My Closet in Numbers: A Deep Dive Into the Data Behind My Dream Wardrobe

A few years ago, I realized I had a little habit. Okay, fine. A big habit. I was constantly shopping. Buying cute things that caught my eye, only to have them sit unworn in my closet, silently judging me. I’d swing between impulse purchases and aesthetic aspirations, always hoping the next item would be the missing piece that made me feel put-together. Spoiler alert: it wasn’t.

So I started tracking everything.

Every item. Every wear. Every dollar. I made a spreadsheet (yes, a beautiful little beast of a spreadsheet that my perfect husband built JUST FOR ME) to get brutally honest with myself. The idea was simple. Know what I own. Understand how I use it. Curate a closet that actually serves my life and not just my Pinterest board.

Now, a few years in, I’ve got the receipts. Literally.

And just to be clear — this data only includes pieces I still own. Anything that’s since been sold, donated, or otherwise removed didn’t make it into these numbers. So what you’re seeing here is a portrait of my current, living, breathing, much-loved wardrobe.

So let’s dig in.

Total Spent, Total Worn, and the Price of Getting Dressed

So far, I’ve invested $20,589.40 into my wardrobe. That sounds like a lot. Okay, it is a lot. But when you spread it across every item and every wear, things start to make sense.

My wardrobe has seen a total of 3,724 wears. Which means the average cost per wear of everything I own is about $5.53. Some pieces are punching well above their price tags. Others? Well… they were a moment.

Most and Least Worn

Let’s start with the MVP. The most worn item in my entire closet is my Dooney & Bourke Black Large Satchel with a whopping 252 wears. She’s sturdy. She’s practical. She’s been through it. She also owes me nothing.

And then there’s the other side of the closet. The least worn item? A Miami fanny pack that has exactly one wear to its name. A reminder that vacation brain should not be allowed to shop without supervision.

Brand Breakdown: The Heavy Hitters

If my wardrobe had a hall of fame, it would look something like this:

1. Unbranded (which includes merch and any names I don’t recognize) – 38 items

2. Abercrombie & Fitch (A&F) – 8 items

3. Gucci – 5 items

4. Free People – 5 items

5. Coach – 5 items

Apparently, I have a thing for variety. Also, Unbranded pieces are doing a lot of the heavy lifting, which is probably due to my love of second-hand shopping, as evident by over 36% of my wardrobe being second-hand.

Category Deep Dive: What I Actually Wear

Here’s where it gets fun. I broke everything down by category to see what types of clothes are earning their keep—and what’s just hanging around for vibes.

Category - Avg Cost Per Wear

Tops - $2.30

Bottoms - $2.34

Jumpers - $2.40

Purses - $8.17

Shoes - $11.42

Jackets/Outerwear - $11.93

Dresses/Jumpsuits - $45.77 (!)

So basically, I live in casual separates and very occasionally become the main character in a jumpsuit that cost me a small emotional breakdown per wear. Noted.

Some Honest Observations

• Tops and bottoms are the MVPs of versatility. They get worn the most and justify their cost quickly.

• Dresses and jumpsuits, while stunning, are a financial commitment. I clearly treat them like special occasion items, and the data agrees.

• Shoes and jackets are investment pieces with higher cost per wear but tend to hold their value and last.

• I own a surprising number of purses, which I’m not mad about, but a few of them definitely fall into the “emotional support bag” category.

So… Is This Working?

Honestly? Yes. Tracking my wardrobe has been one of the best things I’ve ever done for my relationship with shopping. It slows me down. It makes me thoughtful. And it gives me the ability to say yes to something fabulous because I’ve been thinking about it for months, not because I saw it once on Instagram and blacked out.

My closet isn’t perfect, but it’s curated. And it’s mine. I still love beautiful things. I still add pieces when they feel right. But now I do it with context. With history. With data, baby.

And that feels really, really good.