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This thread was inspired by a recent New York Times article which struck a chord with me. Some may have read it: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/08/bu...me&ref=general
it investigates the nature of spending and how it affects our happiness. The article touches on a lot of different topics including the fact that research now shows many consumers are beginning to favor experiences (eating out, traveling, etc..) over material goods. Interestingly enough, the single argument the article raises is that from an appreciator of fashion excerpted here:
But arguing whether people prefer to spend money on a leather jacket or a trip to some exotic local is not what I'd like to do here. Another aspect the article talks about is the ability to appreciate your things more when you have less. I'd like to discuss this in relation to people's personal wardrobes.
Looking at the relatively small "Post a Picture of Your Closet..." thread, you can see a pretty wide variety of wardrobe sizes. Some are most certainly prohibited by economic reasons (I include myself in that count), while others might be decidedly minimal. A lot of people here see their clothes as an extension of themselves or a physical and outward representation of their thoughts/desires/outlook, etc... and I'm wondering if the more clothes you collect, the less truthful that becomes — as if you're spreading yourself too thin or diluting the ultimate message. Or maybe thats completely wrong. From my personal perspective and very small wardrobe, I can say that I feel intimately connected with all of my pieces because I'm forced into wearing them so often. I never forget about something I own and I appreciate them all because each item meets a particular requirement the others do not so they're all unique in that regard.
Also, I'm not specifically referring to a 'quality over quantity' argument. I think someone can easily appreciate a lesser quality item of clothing compared to one of higher quality. Simply removing all of the "junk" from your closet is a shallow way of putting this. I'm talking about critically assessing each individual piece in your wardrobe, compared to everything else, and deciding whether it makes you happy and if its an important addition to both your overall wardrobe and yourself.
I'm curious what others think. How does the size of your wardrobe influence your happiness/appreciation of your clothes on an individual level? Do you see yourself ever revising your collection and getting rid of things just for the sake of reducing and not so you can just buy something else?
*Please note that this thread is not meant in any way to be an attack on anyone's personal style of buying clothes. I have no intention of making a definitive right/wrong assessment here. I'm just providing my opinion and outlook and look forward to seeing if I can be swayed in another direction.
it investigates the nature of spending and how it affects our happiness. The article touches on a lot of different topics including the fact that research now shows many consumers are beginning to favor experiences (eating out, traveling, etc..) over material goods. Interestingly enough, the single argument the article raises is that from an appreciator of fashion excerpted here:
...Of course, some fashion lovers beg to differ. For many people, clothes will never be more than utilitarian. But for a certain segment of the population, clothes are an art form, a means of self-expression, a way for families to pass down memories through generations. For them, studies concluding that people eventually stop deriving pleasure from material things don’t ring true.
“No way,” says Hayley Corwick, who writes the popular fashion blog Madison Avenue Spy. “I could pull out things from my closet that I bought when I was 17 that I still love.”
“No way,” says Hayley Corwick, who writes the popular fashion blog Madison Avenue Spy. “I could pull out things from my closet that I bought when I was 17 that I still love.”
Looking at the relatively small "Post a Picture of Your Closet..." thread, you can see a pretty wide variety of wardrobe sizes. Some are most certainly prohibited by economic reasons (I include myself in that count), while others might be decidedly minimal. A lot of people here see their clothes as an extension of themselves or a physical and outward representation of their thoughts/desires/outlook, etc... and I'm wondering if the more clothes you collect, the less truthful that becomes — as if you're spreading yourself too thin or diluting the ultimate message. Or maybe thats completely wrong. From my personal perspective and very small wardrobe, I can say that I feel intimately connected with all of my pieces because I'm forced into wearing them so often. I never forget about something I own and I appreciate them all because each item meets a particular requirement the others do not so they're all unique in that regard.
Also, I'm not specifically referring to a 'quality over quantity' argument. I think someone can easily appreciate a lesser quality item of clothing compared to one of higher quality. Simply removing all of the "junk" from your closet is a shallow way of putting this. I'm talking about critically assessing each individual piece in your wardrobe, compared to everything else, and deciding whether it makes you happy and if its an important addition to both your overall wardrobe and yourself.
I'm curious what others think. How does the size of your wardrobe influence your happiness/appreciation of your clothes on an individual level? Do you see yourself ever revising your collection and getting rid of things just for the sake of reducing and not so you can just buy something else?
*Please note that this thread is not meant in any way to be an attack on anyone's personal style of buying clothes. I have no intention of making a definitive right/wrong assessment here. I'm just providing my opinion and outlook and look forward to seeing if I can be swayed in another direction.
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