I used to have too many clothes.
Two full drawers of t-shirts I never wore. Three jackets that did the same thing. Pants that fit wrong but I kept "just in case." My closet was full. I still felt like I had nothing to wear.
Then I moved apartments. Smaller closet. Had to cut down. Got rid of maybe 40 things. Donated some. Threw out some. Sold a few to Crossroads for store credit.
What was left was 15 pieces. Not including socks and underwear. Not including one or two specialty items for deep winter.
That was two years ago. I've added maybe three things since then. Here's the list.
The Whole List (15 Pieces)
Tops (5)
1. White cotton t-shirt (Uniqlo)
2. Black cotton t-shirt (Uniqlo)
3. Gray cotton t-shirt (Uniqlo)
4. Heather gray crewneck sweater (Uniqlo)
5. Oxford cloth button-down (Everlane)
Bottoms (3)
6. Dark wash jeans (Levi's 502)
7. Black chinos (Uniqlo)
8. Brown work pants (Carhartt)
Layers (3)
9. Denim jacket (Levi's)
10. Rain jacket (Rains)
11. Light down jacket (Uniqlo)
Shoes (3)
12. White sneakers (Nike Killshot)
13. Brown boots (Blundstone)
14. Black sneakers (Converse)
One more (1)
15. Heavy wool sweater (vintage, thrifted)
That's it. That's everything.
How It Works Across Seasons
Summer (75°F to 95°F)
White t-shirt. Black chinos. White sneakers. That's my uniform. Sometimes the gray t-shirt instead. Sometimes the denim jacket over it for cooler mornings or over-air-conditioned offices.
95°F and humid? The white t-shirt shows sweat. I don't care. Everyone is sweating. The black t-shirt hides sweat better. I learned that last July.
Fall (45°F to 70°F)
Gray sweater over the white t-shirt. Dark jeans. Brown boots. Denim jacket on top if it's windy. Rain jacket if it's raining. The down jacket stays in the closet until November.
The work pants come out in fall too. Thicker than chinos. Warmer. Brown goes with everything.
Winter (10°F to 40°F)
Base layer: white or black t-shirt (or Heattech if it's below 30°F). Mid layer: heavy wool sweater or the gray crewneck if it's not that cold. Outer layer: down jacket. Rain jacket over everything if it's snowing. Boots every day.
Below 20°F? I add the denim jacket between the mid layer and the down jacket. Three layers plus the t-shirt. Works every time. The denim jacket blocks wind better than the sweater. The down jacket traps heat. I figured this out by accident on a cold morning when I was too lazy to take off the denim jacket before putting on the down one.
Spring (40°F to 65°F)
Same as fall basically. Gray sweater or button-down. Chinos or jeans. Rain jacket always in my bag. Spring in Chicago is a lie. Sun says 60°F. Wind says 40°F. Be ready.
The Details on Each Piece
White cotton t-shirt. Uniqlo supima cotton. $15. Fits well. Stays white for about six months then starts looking gray. I replace it when it looks sad. That's twice a year.
Black cotton t-shirt. Same thing. The black fades slower. I've had mine for over a year. Still black enough.
Gray cotton t-shirt. Same thing. I wear this one the least. But when I need a lighter color under a dark jacket, it's there.
Heather gray crewneck sweater. Uniqlo cotton cashmere blend. $50. The one I wrote about before. Works from 45°F to 65°F. Layers under the denim jacket or down jacket perfectly.
Oxford cloth button-down. Everlane. $60. I wear this maybe twice a month. For days when I need to look a little more put together. Meetings with clients. Dinner that's not just drinks. The white one. Fits okay. Shoulders are a little wide for me. Still fine.
Dark wash jeans. Levi's 502. $70 on sale. No rips. No fading. Just dark blue denim. Works with everything. The fit is regular. Not skinny. Not loose. My hips fit fine. No pulling.
Black chinos. Uniqlo. $40. Thinner than the jeans. Better for summer and warmer spring days. Also fine for the office. No one has ever said anything about my chinos. That's the goal.
Brown work pants. Carhartt. $55. Thick. Heavy. Warm. These are my cold day pants. Below 40°F, I wear these. My legs stay warm. The pockets are huge. My phone fits. My wallet fits. My keys fit. I don't need a bag sometimes.
Denim jacket. Levi's. $80 on sale. No lining. Just denim. The best mid layer ever made. Blocks wind. Adds warmth without bulk. Fits over the sweater. Fits under the down jacket. I wear this thing nine months a year.
Rain jacket. Rains. $120. Thin. Waterproof. The hood is too big but I figured out the snap in the back. Works as a windbreaker too. Worth the price.
Light down jacket. Uniqlo ultra light down. $70 on sale. Packable. Warm enough down to about 20°F with a sweater under it. Below that, I need the heavy wool sweater. Folds into its own pouch. Fits in my backpack.
White sneakers. Nike Killshot. $90. Two years old. Very dirty. Still fine. I clean them sometimes. Not often.
Brown boots. Blundstone. $210. Three years old. Scratched. Still waterproof. Still comfortable. Expensive but worth it.
Black sneakers. Converse. $55. Low top. Black canvas. For days when white sneakers feel too bright. Which is rare. But I have them.
Heavy wool sweater. Vintage. Thrifted. $18 from Kokorokoko. 100 percent wool. Itchy but warm. I wear a long sleeve t-shirt under it. Works down to 10°F with the down jacket over it. The one piece I can't replace with something from Uniqlo.
What's Missing
No shorts. I don't wear shorts. Even in summer. Jeans and chinos are fine. My legs don't get that hot. That's a personal thing.
No dress clothes. No suit. No dress shirt. No dress shoes. My job doesn't require them. The Oxford button-down is as formal as I get.
No heavy winter parka. The down jacket plus the wool sweater plus the denim jacket plus a t-shirt got me through last February when it was 10°F. My face was cold. My body was fine. That's good enough for me.
What I Learned
Fifteen pieces is enough. More than enough. Most days I wear the same five or six things. The rest sit there waiting.
The key is layers. Not more clothes. The same clothes layered differently.
The key is accepting that some things will look worn. My white sneakers are dirty. My Blundstones are scratched. My denim jacket is faded. That's fine. Clothes are tools. Tools get used. Used tools look used.
I still buy things sometimes. A new t-shirt when the white one gets too gray. A new sweater if I see one I like. But I also get rid of something. Keep the number at 15. Not because I have to. Because it makes mornings easier.
Morning decisions are a waste of mental energy. Fifteen pieces means almost no decisions. Grab a t-shirt. Grab pants. Look at the temperature. Grab a layer. Leave.
That's the whole point.
