example, if what I really need is a white cotton dress shirt, I need to go buy one, and possibly spend real money on it, rather than limping by with a pink stripe or a white t-shirt or whatever happens to be cheap.
Coming soon: my personal top 10. A step toward simplification.
In the meantime, here’s a dress I wore back in the gypsy skirt days. The smocking at the top is in primary colors. And, yes, it is black. But I messed up the picture, it’s really a “maxi” dress. 
I believe this picture was taken at my mom’s house. Today.
So, what would it take for you to simplify your wardrobe?
Yes, I agree if you’re going to simplify you have to spring for quality goods. If I had a fabulous high quality sweater for example, I would be happy wearing it all the time, rather than rotating several cheap ones. I’m totally guilty too of just wearing whatever I find rather than buying what fits the need.
I just got rid of a bunch of stuff I had that I rarely wore but kept “just in case”. Great feeling.
That black dress is cool too!
I’m really looking forward to your future posts on how to pull together a simple and versatile wardrobe.
I think a simple list of must-haves would save me time (not browsing thrift stores), space in my closet, and money (buying one nice white blouse versus three not-so-nice).
Your idea of simplifying by buying the right thing is good, but I don’t really want to simplify ^_^ I like my clothes… Though to be fair I do go through and do a bit of a cull at the start of each new season.
What would make my wardrobe easier to simplify would be living in a more moderate climate! 😉
However, I must say my reversible shearling and trench with zip in lining have simplified my outdoor choices some!
Thanks for the link over to fashionable kiffen. It’s a good reminder as I thin out my own wardrobe that not to abandon my personal classics. Which is good, since I’ve spent a few days beating myself up about wanting to keep skirts that don’t fit the “traditional” mold.
Never getting pregnant and not having small children. 🙂 Seriously, by the time you add up mid-pregnancy, late-pregnancy, post-pregnancy, and normal wardrobes for various seasons, plus making allowances for spills and spit-up, the wardrobe demands get way out of hand.
acknowledging that there are more clothes than days to wear them, and I don’t have a huge wardrobe.
I have the most trouble with my own fickleness. I often leave something in the store for some days and when I still want it I go back. Doesn’t mean, though, that the feeling lasts. I have the most trouble with prints. Don’t have too many but there is the conflict between tiring of a print and liking the print things best. Maybe in the end a scarf is the way to go for me.
lol You’re right, Your Majesty. Even just the spit-up factor accounted for my friend needing like 12 pairs of jeans!
And, Wendy, I’ve noticed that too, since I moved to the mountains. When I lived on the “wet side” (or the “Left Coast” as some call it *snicker*), my basic wardrobe consisted of cotton t-shirts and jeans, short-sleeved in the summer and long-sleeved in the winter. I owned one sweater. And, in Canada, your coat wardrobe needs are extreme.
I’m looking forward to your Top 10 List. I like Tim Gunn’s. I think I posted it recently on my blog. I desperately need a “sweat suit alternative”. My sweats are an embarrassment, and I do wear them around town some. As well as to the gym. They’re even embarrassing to wear to the gym.
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