The Well-Edited Wardrobe

This image is from the Smithsonian, via Flickr. The woman is Carolina Amor du Fournier. She was associated with the Mexican journal La Prensa Médica Mexicana and was editor of Hummingbirds and Orchids of Mexico (1963).

I got a lot out of a recent post on the blog IvyStyle. In it the author edits his wardrobe, explaining why  why he is getting rid of them after identifying his preferences. This was clearly a valuable exercise for the author, and I think we can all benefit from such a mindful purge.

Here is what he says about his decision to purge:


I’ve always kept my wardrobe tightly edited as I’m pretty sensitive to things that just don’t feel “me.” Alas, what feels me is always in a state of flux (I prefer to think of it as refinement), and even with a close eye on superfluity I’m always catching myself with stuff I don’t wear.

So now that cold weather is here, I went through my closet and found all sorts of things I can’t believe I was holding on to.

Perhaps we’re all victims of variety, or at least the idea of it. This latest purge was motivated by the realization that I just have pretty strict tastes, almost a formula, and why fool myself that I don’t.

What follows is his thought process. He details what he likes and consequently what he purged:


• I like white and blue solid shirts, plus the occasional pink shirt or blue stripe. I tried yellow and it didn’t take. Never been tempted by tattersalls or burgundy stripes. And I like them to fit well. The purge: Tent-sized regular-fit shirts.

• I always reach for the same half dozen pairs of socks that work with my pants and shoes. The purge: Colorful argyles.