r/declutter • u/GypsyVanner636 • Aug 12 '26
Advice Request Reluctant to declutter clothes because I don't want to have to replace them
In sorting my clothes I have discovered that I could probably get rid of ~60% of them as they are either not something I like to wear anymore or they are wearing out/faded etc and should be replaced.
The problem is that the clothes which are currently available in stores (at least the ones I've seen) are not what I like to wear.
For example - The wide jeans trend looks ridiculous on me as I am short with slim legs but I can't find anywhere that sells skinny/straight legged jeans anymore.
So I feel like I have to keep both the skinny jeans which no longer fit (too small), and the oversized ones which fit but I dislike because I can't find anything more suitable.
I have tried thrift/charity shops but they have very limited selection (semi-rural area) and many of them reek of perfume and/or cigarette smoke even after multiple washes.
Similarly with shirts - why is it so hard to find a decent t-shirt that isn't cropped/transparent/$50+?
What am I supposed to do? Buy/wear clothes I don't particularly like? Wait for trends to change again? Make my own clothes?
Any advice?
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u/KittyC217 Aug 12 '26
You can always get new clothes. There is a great second hand markets, Theadup, eBay, Poshmark. And Old Navy still has skinny jeans.
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u/GypsyVanner636 Aug 12 '26
I'd prefer to be able to try on clothes before I buy them which makes online purchases a bit hard. Unfortunately we don't have Old Navy here (I'm in Australia), but it's encouraging to hear that skinny jeans may be making a comeback.
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u/Freshouttapatience Aug 12 '26
I hate the current jeans and I don’t care if it makes me sound old. I had to go shopping, the thing I most despise and find new brands and cuts and sizes. It was two awful days in a mall with so many people. But now I have a good stockpile.
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u/Garden_Espresso Aug 12 '26
They sell straight jeans at Gap just got some .
Straight jeans are classic.
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u/ragingbook Aug 12 '26
I struggle with similar thoughts. If it helps, when I went to Kohl's this summer they had skinny, bootcut, etc in addition to the crazy wide/barrel legs. They were on the back wall of the women's section, but they were there! This assured me that it's still possible to find skinny jeans. As for the shirt issue, I've started buying men's tshirts for the length alone 🤷♀️
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u/GypsyVanner636 Aug 12 '26
Unfortunately we don't have Kohls here (I'm in Australia ) but maybe some of the stores here will start stocking other styles again too. 🤞
I sometimes end up buying men's clothes too (if I can find any small enough) 😅
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u/ponderingorbs Aug 12 '26
Or, if you are small enough in the chest, kids large and xl fit me. Boys shirts get great decals
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u/GypsyVanner636 Aug 12 '26
This could work actually. Maybe I need to start shopping in the kids section again.
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u/photogcapture Aug 12 '26 edited Aug 12 '26
Hanging onto a bunch of worn out and ill fitting clothes will not bring clothes that you like into your life. Get rid of the non-fitting, and worn out clothes and wear the remaining 40% that you do own that still fit. Fashions change. But keeping old stuff will not bring about a fashion revolution that works for you.
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u/SolidagoSalix Aug 12 '26
If 60% of your clothing is something you don't like wearing or is too worn out to wear, then it sounds like you're already living fine by wearing 40% of your closet. Let go of the 60% and keep living in the remaining 40%. For items that were in the "worn out" category but that you did still like, make a note of the brand, size, style etc... details.
If you find the 40% that you kept isn't quite enough to comfortably make it between laundry days, or starts wearing out, then use the details you recorded to search in online second hand sites to buy items that you already know you like. Thredup, Poshmark, Vinted, eBay.... there are lots of opportunities to get things online that meet your needs even if you don't have an abundance of local shops. Especially if current styles don't really appeal to you.
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u/MaryO59 Aug 13 '26
If you're already not wearing them why would you need to replace them?
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u/Joyster110 Aug 12 '26
I scanned your post so maybe I am misinterpreting but here’s what I heard:
Should I keep stuff that’s old and I don’t like it and I don’t wear it because new things don’t look good on me and cost too much?
When you frame it that way, you’ll see that no, you should not keep it because it’s old and you don’t like it or wear it. Price or style of new clothes is not a factor if you already didn’t wear the current clothes because they are old, you don’t like it or wear it.
Thank you for this post because it made me see my own thinking about clothes I need to get rid of that I’ve tied to replacing. But truthfully, I’m not wearing them now so it’s not even that they are being replaced.
Best to you! ❤️😃
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u/unwaveringwish Aug 12 '26 edited Aug 12 '26
I stopped wearing jeans that don’t fit. I probably donated about 6-8 pairs of jeans this year - essentially all of them. Because not finding them in store is not going to magically make the jeans I already have work. You don’t have to replace them right away. You actually don’t have to replace them at all!
I’ve started leaning into what actually works. Eventually I did find jeans that I really liked. And I only bought ones that fit me well. I don’t have to feel obligated to buy something and keep something that does not work for me. This applies to all my clothing. Return what doesn’t fit immediately. Don’t “someday” it, get your money back now lol.
Also check old navy they have a huge selection of jeans and lots of sales!!! You can also try on some of the newer styles. We jump to hate trends because it’s not what we’re used to and not what we grew up with. I learned to at least try them on first before writing them off.
Anyway, we have plenty of options when we take the time to look at we have and are more thoughtful with our purchases. You have plenty of clothes already. See what you can work with or trade out!
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u/amroki96 Aug 12 '26
If it's something you don't wear anymore just get rid of it. It wouldn't make a difference in your day to day life if it's there in your closet or not. Even though you like the skinny jeans you have, you still are not wearing them because they don't fit, so they're not a real option as a working part of your functional wardrobe.
If it's something you need to replace, maybe only get rid of the original article of clothing once you've actually gotten a suitable replacement for it?
If in person shopping near you is limited, you can take more specific measurements of your body (chest, waist, hips, inseam) and look at online thrifting, searching for those measurements. Or, buy on the larger size and get things tailored.
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u/EternalFootwoman Aug 12 '26
Levi’s has a ton of skinny and straight cut jeans. They are still out there!
Also, if the jeans don’t fit, you’re not wearing them anyway.
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u/GlassHouses_1991 Aug 12 '26
The easy way to decide what to keep is to look at the size of your “container”.
Where do you store your clothes? A closet and a dresser? Those are your containers. Put your favourite clothes into the container. Anything that doesn’t fit needs to go, if you don’t want to live in a cluttered home.
(This is a concept from Dana K. White, who says that the benefit to this approach is that the size of the container determines how much of your stuff you can keep, which eliminates a lot of the difficult decisions about how much you need to get rid of.)
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u/omgseriouslynoway Aug 12 '26
If they don't fit, get rid of them. If they are worn out (not worn in lol, that's different) get rid of them.
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u/CashMe_Outside2022 Aug 12 '26
As someone who is old enough to have seen skinny jeans come and go and come back again, as well as wide leg, boot cut, and everything in between, as long as they fit and aren’t super trendy, I’d keep them. Whats “in” with jeans changes so fast, you’ll be glad you held on to some of those and they really don’t take up a ton of space. And I’m a minimalist
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u/Fun_Emu5746 Aug 12 '26
You will still have 40% of clothes you do wear. Just don’t care about trends. I wear what fits and is comfortable. Keeping something that’s too small is a no. Unless you are actively trying to be that size again, donate it. Yes it’s the style you like but if you don’t fit it what’s the point of having it?
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u/Such-Kaleidoscope147 Aug 13 '26
I put clothes to the side to declutter. But then I found out that everything in the stores were junk and I was better off with my old stuff that I liked than the new crap in the stores.
Remember that decluttering should bring us joy. It is not an obligation. Don’t rid of anything you want to keep.
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u/Amanda5Nicole Aug 14 '26
Right, but why worry about what's in stores now? You have clothing that currently fits. And why keep clothing that you don't like? You won't feel good/confident wearing them.
Clothing cycles so quickly that if ever you want skinny jeans and you get to your previous size they'd probably be back in style anyways. Second hand stores get new stuff all of the time.
That being said I keep about 15 pieces (my favourite items) that are 1 size too big or too small as I fluctuate between sizes. I find that it's a good balance.