What does your closet look like?

[theoldesouth]

Mine's a madhouse.

ShirtS (long and short sleeved, oxfordS, poloS, Ts,...), jumperS, suitS, sport coatS, waistcoatS, coatS (formal, semi-formal, casual), pantS, etc., etc., all in myriad fabricS and colourS, orderly but so densely packed and nigh on impossible to get to that they're rarely, if ever, worn.

ShoeS, some lovely and polished and in regular rotation, others not so and, again, never worn. BoxeS of 'em stacked high, one column next to another.

It's all spilt over into a spare bedroom and growing.

A madhouse.

It's wonderful, but, oh my god, what do I do with this obsession to acquire nice items of apparel?

How 'bout you; in the same situation?

[Rob O]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/bhp/vacuum-storage-bags

Seriously though, this is what I do - pack the summer clothes into vacuum bags and relegate them to the attic...

[hectorm]

Dear John,
You should feel blessed you can count with a whole spare bedroom as your closet.
My wife, my son and I live in a 6 bedroom townhouse and I'm lucky I can get away with occupying a full walk-in closet and 4 other halves sharing the space.
It sounds like the only thing you need is more organization. Invest in shelves, racks, rods, drawers, etc. and you'll have a wonderful spacious dressing room.

[theoldesouth]

Dear Rob and Hectorm,

Both brilliant and much appreciated suggestions that I'll give thorough consideration to heeding.

But

I suspect that it'll be like adding lanes to a motorway. Only a temporary solution. More cars will appear, clogging things up again in a hurry.

Over the years, the large walk-in closet has been organized and reorganized, but more stuff appears in a hurry confounding the organization anew.

We all know how it is.

And it's not just clothing accumulating...



Cheers,
John

[Tutumulut]

John

Lovely thread you unraveled here and recognizable for many, I'm sure, at one length or another.

Your story and the responses from hectorm and Rob O got me thinking about classic car owners and the garage/shed they sometimes share (think James May from Top Gear for those that know him). They gather regularly to discuss mechanics, find solutions for overheating problems and locating rare parts, all over a nice glass, unaware of what is happening outside.

A central storage for clothing of LL members could serve a similar cause and we all know there is enough to talk about and share! If Slewfoot were to join, the nice glass part is covered I assume...

With enough members, we could have a proper cleaner and a 1st class cobbler on-site.

(Let's forget about practicalities such as distance for now, shall we? )

T

[theoldesouth]

T,

What a lovely idea!

John

[rodes]

My wife and I share a large walk-in, she has one side and I the other. It is well organized. My side is modeled on the "Medium Wardrobe" subject of 2005. I was mostly there anyway at the time and the advice seemed fitting. My half contains:
2 dinner jackets
2 strollers
15 suits
38 shirts
50 ties
8 sport coats
12 pair of Edward Green shoes
16 pair trousers
I can foresee only a few changes over the next ten years and even then, only in the last four items. My closet is one of the few areas of my life that seems organized in a satisfactory manner. Every other part could benefit from a little more discipline.

[theoldesouth]

Admirable discipline, Rodes, which I need to emulate.

To that end, identify a core wardrobe, donate the rest and scrutinize future temptations for necessity.

The latter being the challenge; haven't even started buying Cloth Club fabrics, yet.

[Rob O]

2 dinner jackets
2 strollers
15 suits
38 shirts
50 ties
8 sport coats
12 pair of Edward Green shoes
16 pair trousers

Some list! Are all those suits and sports coats bespoke?!

For those hapless individuals who don't own 12 pairs of EG shoes (I'm one), they have just released a rather nice catalogue, for once easily accessed over a mobile or iPad. Be aware, this could be damaging to you wallet.

http://issuu.com/edwardgreen/docs/edwar ... 97/1428430

Rob

[theoldesouth]

Just what I needed to see, Rob, another shoe catalogue.

Resist...

[rodes]

Rob, All are mtm and cut from substantial cloth such as Fox, Minnis or Dugdale. I have acquired these over the last 30 years of wearing suits for the practice of my profession. Perhaps 15 years ago, I tried bespoke and was not nearly as satisfied with the results as I presently am with my mtm craftsman. Fortunately, for me he seems to be able to do just about anything I ask. I live very far away from any bespoke artisans.

[Rob O]

Very interesting, thanks Rodes. Depending on one's body shape I think the benefits of bespoke versus MTM can be marginal. Glad to hear that it works for you.

[Russell]

Very interesting, thanks Rodes. Depending on one's body shape I think the benefits of bespoke versus MTM can be marginal. Glad to hear that it works for you.

This can be very true.

As far as actual fit is concerned decent MTM is all I 'need'. My tailor has tactfully suggested I'm very 'average' & hence easy to 'fit' - well I hope he was referring to fit

What I actually 'desire' however is provided by his bespoke service - eg certain details & ways of constructing the garment which give it the shape, style & feel I like to make it mine (for better or worse).

Rodes collection of Green shoes plus the link to the brochure reminds me I never got around to buying the pair of Dovers I've been promising myself.

As regards the physical wardrobe - the thread has sown the idea of putting a spare room to better use!

Regards

Russell

[C.Lee]

What does your closet look like?

Right now it's a minimalist-chic bar, seven hangers, and a suitcase, all in a Rome hotel. Closets just don't seem to travel* well, even when I do.

* There is something to be said for dressing well when one is travelling - a time when so many let themselves go even further. It does nicely to bridge the gap when language, norms or geography is new and unfamiliar.

[cathach]

* There is something to be said for dressing well when one is travelling - a time when so many let themselves go even further. It does nicely to bridge the gap when language, norms or geography is new and unfamiliar.

Totally in agreement with you. It may even be more important, one of these small arts rarely seen.