How much clothing do people own? — Capsule Wardrobe Data (2024)

I took this portrait in early August 2020 to better visually understand how much clothing and shoes I own. There are technically 82 pieces pictured here (which is everything I own except for socks & undies) including all typical wardrobe pieces I requested people count for the survey, but also my bathing suits and even my wedding dress.

Finally, this project was not designed to make anyone feel bad about how many clothes they do or don’t have compared to others. The purpose is to help you evaluate what you own and decide if it’s the right number of pieces for your lifestyle. How do you do that? I’ll talk about that more in a future post, so stay tuned.

How much clothing do people own? — Capsule Wardrobe Data (2024)

FAQs

How many clothes do you need in a capsule wardrobe? ›

How many clothes should be in a capsule wardrobe? A capsule wardrobe can have as many or as few clothes that work for you, but commonly they have anywhere from 30-50 pieces. The capsule checklist I've put together has room for 44 items, including shoes and accessories, but you can always have more or fewer than that.

What is a reasonable amount of clothes to own? ›

The researchers found that a “sufficient” wardrobe consists of 74 garments and 20 outfits in total. As an example, they've suggested six outfits for work, three outfits for home wear, three outfits for sports, two outfits for festive occasions, plus four outdoor jackets and trousers or skirts.

How many clothes does the average woman own? ›

How many clothes does the average woman own? In a recent survey from ClosetMaid, the average American woman has 103 items in her closet.

How many clothing items do people buy a year? ›

NEVERTHELESS, it opens with some mind-boggling stats: “Each year, as Hyman is fond of pointing out, the average American buys sixty-eight items of clothing, eighty per cent of which are seldom worn; twenty per cent of what the $2.4-trillion global fashion industry generates is thrown away.”

How many clothes do minimalists have? ›

There is no set number of items. A minimalist closet could have 20 pieces or 200. What matters is you wear all of them – and they all bring you joy.

How many pieces of clothing should be in a collection? ›

Overall, it's best to have at least ten or so. When starting your first collection, keep it in that area, and you can reap the benefits from market research in no time. Again, a lot depends on other factors like your target market, clothing manufacturers and their MOQs, and where you're selling your product.

How many pairs of clothes does the average person own? ›

A few years ago, a survey by ClosetMaid, the closet company, found that the average American woman owned about 103 pieces of clothing.

What is considered too many clothes? ›

There's no magic number of clothing items that you should have in your closet, but a good rule of thumb is only to keep clothes that you love and actually wear. If you haven't worn something in the past season or for more than a year, chances are you're not going to wear it again, and it's time to get rid of it.

How many pairs of jeans should I own? ›

But how many pairs of jeans should you own? You should aim for 4 to 5 pairs of denim jeans, excluding shorts. It is a good number to meet your everyday needs, even though a woman own 7 pairs on average, and men 6. The number of jeans you should own is much lower than you think.

How many bras do girls usually own? ›

"On average, they own 16 at any one time, topping up their collection with four purchases each year." And then the story goes on to reveal that while we women have enough bras to go at least two weeks without doing laundry, on average we wash them only every two months.

What is the most average women's size? ›

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the average woman wears a size 16 (typically translated to an XL); this has historically represented the end, or the beginning of the end, of many apparel size runs, when, logically, it should be the very middle.

How many pairs of jeans does the average American woman own? ›

Research cited by Fashion United found that on average women own 7 pairs of jeans and that men own on average 6 pairs, but despite this, we only really wear 4 pairs that we own.

How many clothes does the average American buy in a year? ›

According to the American Apparel and Footwear Association, 97% of all clothing and 98% of all shoes sold in the United States is imported. Americans buy an average of 64 items of clothing and 7.5 pairs of shoes per year, but for the most part those items aren't coming from our shores.

How much does the average American woman spend on clothes per year? ›

According to the research, women and girls spend an average of $545 per year on clothing, while men and boys spend just $326. Footwear costs the average household $314, while clothes for children under two comes in at $68.

What is the average annual clothing budget? ›

The average person spends around $161 per month on clothes – women spend nearly 76% more than men do on clothing in a year. The average family of four spends around $1800 per year on clothes, with $388 of this on shoes.

What is the 90 rule for minimalism? ›

Have you used that item in the last 90 days? If you haven't, will you use it in the next 90? If not, then it's okay to let go.

What is the 80/20 rule minimalism? ›

Research shows that people use 20% of what they own 80% of the time. The rest takes up space, mostly untouched. Consider the things in your home, the clothes on your body, and even what you take in your luggage on vacation.

What is the 20/20 rule for minimalism? ›

When struggling to make decluttering decisions, the 20/20 rule says you should consider letting go of an item if: You can replace it for less than $20. And you can replace it in less than 20 minutes.

What is the rule of 4 in fashion? ›

Kelly shared her Rule of Four lesson publicly when signups were open for the May course, so some of you may have seen it. The goal is to have at least four accessories or points of interest to every outfit.

How many pairs of pants should a woman own? ›

Depending on your laundry schedule, you might need more than 5 pairs of pants. But for most people, 4 to 5 pairs of casual pants, including denim jeans, are more than enough to meet everyday needs. Keep in mind that you don't need to wash your casual pants too often. You should wash them only when you need to.

How do you know if you have too much clothes? ›

10 Signs You Have Too Many Clothes
  1. #1 You Have Clothes You Never Wear. ...
  2. #2 You Have Clothes You Only Ever Wore Once. ...
  3. #3 You're Hanging on to Clothes That Don't Fit. ...
  4. #4 You Still Have Your Prom Dress. ...
  5. #5 Getting Dressed Is Downright Stressful. ...
  6. #6 You Have Clothes In Poor Condition. ...
  7. #7 You Have More Than You Could Ever Wear.
Oct 17, 2022

What does the average family of 4 spend on clothes per month? ›

The average household's cost for clothing per month is about $120 (that's $1,434 per year). That number includes clothing products, and services like tailoring.

How many items does the average American own? ›

300,000 Items in the Average American Home? Regina writes, “One thing I remember reading impressed the hell out of me: The average household contains about 300,000 things.

How much wardrobe space per person? ›

Aim for a minimum of 2.4m of wall space per person (without additional bedroom furniture). Allocate 600mm for the widest items you wish to hang, plus an extra 100mm for easy viewing. You'll need a corridor of at least 800mm as your 'walk-in' space.

What is the 333 rule for clothes? ›

The idea behind Project 333 is simple: Wear only 33 articles of clothing for the next 3 months. All clothing, accessories, jewelry, outerwear, and shoes count towards your number. Exceptions include wedding rings, underwear, sleepwear, in-home loungewear, and workout clothing.

What is the 8 2 rule for clothes? ›

The eight-point rule is essentially a point system for nailing your outfit. You are going to count each piece and accessory in your look and get a total. The goal is to get between 6 and 8 points. As soon as you get over 8, your outfit may be too much.

What is the 2/3 Rule fashion? ›

But it can be helpful to follow the “Rule” of Thirds when putting together outfits. Apparently, clothing ensembles look more well-proportioned when the top takes up one-third of the outfit and the bottom occupies two-thirds of the overall look.

What color jeans are most versatile? ›

The classic dark blue jeans are the most versatile pair of jeans you'll ever own. Dress it up with a sports jacket, button down shirt and a pair of brown dress shoes or dress them down completely with a t-shirt and sneakers. The dark blue jeans can be styled in many different ways to suit several occasions.

How many T shirts should you own? ›

You should own 5-6 casual tops, t-shirts, tees, as well as 2-4 workout tops or tanks. One t-shirt or top for each day of the week is a good rule of thumb to build a conscious wardrobe focused on simplicity and versatility. For most people, one t-shirt for each day of the week is plenty enough to meet everyday needs.

How many pairs of shoes do you actually need? ›

The traditional rule of elegant dressing recommended seven pairs of shoes, that is, as many pairs as there are days of the week.

What breast size is most common? ›

Your breasts are unique

The average bra size in the United States is 34DD.

What is a magic bra? ›

The MAGIC Comfort Bra is the ideal bra for everyday wear, providing support and ultimate comfort. This bra features a seamless and wireless design with built-in support. The bra has a smooth back and wide straps for more support.

How heavy is a pair of woman's breast? ›

Each side of the human female breast has a mean weight of ~340 grams (primary sources), of which 3.6% - 37.6% (~20%, mean) is fat (BNID 115535)."

What is the average shoe size for a woman in America? ›

In the United States, the average foot size of a woman was 6.5 in the 1960s. It rose to 7.5 in the '70s. While there are no official statistics available, anecdotal evidence received from shoe sales personnel indicates that the current women's average shoe size is around a U.S. 7 to 8.

What is the average jean size for a woman in America? ›

The average weight for women is around 170 pounds. With these measurements, the typical American woman wears a large to extra large pant size, or between a size 18 and 20.

What size does a 200 pound woman wear? ›

A 200 pound woman typically wears a dress size between 16 and 20, depending on her height and body shape. Dress sizes are based on a woman's bust, waist, and hip measurements.

What is the most common women's size in America? ›

The Average Size for Women in America

The average size of an American woman has historically been reported as a size 14. The clothing industry somewhat took this into account and adjusted its sizes. Though, most labels didn't even do that; the majority of clothing lines still sell up to size 12 and that's it.

How many pairs of shoes does the average human own? ›

Women are more likely to keep shoes they don't wear, holding onto an average of seven pairs – while men keep about three pairs. And more than half of females buy shoes every six months or more, with most owning an average of 11 pairs.

How many sneakers does the average woman own? ›

As people's love for sneakers continues to grow, so do their collections. On average, each American owns six pairs of sneakers. Interestingly, eBay's study found that men have a larger sneaker collection than women. Women owned six pairs on average, while men owned one more on average at seven pairs.

How many pajamas should I own? ›

Depending on your laundry schedule, you might need more than 5 pajama sets. But for most people, 3 to 4 pajama tops and bottoms are more than enough to meet everyday needs. Keep in mind that you don't need to wash your pajamas too often. You should wash them only when you need to.

How much does the average American throw away in clothes? ›

The Average US Consumer Throws Away 81.5lbs of Clothes Every Year. In America alone, an estimated 11.3 million tons of textile waste – equivalent to 85% of all textiles – end up in landfills on a yearly basis.

Which American state spends the most on clothing How much per person? ›

These figures are taken from the most recently available US Economic Census. As a baseline, California came in at $1,148 per person, while Texas narrowly beat out the Golden State with $1,289. First, the thriftiest states when it comes to style: Hawaii, with only $547 per person, spent the least on clothing.

What age spends the most on clothes? ›

In 2021, the 35 to 44 age group was the highest spender on men's and boys' clothing, spending 612 U.S. dollars on average in the year.

What age group spends the most money on clothes? ›

Which age group spends the most on clothing? This statistic shows the average annual expenditure on women's and girls' apparel by consumers in the United States in 2021, by age. In 2021, the 45 to 54 age group was the highest spender on women's and girls' clothing, spending 995 U.S. dollars on average in the year.

How many pounds of clothes does the average person have? ›

Every time the participants checked in they were weighed with and without clothes on. The results? Women, on average, wore just over 1.75 pounds of clothing, while men's clothing added just over 2.25 pounds. The study didn't factor in shoes, which can vary greatly, so be sure to take those off before you get weighed.

What is a realistic clothing budget? ›

According to Dunn, you should spend 5% of your monthly income on clothing. To find the exact dollar amount you should be spending per month, multiply your take-home pay by 0.05. For example, if your monthly take-home pay is $3000, you should spend around $150 per month on clothing.

What is a realistic clothes budget? ›

According to at least one financial planner, you should be spending around five percent of your monthly after-tax pay on your wardrobe. So, if you're bringing home $3,500 after taxes, your clothing budget should be $175/month. If you're bringing home $5,500 a month, then you can bump your budget up to $275/month.

How much clothes did the average woman own? ›

The average American woman has 103 items of clothing in her closet - more than enough to put together outfits for any occasion, you might think. But she considers 21 per cent to be "unwearable", 33 per cent too tight and 24 per cent too loose, according to a survey of 1,000 US women by ClosetMaid.

What is a 10 piece capsule wardrobe? ›

You can read my full disclaimer here. A 10×10 capsule wardrobe? You've heard this schtick from me before. 10 items freshly picked from your wardrobe that you fashion into 10 different outfits. A concept originally started by Style Bee, that I've really got into over the past year.

How many outfits are in a capsule? ›

Capsule wardrobes typically have between 25 to 50 pieces and their sizes depend on how much room you have in your closet as well as how creative you want to get with your outfits. Each capsule you build should last for three months, which is why our guide focuses on seasonal capsules.

What are the 37 items in a capsule wardrobe? ›

Your 37 pieces should include: tops, bottoms, dresses, outerwear, and shoes. Your 37 pieces should not include: workout clothes, jewelry, accessories, purses, swimsuits, pajamas/loungewear, underwear, and the jeans you wear when you paint your living room.

What are the rules of a capsule wardrobe? ›

A capsule wardrobe is a limited selection of interchangeable clothing pieces that complement each other. These are often classic pieces that do not go out of style and are primarily composed of neutral colors. A capsule wardrobe allows you to create a variety of different outfits with a small selection of clothes.

How many shirts and pants are in a capsule wardrobe? ›

Some people recommend getting a strict number for each category — five shirts, four pairs of pants, three pairs of shoes, and so on. A formula can be really helpful when you are starting out, and I use a formula for my own travel capsule wardrobe, but you don't have to stick to someone else's formula.

What is the 10x10 challenge? ›

The 10x10 is a wardrobe challenge created by Style Bee and Un-Fancy that involves wearing only 10 items of clothing for 10 days. It's an excellent way to get creative with your current wardrobe without shopping and an easy way to start your Stylebook closet.

How many pairs of shoes should be in a capsule wardrobe? ›

Once you identify the categories of shoes you wear, it's time to determine how many pairs to include in each. Remember, this is a capsule wardrobe, so the goal is to pare down and simplify. Aim for 10 pairs total. You want your final shoe capsule to correspond, proportionately, to how you dress.

What is the most popular capsule size? ›

What is the most popular size capsule? The most commonly used capsule is size 00. Below is a scale of size 0 and 00 capsules next to common coins to show their scale.

What is the basic capsule wardrobe formula? ›

2 pants, 2 skirts, one skirt and one pair of pants, according to taste, lifestyle and weather. These should also be good quality items that will stand the test of time, be in your best neutral colours and so comfortable that you'll look forward to putting them on.

How many times is the average piece of clothing worn? ›

The average piece of clothing is worn around 120 times globally.

What is a 10x10 capsule wardrobe? ›

The concept is essentially a mini capsule closet of 10 items that you work with for 10 days, creating new looks and styling your clothes in ways you might not otherwise try.

What does a minimal wardrobe look like? ›

A minimalist wardrobe may contain as few as 5 outfits or over 100, which are rotated and swapped seasonally as a capsule wardrobe. The average number of items in a minimalist wardrobe seems to range from 20 to 50 pieces of clothing, which may or may not include undergarments and accessories.

What is the rule of 3 in capsule wardrobe? ›

The idea behind the third piece rule is that for an outfit to go from good to great, it needs three key elements. Your top and bottom (pants or skirt) are your first and second elements. The third piece is that extra something that finishes off the whole look.

What are the cons of a capsule wardrobe? ›

Cons of Capsule Wardrobes: You're not necessarily saving money. Unless you're someone who is out shopping year-round and wanting to curb your spending habits a bit, this plan still involves shopping- just not as often. Plus, you may end up spending more, since you're not shopping as much, on “investment” pieces.

What is the rule of three in capsule wardrobe? ›

While organizing my Capsule Wardrobes I have focused on these three rules: Only clothes that I love (and wear). Tops and bottoms that GO together. Overall less clothing, but more outfit options, with quality pieces.

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