For reference, I have since last year been cataloguing my outfits, however, only this year I started counting the wear on my handbags. For more accuracy, I will definitely be adding accessories in the future and as some of my handbags were purchased (and extensively) worn for years before, I have amended the cost price to reflect that. This is not entirely accurate but gives me a somewhat an idea of how much the items have been worn. As this post will be a lot of numbers and words and I can’t possibly think of a way to show these items on other than as part of a future project, I will refer you to my Capsule Wardrobe Pinterest board that features the majority of my wardrobe.
| Year | Category | Description | Wear | Price £ | Total Wear | CPW £ |
| 2017 | BOTTOM | COS Slim Trouser* | 33 | 65 | 38 | 1.71 |
| 2018 | BOTTOM | Acne Studios Straight Denim | 27 | 67 | 27 | 2.48 |
| 2018 | BOTTOM | Helmut Lang Leather Twill Trouser | 21 | 258 | 21 | 12.29 |
| 2016 | LAYER | Jigsaw Wool Jacket | 19 | 148.5 | 30 | 4.95 |
| 2017 | LAYER | MM6 Ribbon Gilet | 18 | 191 | 33 | 5.79 |
| 2017 | BOTTOM | COS Tie Culotte | 17 | 69 | 52 | 1.33 |
| 2017 | LAYER | Alexander Wang Satin Lapel Vest | 16 | 205 | 29 | 7.07 |
| 2017 | TOP | Vince Slit Back Cady Top | 16 | 155 | 25 | 6.20 |
| 2014 | TOP | Asos Kimono Top | 15 | 10 | 32 | 0.31 |
| 2016 | TOP | Vince Double V-neck Blouse** | 14 | 178 | 45 | 3.96 |
*Even though this comes up as the most worn item it has completely worn out now. It is primarily due to being a lightweight stretch wool fabric that has thinned in places with multiple wears. I am still happy with the purchase and the comfort and versatility of the trousers, outweigh the short lifespan of eight months.
**This top also had a fair share of wear and had to be repaired once but with multiple washes, the crepe is starting to look less than pristine.
As shoes and handbags are on a much smaller rotation, they end up making the most of the top ten so I have split them into a separate table.
| Year | Category | Description | Wear | Price £ | Total Wear | CPW £ |
| 2016 | SHOES | Acne Studios Jensen* | 35 | 277.5 | 171 | 1.62 |
| 2017 | HANDBAG | Fendi By The Way** | 33 | 477 | [33] | 14.45 |
| 2018 | SHOES | Céline Pull On Sneaker | 29 | 357 | 29 | 12.31 |
| 2018 | HANDBAG | Céline Trio Anthracite | 26 | 663 | 26 | 25.50 |
| 2016 | HANDBAG | Saint Laurent Betty** | 25 | 438 | [25] | 17.52 |
| 2018 | SHOES | Jil Sander Ankle Strap Loafer | 23 | 387 | 23 | 16.83 |
*Between August 2016 and January 2017 I wore these everyday and then continuously most days of the week until this spring. I’m not too clear on the accurate CPW as I wasn’t tracking in 2016 but they are a key piece in my wardrobe. I’m sad to see that the metal on my left shoe has started to loosen and I’m not sure if this can be fixed.
**For the time being I have adjusted the price paid on the handbags to make up for my lack of tracking in 2017 and with three bags on rotation up until last year, they have been worn a lot but this part of the calculation will definitely need to be adjusted as the number doesn’t reflect my actual spending.
The point of this analysis is to put purchases in prospective and while certain pieces simply won’t lend themselves to frequent wear, it helps to understand the structure of your wardrobe. I could type a whole essay on lessons learned from this experiment but for the time being, let me select a few general comments that come to mind.
As these pieces make up most of my daily looks, some signature looks too, I realise that most of these were purchased discounted, that be on sale or Vestiaire, and if they were full retail price, these numbers would look entirely different, however, my point here is that sale or second hand shopping, doesn’t mean grabbing the most discounted item you’d never wear but also enables you to curate a closet that defines your style. The wear your clothes, not let them wear you kind of approach.
Trousers, shoes and handbags tend to be the most worn pieces because I have the least of them. Along with that comes true test of longevity. While handbags usually pass because they are exposed to the least amount of strain, shoes and trousers are perhaps about finding a sweet spot between quality and price (a whole topic there). On the other hand, I have a sea of tops that sometimes get worn once a year. This is due to fabric care and comfort. Read: too many silk and sleeveless tops. Lastly, I do have a few blazers and waistcoats in my wardrobe and so the CPW doesn’t appear to go down very low but with a few exceptions they are my style key pieces, they will also last a lot longer than other clothing without noticeable wear and tear.
Cataloguing my wardrobe stems from the idea of finding the foundations of my style. If you can take it with a grain of salt, have a read of The Curated Closet by Anuschka Rees and as far as the inspiration for putting this format into a blog post, gold zipper deserves credit.
Style On Film 