What's your "shelf life" for clothes?

dancedivine

Question for the peanut gallery... What's your personal "shelf life" for clothes? How long to you force yourself to keep wearing something before you realize that you're just sick to death of that shirt/ pair of jeans/ dress/ whatnot & it's time to move on to something new? I'm not a clothes horse by any means... And, I do believe simpler is better. (I'd rather have a few outfits that I love than a closet full of clothes that I hardly ever wear.) So.... What's your "shelf life?" Help a girl feel better about throwing some stuff out today!

fobs13

I am definitely more a hoarder. I have clothes from years ago and mix with new stuff. If I like a piece and it's well made I keep it. Am still wearing a coat I bought in Boston 9 years ago and still wear the coat of my going away outfit which is 15 years old! I do clear out my wardrobe yearly but still hold onto certain things.

blossomingbutterfly

Depends. From 3 years ago until now I've been gaining weight so the shelf life was maybe 6 months before I'd need new clothes to fit. Now that I'm starting to loose, I'd estimate the same but needing smaller?

If I'm maintaining, usually a few years if I like the clothes. Those that I don't, I don't keep I give away.

trinatrina1984

Until they start falling apart normally or are broken beyond repair. I've definitely inherited this from my mum when I get to goal weight I'm going on the biggest shopping trip I've ever had

Lasmartchika

Sorry I can't help you there... I also have clothes several years old... and even though I've lost 20lbs I haven't lost enough to get smaller clothes yet so I still can't throw my clothes away. Lol! (But I'm still wondering why I can't fit into the next smaller size.)

Missjulesdid

If they fit, then in most cases, I wear them until they're threadbare.

Primal_Warrior_

I wear them until either too big / small. But more likely until they are falling apart.

sentaruu

Primal_Warrior_ wrote: »

I wear them until either too big / small. But more likely until they are falling apart.

^ this.

onefortyone

Eek, I have a lot of the same clothes I packed into my suitcase when I visited America - that was 3 years ago (I never left), and they weren't even new back then! I wear things for as long as they fit, until they are broken or the colour is significantly faded. Jeans have the longest shelf-life IMO, but I have donated tops because they're not 'white-white' any more, or faded enough that it looks like a really old item.

So, I guess my shelf life is about 5 years?

And don't throw out! Donate! Even if they're threadbare, they can shred the material and still use it for stuff! Donating keeps them out of landfills and help sustain jobs too

CipherZero

I get rid of clothes that don't fit or are damaged (holes or otherwise functionally suboptimal). Other than that I hang on to everything.

helenarriaza

I usually keep them until they start falling apart, have not wore them in a very long time or are broken beyond repair.

When I get to goal weight I'll go all out on clothes.

I also purchase at Goodwill or clearance, I don't feel the point of buying 1 shirt for the price of 10 pants.

Unless it's really good, I buy it. It does not apply to shoes, bags, coats or underwear, I go big on those since I expect them to last longer.

SuperSexyDork

I think it really depends on how much I like it. There have been a few pieces that I thought I really liked when I bought them but after wearing them a few times, they just aren't right. I donate those or give them to someone who will appreciate that.

If clothes still fit and are in good repair, I find ways to incorporate them into my wardrobe until they don't fit or I'm just tired of them. However, there are still some things in my closet from high school...

Primal_Warrior_

A good shirt, a t-shirt, pair of jeans, pair of slacks, pair of trainers, pair of shoes. What more do you need lol

BinaryPulsar

I don't have a lot of clothes. I like the ones i have. I wear them forever. I still have some from highschool (I'm 36). But, mostly i wear them until they wear out with holes. I go through yoga/dance/exercise pants most frequently. I do get tired of them, and want something new. If my shirts get too worn looking i use them for exercise at home, and hanging around cleaning and stuff.

oxers

It used to be years for me. Yeeears. I have the same pair of eleven-year-old sneakers I wore when I was sixteen. But tbh, I never knew what to wear or how I wanted to look, and I was kind of afraid to try? I hated my body so much. Now I really like my clothes to be properly fitted but I'm still losing weight, so I guess it varies. If something is too big or doesn't make me feel comfortable or good about myself, it's destined for GoodWill.

(Which, incidentally, is where I buy most of my clothes - that and the hysterically cheap Forever21. Sooo having a rotating closet isn't as expensive as it sounds.)

catb58

sentaruu wrote: »

Primal_Warrior_ wrote: »

I wear them until either too big / small. But more likely until they are falling apart.

^ this.

Me too!

But I don't buy "trendy" fashions very often. I've almost always worn classic styles that don't go out of fashion, mixed with trendy accessories.

EmilyTwist1

I've got three basic criteria for keeping clothes:

1: Does it fit reasonably well?
2: Is it in decent condition/can it be repaired without great expense?*
3: Does it have sentimental value?**

*An exception can be made for 2 if the damaged clothing can have other uses. For example, I will keep really worn out jeans and use the parts that aren't worn out to patch other jeans.

**3 trumps 1 and 2. Something that doesn't fit and is in poor condition may be kept if it has enough sentimental value.

Primal_Warrior_

Anything not worn in the last 12months goes in the charity bin.

SwashBlogger

As soon as something has even a TINY bit of fading or any sort of imperfection, I get rid of it. Barring that, I keep stuff indefinitely.

leadslinger17

I try to stay within 10 pounds of my high school weight so I can just keep wearing stuff indefinitely and still be able to fit comfortably in it. If it wears out I toss it (i.e. shoes with holes in them, crusty T-shirts), but some lesser worn items (sweaters, jackets, suits, etc) I have kept for 10+ years. I donate stuff it's still wearable but needs to be updated.

13bbird13

If it disintegrates, I stop wearing it. But until then, if I like it and I wear it, it stays in the rotation. There is no such thing as 'style' in my world, so as long as pants, tops and dresses fit and are not see-through from too many washings, I keep wearing 'em. My Reeboks must display a certified through-hole in the bottom of the sole to go off-duty, which usually takes about three years. Exception: my 30-year-old leather jacket has several holes in it but I haven't got the heart to retire it... I keep telling myself the cleaners could fix it but I haven't checked into how expensive that would be.

Joannah700

For classic pieces - I keep it until it's no longer wearable and can't be repaired. I've had knit sweaters re-knitted if it's a good piece.

Trendy clothes? Sometimes a season, sometimes 3 years. Depends on how dated it looks. And if it's something that I realize was not flattering.

FauxFawkes

I donate a bag of clothing every Christmas and Spring, and replenish with consignment sale buys! I've been wearing some of my clothes since 8th grade (7 years), and I bought a new shirt yesterday.

It really depends on the type. I keep jeans until they're beat, cut them into shorts, and once they're threadbare I lose them. I never get rid of overwear (jackets, sweaters, etc). I keep my t-shirts as long as I still dig them (so, I've had an Iron Man shirt for a few years, and a Supernatural shirt for 5, but got rid of a butterfly print one after a season).

Consignment sales make it easy, though - I buy new (used) clothes, then give them back, make a little cash, buy new (used) clothes... a full wardrobe could net at $50 or less! As long as you're not financially threatened, out with the old, in with the new! Both cleansing and replenishing are super refreshing

FauxFawkes

(Also with primal warrior - if it's been in the closet all year, and I'm trying to convince myself I need it, I try to let it go.)

Need2Exerc1se

I think it would be the point where I thought I was sick to death of the item. Which may be never. I wear clothes that I've had for more than 2 decades.

chele402

Totally keep stuff I love for as long as it is good. I have so many clothes (that currently don't fit me) from 7-8 years ago that I would love to wear again once I get back in shape.

Wilhellmina

I was never into fashion and no clothes or shoe hoarder either, so when I buy clothes it means I really like them and because of that the shelf life is as long as they fall completely apart...

Archerychickge

I only buy clothes that I LOVE and are classic in style so I can update with accessories as needed. Then I will buy a few trendier pieces to spice things up from time to time. I typically wear things until they are worn out or if I get sick of them, usually after a few years at least, I'll donate them and get new pieces to go into the rotation.

jillybeansalad

I have stuff from middle school (20 years ago)... I used to wear my clothes rather big. :P I don't follow normal fashion trends, I just wear whatever. People generally see my wear as "immature." They are just jealous of my winter unicorn hat.

I actually bought new pants for the first time in about 7-8 years.

Therealobi1

i wear them until they either need to be binned or i have to make space for new items in the wardrobe and i give some stuff to charity. gave all my larger stuff away as i dont want to get back into them again.

LilMissTucknRoll

I still had a few of my high school clothes until a year ago (and my 10 yr is next summer). LOL Really bad, but I know my hips and bust will never fit again after my pregnancy. I still have clothes that are a few years old, but I have new stuff too. I have some clothes that are too small that were my favorites because I really want to fit into them again and it may be achievable. I'd say until I know I have nowhere to wear it to.