taking stock


2021 feels like 2020 with the same problems but without the sense of urgency that powered me through. It is only March, but there are days where I feel an intense weariness. In most ways my life has not been affected by COVID - my job is secure, I have a home, I have good relationships with my family and friends, and Singapore appears to have gotten the outbreak under control. I go to shops and cinemas and restaurants (with masks on). Life is comfortable.

But it also feels as though life has gotten smaller, and while for some the pandemic provided the pause to catalyse change, for me it seems to have held me more firmly in my (comfortable) place. At work, a beloved mentor has decided to resign and further her studies. "There's a season for everything," she told us. 

Onward to other things. 

Last year, right before we rolled into 2021, I decided one rainy afternoon to create an inventory of all my clothes on Airtable. I documented a total of 231 items, from outerwear to swimwear to sportswear, and have been tracking my wears.

Why, after years of watching people do the same and thinking, "This seems a bit much", am I doing this? I am not entirely sure, but a part of me was hoping to be surprised by some kind of revelation, something to jolt me out of my habits.

It turns out that numbers do tell a story. Since I started tracking my wears in end-December, I have worn 91 of the 231 items, most of them only once. Only certain items can be considered truly workhorses, like my Birkenstock sandals (33 wears) or my Bao Bao Lucent tote (23 wears). 

Of the 231 items, 72 are tops, among them 25 t-shirts. I often buy t-shirts in the belief that they are staples and should be topped up often, but the truth us, I don't actually get much wear out of each one when I own 25 of them. Ten of them have not been touched at all during this period. 

This same pattern repeats itself in other categories. It tells the story of a girl who didn't fully appreciate that she does have more than enough. 

I do like the act of logging my wears. Amid so much stuff, it is nice to pause and take a moment to remember when I bought it, and why. Instead of spending my short commute eyeing up new things to buy, I update my table, and take in all the clothing I own. 

Style-wise, I remain inspired by clean, voluminous shapes. Everything anchored by plain t-shirts. I used to shun oversized t-shirts, but I am increasingly drawn to my husband's t-shirts rather than my own - a perk of living with someone else is being able to borrow their clothes. I missed that when my sisters and I moved to our separate homes. 

Occasionally, I am drawn towards touches of romance, but am trying to "settle" for a Doen blouse I bought last year as my dose of dreaminess. When all is said and done, I am still homebound most days, and unlikely to wear anything besides shorts and tanks and tees. 

I've also gained a bit of weight, and it reminds me that clothes are not forever, not only because of wear and tear and changing tastes, but also because of changing bodies. I sold a pair of too-tight leggings, and am tempted to sell off other items I know I will not fit into again. But what if I do? 

On my want list at the moment: 

  • Bringing a pair of secondhand jeans I bought on Etsy to the tailor to get them professionally hemmed 
  • Replacing the elastic in the waistband of my denim shorts (I'm wearing them above)
  • Taking some lapis lazuli beads I have and having them made into new pieces of jewellery
  • A proper oversized white shirt, preferably collarless, with the sleeves ending at my wrists just so
  • A pair of Studio Nicholson's Dordoni trousers in navy 

Repair, reuse, refresh. It is probably a little late in the year to be setting style resolutions, but why not? 

Comments

Hilary said…
long time follower, first time commenter. I also made a spreadsheet of all my items and was not surprised to find my wears mostly follow the pareto rule. I also have in-unit washer/dryer for the first time in NYC and am wearing even fewer items snce I can just keep washing my favorites. I'm trying to highlight the cells of what I'm getting rid of to start steering my brain that way.
Amy said…
I want to to do this too. I don't think it's weird. It is helpful to know what you wear more or less. Part of me already knows, though, and it's sad because like the sweatshirts get worn massive times more than any nice shirt, but how fun is a sweatshirt?
Archana said…
My numbers tell a similar story. I want to wear them all, but too little time and only one body. The number of garments that went untouched makes me miss them. I told myself that its a quarantine related ailment and once the streets open up, redemption is around the corner. But who knows. 2021-2022 stats might be closer to the truth.
I also love updating my spreadsheet everyday. When I started the catalog, I assumed that I would forget and find it tedious. Its the opposite. Staring at my catalog as replaced online browsing.

( Really enjoy your writing. )
lin said…
Hilary: I added a column with a checkbox for "declutter potential", and it was useful in helping see clearly what I'm not finding useful anymore.

Amy: Yeah number of wears is not the only indicator of whether something has it place in a wardrobe. It's not the same to compare wearing something every day and looking forward to wearing something special.

Archana: Time has really flown, and even four months of tracking has been interesting for me. I wonder what the data will tell me in a couple years.

Popular Posts