A Month Of Clothes

There is a lot of talk around the minimalist community about clothes.  From what some would consider insanely tiny wardrobes to the philosophy that, if clothes is your passion, collect what you want; the only real consensus is that there isn’t one.

Many people struggle more with their closet than any other area of their house.  The truth is, balancing feeling confident in your clothes and keeping the list to a minimum can be tough.  So here are two lists, one for ladies and one for men, to give you an idea of a very real, and reasonable, way to have a new outfit for every day of the month without battling a bursting closet or feeling like you’re stuck in a rut.

Ladies’ Clothes List (48)
Outdoor Winter Coat Leather Jacket Casual Jacket/Hoodie Scarf Hat Gloves Warm Sweater Snow Boots	Swim & Sleep 2 Swimsuits Swim Cover-Up Summer Sleepwear Winter Sleepwear Slippers Bathrobe
Business (21 Outfits) 2 Skirts 2 Pants 5 Work-Appropriate Tops Blazer/Sweater Dress (Business Casual)	Casual/Weekends (10 Outfits) 1 Jeans 1 Shorts 2 Tank Tops 2 T-Shirts/Casual Tops Long-Sleeved Shirt
Loungewear Pair Yoga Pants/Comfortable Pants Loose Top	Shoes Running Shoes Casual Boots Sneakers/Casual Shoes Sandals/Flip-Flops Professional Flats Professional Heels Dress Shoes Work Shoes (mowing lawn, gardening, etc.)
Gym Pair Running Shorts Sweat-Wicking Top
Formal Cocktail Dress

Here’s a little explanation of what you’re seeing: if you are determined to wear a different outfit every day of the month, this gives you plenty of options.  With an average of 20 work days per month, four bottom pieces and five top pieces give you the perfect number to wear a different combination every day, and then start over again on the first of the next month.

Men’s Clothes List (45)
Outdoor Winter Coat Leather Jacket Casual Jacket/Hoodie Scarf Hat Gloves Warm Sweater Snow Boots	Swim & Sleep 2 Swimsuits Summer Sleepwear Winter Sleepwear Slippers/House Shoes Bathrobe
Business (20 Outfits) 3 Pants 5 Shirts (+5 Ties if Required) Suit Blazer/Sportcoat	Casual/Weekends (10 Outfits) 1 Jeans 1 Shorts 4 T-Shirts Long-Sleeved Shirt
Loungewear Comfortable Pants Comfortable Top	Shoes Formal Dress Shoes (Black) Casual Dress Shoes (Black) Casual Dress Shoes (Brown) Sneakers/Casual Shoes Running Shoes Sandals Boots (Work or Casual)
Gym Running Shorts Sweat-Wicking Shirt
Formal Tuxedo (Optional)

Granted, this list won’t be perfect for everyone.  If you are at the gym five days a week, you might want to beef up your workout wardrobe.  If you aren’t accustomed to formal events every month, you might forego the tuxedo and rent as required.  Ladies, it makes sense to have at least one cocktail dress, or LBD, in your closet for those unexpected events, and a business-casual dress works for a date or to mix up the work regime.

You may have been surprised to notice that there are only three more items in the ladies’ section than men’s.  Those, specifically, are the business-casual dress, a pair of casual high or low boots, and a swimsuit cover-up, each of which, obviously, could be foregone altogether.  We tend to think men’s and women’s wardrobes are extremely different but, realistically, we both have the same number of arms and legs, and wear very similar clothing pieces.

A note on swimsuits: you might think one is plenty, but if you are traveling, especially on vacation, it is far more comfortable to have a fresh swimsuit each morning, or even after meals, to hit the beach or the pool again.  While you could argue that one, or five, is the correct number, two is the basic necessity for being dry before you get into the water.