Why the secret to happiness is only having 37 things to wear
Brighton. ‘i had so many clothes that in my last job a colleague commented they’d never seen me in the same outfit twice — something i took as a compliment, but can now see was excessive.’
Clinical psychologist Dr Lisa Orban says protracted wardrobe dilemmas can be mentally damaging. ‘An expansive wardrobe can mean “decision fatigue”,’ she says. ‘We are bombarded with choices in our day-to-day lives, so it can feel good to simplify.’
something Louise was to discover for herself when she moved into a smaller flat and decided to downsize her wardrobe. ‘it has changed my life. i could go to the beach or a wedding and feel confident,’ she says.
But what about the well-dressed woman’s greatest fear: that people might notice you wearing the same thing again and again?
Louise insists the reverse is true: ‘A friend who came round was surprised to see i had such a small wardrobe. she hadn’t realised i had so few items,’ she says.
‘i put that down to investing in classic pieces in neutral colours.
‘The 37-piece rule sets me up so well for my day. Each item has won its place in my wardrobe and i feel really good in everything.’