My Year with Stylebook

Exactly a year ago now I downloaded Stylebook which is an app that you download to your phone or tablet to manage your wardrobe.  The idea is you photograph all of your clothing and then as you wear them you add them to the calendar.  It can be used to plan daily outfits to make life easier first thing in the morning but I really wanted it to log my daily outfits onto the calendar so that I can get a better picture of what I wear on a daily basis.  This I knew would provide valuable information about what I wear regularly and the gaps in my wardrobe.  So one year in what did I find out?

The most surprising thing I found out was the actual value of my wardrobe.  I didn't think I really had that many clothes, compared to some people but the value would indicate otherwise.  Despite actually making 99% of what I wear on a daily basis I did discover that I have an eye watering $7711 worth of clothing.  This could mean I make way too many clothes and it could also mean I hold onto unworn items way too long but really I think it is a combination of both.

So what made the top 50 most worn items?

My Levis Jeans rub off were made way back in August 2016.  These are my most worn item by far at 40 wears in the past year.  They are starting to get a little rubbed in the knees so will need replacing in the not too distant future but they still have a lot of wear in them yet.

The second most worn item is not surprisingly my jandals which being a kiwi is not really surprising.  In summer when I am not at work, I live in these.  My third and fourth items are both shoes which just goes to show that my shoe collection is working properly for me.  Number 5 on the list is my down jacket which was worn daily for an entire week on my ski trip in August so really there are no surprises there.  Number 6 was once again shoes so on to number 7.

Number 7, was my grey coated Ginger Jeans made in June 2016.  I love these jeans!  Grey is such an easy colour to integrate into my wardrobe and as a colour works well for both summer and winter.  These have been worn for 18 days in the last year and are still in great condition, so I look forward to a lot more wearing yet before this pair need retiring.

Number 8 was once again shoes but number 9 is, you probably guessed by now, yet another pair of jeans,  This time my latest pair of Ginger Jeans .  These ones are my latest pair of black jeans which have also been worn a total of 18 days despite being made in August this year.  This pair I can also get away with wearing to work on a casual Friday which adds to their wear ability.

Other items on high rotation are:

New Look 6459 were made in December last year and have been worn a total of  16 times in the past year.  

It isn't actually until we get to item 23 that we find a top that has made the top 50.  My red Grainline Morris jacket, made in July 2015,  has been worn a total of 11 times and my black one made in September 2015 has also been worn 11 times.

Also worn 11 times in the past year is my frankenpatterned Jalie merino cardigan, made in April 2015.

Coming in at 10 wears is my favourite blouse, my silk cotton McCall's 7284, made in November last year.  Interestingly this is the first pattern item that made the top 50.  The rest have all been in solid colours.

It isn't until we get way down to number 48 does a dress appear on the list.  My New Look 6301, mock wrap dress made in December 2016 has been worn only 7 times.

I have learnt from this experience that pants, in any form are my go to items for most days.  Whether it be for work or weekends, pants are the thing I reach for most.  I always knew that dresses didn't get worn much but this exercise has really reinforced that and also shown how little wear they really do get.  I do tend to prefer a dress for work in the heat but my weekends in the summer are predominantly spent in shorts.

My plan for next year is to pull back on the making of dresses and to focus more on pants and separates.  As for skirts, I do wear them quite regularly both at work and in the weekends but again, I feel I have enough of them to cover most of my needs.  I do intend to make another pair of blue jeans because clearly they will fit take the pressure off the pair I already have which are starting to look a little tired.  I do tend to sew without a plan and this will probably continue.  I find it very hard to be creative if I have to sew to a list.  I have sewn more items for others this year and hope to do the same again next year.  I think though a wardrobe clean out of those items that I never wear may be in order.