30 Tops Tops!

This is an idea I've been slowly implementing. If you have 30 tops (many women have 150 or more including tees, tanks, sweaters, sweatshirts, long sleeved, short sleeved, dress blouses, cotton blouses, etc.) you could wear each top ONLY ONCE A MONTH for an entire year!

A hundred years ago, even 30 tops would have seemed an extravagance few could afford and fewer could probably fit in those non-existent clothes closets. But now we Americans, at least according to the less is more Europeans, are swimming in a sea of mediocre at best clothing.

Imagine for a moment you cull the absolute best 30 tops from all the closets, drawers, laundry baskets, and to be folded piles of laundry all around your house and you toss anything that isn't in the top 30.

Now, each day, you will be wearing your "best" stuff and need not fear running into your boss, old boyfriend, new client, or new friend from your yoga class looking schleppy. You'll be dressed your best each and every day.

Now let's take it a step further. Let's say that old group of 100 tops was bought new for about $20 each. That is $2000 in clothing, most of which will not wear well, stay stylish for long, or be worth more than $1.00 at a garage sale within a year or less.

If instead you were starting from scratch (which you won't have to if you're like most over clothed Americans) and buying only 30 tops for the whole year. That same 2000 will buy 30 tops around $66 each. J-Crew has good quality clothing and you could currently buy a "featherweight cashmere short-sleeve sweater" on sale from $148 to $59.99.

This is a FAR better option than buying 3 cheaply made $20 tops. The cashmere will stay in style and last likely four or more years at an annual cost of $15 or less. If you repeat this thinking with all your clothing, buying good quality clothing on sale, you will soon build an impressive, high quality wardrobe for less or no more than you spend now and will up your style quotient exponentially.

Knowledge + Action = Financial Independence

Now You!

Tonight, if you have 15 minutes, start the process. Go though maybe 10 tops, keep the top three and go from there. Another great idea is to write down the things you keep and make a list of what you could still use. Maybe you already have three white cardigans. Make a note of that to avoid buying duplicates.

Happy shopping both in your closet and out of it!