How Many Dress Shirts Do I Still Need After FIREing?

[Birdie Num Nums]

As I have mentioned in previous threads, I am in the process of moving to a much smaller place and trying to downsize (declutter) big-time.

I FIREd in late May 2010. I haven't worn a suit and tie since then, but for a few times when I felt I needed to "dress up" for some occasional contract work. (But when I looked at some of my other fellow contract workers, I may have over did it a bit. They worn some kinda informal dress-up, or whatever.)

Anyway, during this process of moving, I've found that I've still got lots of dress coats, shirts, pants and ties--stuff I haven't worn since I FIREd. I don't think I'm gonna need much of what I've still got. And it looks like what I've still got in terms of dress clothes is gonna take up more closet space than it really should--these days.

What have you others--who might have to do some few semi-contract w**k-related activities have done with your old w**k-dress wardrobe?

By typing this text so far, and creating this thread, I'm thinking I've already answered my question: I should just chuck most of what I have, but keep a select few clothing items just in case, huh? What? Two or three suit coats? A black and a brown pair of slacks? A dozen or fewer ties ( and toss the other 20 or so)? And some six or so dress shirts?

What's been your experience?

 

[heeyy_joe]

Uh, two of everything. One of everything in your current size and one the next size up. Might come in handy when you finally get around to wearin'.

 

[TimSF]

Same dilemma here. I figure 5 dress shirts, two suits, and a couple pairs of dress slacks will be more than adequate.

 

[chilkoot]

I kept exactly one suit, for weddings, funerals, bar mitzvahs, etc. But I made a clean break with Megacorp; no contract work. But OTOH they went to "business casual" a while back, so the suits weren't really a necessity.

 

[dallas27]

Put your best stuff on, shine those shoes, and take your lady out. Use them for something worthwhile.


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[Telly]

You need just one. To be buried in, in case E-R goes horribly wrong!

 

[RetireAge50]

Zero


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[W2R]

I kept one black dress. It used to be for formal meetings, but now I just keep it in case somebody dies, for the funeral. The rest went to GoodWill.

Like chilkoot I won't be doing any contract work.

 

[akck]

I retired earlier this year. I had 28+ shirts and 15 slacks I wore for work. Once retired, we trashed/donated all but 5 shirts and 6 slacks (2 of each color in 2 sizes). I have 1 suit which I haven't worn in years, donating the rest when I changed to a job not requiring them.

I have added to my wardrobe, replacing the long sleeved shirts with short sleeved ones. Oh, and one long sleeved white dress shirt (wife trashed all the work ones), I got for a wedding.

I'm guessing I'll cut the dress clothes in half in a few years as they gather dust. Dress socks were also greatly reduced, plus several dress shoe pairs. I figure I have the minimum needed in case of a trip requiring dress up for dinners.


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[foxfirev5]

Our youngest son just got married which will be the last of weddings for couple of decades. Therefore I'm down to one suit, one white dress shirt and a navy sport coat. Should be enough.

 

[Ronstar]

I'm in the same situation. I have maybe 5 white dress shirts and 4 or 5 more colored ones. I have been trashing the colored ones doing woodworking and yard work. I'll keep a couple of those for that and trim down the white ones to just 2. I think you can get by with 2 dress shirts in RE

 

[MichaelB]

One suit, one sport coat with nice trousers, a dozen ties. The rest to Goodwill. The white dress shirts didn't last. It only makes sense to keep a few if they are in good shape.

I've had to dress formally a bunch of times since retiring. Weddings, baptisms, funerals. Between them, more to come.

 

[DFA]

Got rid of all work clothes; the little contract work I do for old company I do in shorts and T-shirts since there is only 5 people left and they were always casual anyways.

 

[athena53]

About 6 or 7 years ago I started getting work clothes made by a tailor. I could afford it, they were made in the USA, they fit beautifully and were as comfortable as pajamas. I've got 2 suits, a skirt, 3 dress shirts and more separates than I care to think about. We're talking over $10K total. I had planned to retire at 65 and retired at 61 instead. Now I wear the separates to church (sometimes) and have almost no use for the suits. Although I'm female, I had planned to wear the navy blue pinstripe one to a high-society family wedding last March rather than go out and buy a dress I'd wear once, but USAirways messed up our flight and we never got there.

I'm hanging on to all of them. I'm careful about my weight so I shouldn't
"grow out" of them. I may also eventually do some charity work where I'll attend the occasional benefit.

 

[Tailgate]

I gave about $5,000 worth of suits and coats and ties to a former co-worker who was my size. Still have way too many dress pants and shirts. Will be culling those and sending off to Salvation Army soon.

 

[grasshopper]

I have one starched and pressed oxford white shirt, 9 years later it is still in the dry cleaners bag.

 

[jerome len]

My staple is a blue blazer, grey slacks and both a white and light blue shirt. I kept 3 ties, all unusual but conservative. I have black, brown penny loafers, one pair of really dressy shoes and that's about it. Each year I give a little more away but I needed my pants and coats taken in......since I don't have to go out on those high calorie business lunches I've lost weight. And, I do have a suit just in case I need it......haven't yet.

 

[Birdie Num Nums]

Thanks for all the comments, based upon your experiences. Looks like I'll be making another trip to Goodwill with a car full of dress-up clothing.

BTW: during my last trip to Goodwill to donate stuff I visited the men's clothing aisle. They had some nice-looking, virtually new suit/sports coats for about $15. So if I ever find myself needing something of the sort down the road, I'll know where to go.

 

[HFWR]

I'm careful about my weight so I shouldn't
"grow out" of them.

I didn't "grow out" of anything; they shrank in the closet...

Never had to dress that formally for w*rk. I have one suit, two or three dress shirts, and a few sport coats. Rarely wear any if I can help it...

 

[REWahoo]

Thanks for all the comments, based upon your experiences. Looks like I'll be making another trip to Goodwill with a car full of dress-up clothing.

+1

I've discovered all I needed after retiring was a funeral/wedding suit and one dress shirt. Although, I did have to attend an event where I needed a sport coat - and was able to find one at Goodwill (brand name, apparently never worn, still had the tags on it) for $9.

 

[Birdie Num Nums]

There is also a Value Village nearly that's closer than Goodwill. But I saw this Value Village vs. Goodwill debate.

The Web site of my local senior center says they accept such clothing, and many more items, for their thrift shop. That's where I drop off my stuff instead.

 

[hakuna matata]

I rarely wore a suit to work, haven't wore a tie for years. I do have about 18 dress shirts and 3 suits. I plan on keeping the 3 suits and 3-4 dress shirts.

I wore a suit the other day for my daughters graduation. My wife took a picture...and damn if I don't look damn good in that suit! I rocked it!

 

[NW-Bound]

Just recently, for my niece's wedding I pulled out a suit that I had in mind for the occasion.

It got 3 or 4 moth holes in it. Arghhh!

Well, I tried it on anyway. The pants were a bit tight. And I swore my BMI had been constant for a long time. Surely, the weight was constant, but perhaps redistributed at different places on the body. Arghhh!

Anyway, I found something else to wear, but I thought I was done with buying suits for life. My daughter's wedding is next, and I of course need to dress up more.

 

[H2ODude]

For me dressing up is Dockers instead of jeans, and button down ox cloth shirt. Done it maybe once or twice a year since retired. Next month traveling for DS wedding where I'm requested to wear a tie (it's in Africa and very informal). Guess I'll remember how to tie it. Gave up ties most days last few years of working. Hard to believe wore a suit every day up until mid nineties.

 

[travelover]

Two. One for weddings, one for funerals.