How Many Shirts Should a Woman Own?

This is a question that plagues many women and it can also be generalized to how many clothes should I own? I can’t give you a right or wrong answer as everyone’s situation and needs are different.

However, I want to give you some guidelines and advice so that you can create a balanced wardrobe with a suitable number of womens button up shirts for every eventuality without being excessive. And that is the key here - I’m going to emphasize needs as opposed to wants and see if we can be fashionable and sustainable!

Assessing Personal Lifestyle and Needs

When looking at how many shirts should a woman own you have to consider your lifestyle and needs. It’s time to do some detective work and ask yourself the following questions:

• Do you wear a shirt for your job?
• Do you often attend events or go on business trips?
• Do you regularly go out with friends?
• How often do you go out for meals?

By answering these questions, you can quickly discern how many shirts you could benefit from! For example, perhaps you would never wear a shirt for your job as you are a personal trainer! Or maybe you go on monthly business trips and have meetings with execs in which case having more formal shirts could be necessary.

Don’t just buy shirts to have them in your wardrobe. Instead, buy them because you will use them and need them as part of your lifestyle.

Decluttering and Organization

Once you have considered your lifestyle and shirt needs, it’s time to look at your current wardrobe and do a little decluttering and organization. I like doing this periodically as it’s easy to accumulate clothes without realizing it.

Start by finding all of your existing shirts so that you know exactly what you have. Do a quality check to see if they are still suitable or if they are showing signs of wear and tear such as threads, marks, and holes.

If you have any shirts that are past their prime, instead of simply throwing them away, take them to your local charity shop so they aren’t just dumped on a landfill site and can do someone else some good.

Considerations to Get The Perfect Number of Shirts

You should now have a clear idea of how many shirts you need and have a decluttered wardrobe. This is a brilliant starting point and you are on your way to finding the right number of shirts. There are some other considerations to make that I have listed below.

Sustainable and ethical considerations

There is an increasing push for people to act responsibly and sustainably and this includes the fashion industry and our wardrobes. Now could be a great time to emphasize what you need as opposed to what you want.

You may want 20 shirts and to have 3-4 shirts for every occasion but do you need this amount? Would it not be more reasonable and sustainable to have 1-2 shirts for every occasion?

Seasonal changes

Our attire and outfits change depending on the season so you have to account for this when deciding how many shirts you need. Perhaps you feel that shirts are better suited for the winter months for example and during the warmer months, you will opt for a stylish blouse instead. Think about how your attire changes during the seasons and use this to determine how many shirts you need.

Accounting for occasions

Building on the above lifestyle pointer, to get a real gauge on how many shirts you need, you have to think of the occasions when you wear them. For example, perhaps you work in an office environment that involves wearing a formal type of shirt daily. In this instance, having a couple of extra women's button up shirts would be a great idea to allow for washing time and variance in your outfits. 

Other clothing alternatives

To create a balanced wardrobe and have the ideal number of shirts, try to think outside the box and see if any of your outfits could work as alternatives. Mix and match your shirts and blouses to create new outfits instead of simply buying more.

Embrace a Balanced Wardrobe

In today’s world, I feel we need to change our consumer habits and exercise a little restraint when it comes to our wardrobes. We have to be mindful of the environmental impact we have and consider if we need THAT many clothes.

It’s separating the lines between need and want, finding a sensible balance, while still making sure that you have enough shirts and outfits to feel comfortable, look great, and dress appropriately for different occasions.

Regardless, shirts should remain a staple of your wardrobe and as you can see from the above, having multiple is a great idea for both professional and casual attire. The key is to find that middle ground and create a balanced wardrobe.