Do you have a list of typical men’s clothing? My husband wears uniforms to work.
-Angie
It is a little hard to give you a list of men’s clothing without knowing more about your lifestyle. For example, do you go to church each Sunday where he needs dress pants or is it more casual? Do you go out to dinner or over to friends’ homes where you dress more or less fancy, and so on.
Usually, a guy who wears uniforms to work can get by with:
2-3 pairs of jeans (1 pair for work around the house)
1-2 pairs of docker type pants (a tan pair and a dark pair)
1 pair of nice black or brown dress pants
1-2 dress shirts
2-3 polo shirts
3-4 everyday t-shirts
1 pair tennis shoes
1 pair dress shoes
1 pair semi dress shoes
You can add or take away from this list, of course, if something doesn’t apply to your situation. The main thing to consider is how often you wash. If you wash every day, you can get by with much less. A dress jacket is nice for a man to have for special occasions but not a must have. Your husband may love to have a couple of old sweatshirts or t-shirts to wear around the house all the time and, if that is the case, he could get by with fewer nice t-shirts or polos. Hopefully, this will give you a start and you can adjust the list to reflect your needs.
-Jill
I FINALLY coaxed my hubby to have a pair of nice out on town jeans. He’s a Marine, and just wears his cammies even off duty unless he’s working on a car or going off base. Usually even then, he’ll wear his old beat up jeans. He has a date outfit and the rest are work clothes where we don’t mind if oil, grease or holes get into it. The only clothes I’m washing are usually his PT shirts and all his socks and underwear.
My husband doesn’t wear uniforms, but works in an industrial plant and has to wear 100% cotton. He and his coworkers decided that it didn’t matter if their work shirts were wrinkled (he really does love me!) so he doesn’t need them ironed.
How many work “outfits” should he have? He is currently working 6 days a week and we wash once a week.
Thanks,
Sarah
Sarah if he wears a clean outfit everyday then he will need 6 if you wash once a week. If he changes every other day then 3 would be enough. Figure how many times he changes or wears a clean outfit a week and then you will know what you need. I would add 1-2 extras maybe in case something would happen like one gets torn, lost or something just for back up.
Hi Jill!
Just came across your article and want to share my wardrobe. A few weeks ago I drastically reduced it. I donated two large trash bags full of clothes I haven’t worn for years (especially bunches of sweaters my parents bought me as I was still in school) and threw away one large trash bag full of clothes I won’t wear anymore cause of holes and rips.
I now have:
2 pairs of jeans
1 dress shirt
1 polo shirt
5 everyday t-shirts
3 nerdy t-shirts (with funny prints on it)
2 band t-shirts bought at festivals
1 hooded jacket
1 hooded sweater
1 pair tennis shoes (vans slip ons)
1 pair flip-flops
1 pair converse chucks sandals [1] ;)
Just a sidenote: I’m from Europe and work as a software developer. No dress code in our company … t-shirt, jeans and flip-flops (even barefoot) is absolutely okay (if there are no meetings with customers). Example: last Friday we had an internal meeting and my boss and chief developer showed up in Metallica t-shirt, shorts and socks. ;)
But I know I need to get a new suit. I wear suits perhaps two times per year, but it’s good to have one. I ripped the pants of my last one as I took a shortcut to the parking lot, so I threw it away.
Apart from that, what do you think about my new, reduced wardrobe?
[1] I have them for about five years now and they’re so badly ripped, they are more sandals then shoes now. I keep them for sentimental reasons and wear them only around the house sometimes.