Dependability・Closet Talks
I’ve been on the journey to building a closet that I love over the past several years…
It’s sort of felt like putting together a jigsaw puzzle where I’m not sure what the finished picture will look like but as I’ve gone on, I’ve been able to identify and name the pieces I’m working with - the ones that have helped me get to where my closet stands today.
Finding and choosing clothes that I now categorize as dependable is a pillar of my wardrobe, it helps me both let go of things currently in my closet that aren’t serving me AND it informs the future purchases that I make so that I’m only bringing in what will be reliable.
And if your currently building your closet or discovering your style, I hope this lens of thinking helps you navigate your own journey!
Below isn’t an exhaustive list (let me know in the comments if you’d like to add something!) but I collected your answers to this question on Instagram and along with my own thoughts, I’ve assembled 5 main categories that help me identify if an item is dependable or not.
Versatility
Versatility for me, is a foundational pillar of what makes clothing dependable. Is it working well with everything else I own? Or if I’m making a purchase, will it be a seamless addition to my other items? I like to think about my closet like a kitchen so I would ask myself, is this a versatile ingredient I’m bringing in to my closet that I can make a lot of recipes with? If it’s a yes, then I know it’s one step closer to being a dependable item.
Consistency
Consistent fit = always looks good. It’s nice to have clothes that can flex and fit you in different seasons of life, if you go up a size, but usually that has to do with an items function (stretchy fabric, elastic waist etc.) Generally, you want your clothes to fit consistently. A consistent fit is a dependable fit. I used to have a pair of jeans that would stretch out after a day of wear and I would have to wash them to get it back to the fit I liked. That’s not dependable, I couldn’t wear it two days in a row and count on my jeans looking the same. (That also kind of goes into ease of care, if you have to wash something more to make it wearable that makes it higher maintenance which for a lot of people immediately makes it not dependable.)
Comfort level
Many of you included this in your answers. Knowing something is comfortable saves time and takes the decision fatigue out of outfit planning. Have you ever planned an evening around shoes that are uncomfortable or only chosen shoes you know you can’t stand in for very long because you know an event will be short or have places to sit? I have! Guilty! That kind of forethought doesn’t have to exist if you fill your closet with clothes you KNOW are comfortable- you don’t even have to think about it, you just get dressed and isn’t that the goal? Comfort is dependable.
Ease of care and wear
(or low maintenance) This isn’t as big for me personally because I’m happy to iron and steam things, BUT I know for some of you, especially you mamas, being able to machine wash and dry something and have it come out looking like the day you bought it is EVERYTHING.
An item that saves you time is definitely dependable.
For some of you, you may find that needing additional items to make a piece work is more maintenance, and therefore less dependable. (example: you need a different bra, you need a special undergarment etc.)
Items that can stand alone on their own 2 feet are most dependable.
Durability
Clothes that are well made with high quality natural fibers are a big one for me too, I need it to stand the test of time, if I go to wear it a month from now and it already has a hole, who’s got the time? I need it to be durable for long-term wear, and 9/10 times that goes hand in hand with natural materials like organic cotton, leather, linen, denim, Tencel etc.
And in this category, I need something to be both physically durable in quality but also in style, I would group in what’s considered timeless and classic and not likely to go out of style with durability. That’s also been a concrete foundation I’ve built my closet on. Trends aren’t durable because they don’t last - it’s like building your closet on sand - it will shift and change and ultimately leave you feeling frustrated.
I don’t think dependability is limited to these categories or has to be all 5 to count as what’s dependable to you: since we’re talking about personal style, you will most likely have your own definition and that’s great! Figure out what categories matter the most to you and name it! Remember it! Add those values to the top of your wishlist so you don’t forget!
Before you go…
If you’d like help identifying the items in your wardrobe that might fall into the category of dependable Here are five food-for-thought questions:
What do you reach for the most?
What seems like is always in your hamper when you need it?
If someone removed it from your closet without telling you, would you notice it’s gone? If so, it’s probably one of your more dependable pieces.
If you saw it in a store today, would you buy it?
How much would you pay for it?