How long do you spend each morning wrapped in a towel staring to the abyss of your wardrobe wondering what to wear? According to new research British women spend an average of 17 minutes a day rifling through their wardrobes, and it’s sending the country into a rage.
Almost one in five British women admit they have ended up upset or angry at not finding an outfit they are happy with on a morning, according to a new study, and 15 per cent even say the drama has often ruined their mood for the rest of the day. It has also seen one in ten regularly arriving late to work because of the time spent choosing their outfit for the day, while one in twenty have missed an occasion altogether because they too so long deciding what to wear.
Despite the average wardrobe containing 152 items, many Brits still complain that they have nothing to wear at least once a week. Just 44 per cent of the clothes in our wardrobes get worn regularly, with 57 items left unworn; that’s a staggering 3.6 billion items of clothing across the nation!
Women will spend almost six months of their working life deciding what to wear. Cluttered wardrobes and anxiety about wearing the right outfit means the average woman spends almost 17 minutes a day rifling through their wardrobes. This amounts to more than four days a year or almost six months between the ages of 18 and 60.
The poll, by Marks & Spencer’s Shwopping campaign, found the huge amount of time spent staring at their clothes trying to make a decision has led to 62 per cent of women suffering ‘wardrobe rage’ – irrational tantrums about not having anything they want to wear.
Fashion stylist Bay Garnett believes it should take no longer than two minutes to pick and outfit in the morning, with a carefully curated wardrobe needed to put an end to the morning tantrums.
She said: “We all need a regular closet detox: it helps us to not only easily choose what to wear, but also clear our mind.
“Opening our wardrobes in the morning can bring a startling range of emotions. Why do we put ourselves through it? We need to start thinking about dressing for the present – for the size we are now, for the job we’re in now. It’s a process of streamlining and getting rid of some past negativity before we add anything new. Shwopping these items will not only make your wardrobe more manageable for the first time in years, but also make your mind instantly clearer.”