How Many Dress Shirts Do I Still Need After FIREing?

[scrabbler1]

The big change to my wardrobe began in 1998 when my former company changed its dress code from a combination of casualwear and formalwear to full-time casualwear. My dress shirts stayed in the closet and I began buying the far cheaper ordinary pants instead of dress pants and did not have to dry-clean them, another big plus).

I then began paring down my wardrobe, donating the dress shirts I either got tired of wearing, got worn out, or did not fit me any more (mostly that last one, I had put on some weight in the 1990s). The more recent stuff which I liked and still fit me I wore for special events such as weddings and funerals.

In 2001, when I switched to working part-time and resurrected my personal life, I returned to square dancing and one club had a dress code so I used those button-down shirts for a while until I acquired some fancier, western-style shirts for dancing. Then my old work shirts went back into retirement.

After another purge of older, non-fitting clothes in 2008, I freed up much closet space but should still do another purge to get rid of anything I haven't worn for at least 10 years.

Although not bought together originally, I have a dark blue pair of nice pants and a dark blue sport jacket which resemble a suit if work together. That's all I need for weddings and funerals now. That, and my favorite 2 or 3 ties depending on the shirt I wear. I have enough closet space now so I lack a lot of incentive do go through with the purge, especially after some problems with the last donation in 2008.

 

[jim584672]

Everyone knows you need only one shirt which is worn until holes appear. Next question...

 

[athena53]

Donate blood, a T-shirt almost every time.

Yeah, I've got a lot of those. Only 6 months left on my deferral due to dental implant surgery (they used bone grafts from donors).

 

[Moscyn]

Kept all jackets, shirts, dresses and trousers which are expensive or I've received compliments on. As I live in the city, I wear them when I go out for formal dinners. Sometimes I pair them up with some casual stuff and wear them smart casual. About 4 jackets are just too formal ( mostly in dark blue) and they have been hanging in the wardrobe unworn for 4 years but I do not have the heart to throw them out. They are timeless in fashion and costly. Maybe my nieces will use them on future.

 

[davemartin88]

This thread inspired me to get rid of a lot of dress shirts and pants from my working days. I retired in 2008 and these clothes were still hanging in the closet. Kept about 3 dress shirts and a couple of pairs of pants. I went through my suits right after I retired but getting this clothing separated and off to Goodwill just never made the top of the growing project list.

 

[seraphim]

One shirt, one coat, one pair of nice trousers. No ties. A nice vest. I like vests. Lots of jeans, shorts, and a lot of Tshirts with humorous sayings. A couple pair of socks: mostly white for hiking, some black for use with aforementioned coat.


Sent from my iPad using Early Retirement Forum