Buying basics together

Short answer: Buy basics together once or twice a year. One combined purchase gives you an overview, the same quality in the drawer and fewer of the small buys that never add up to a whole wardrobe. It takes a little planning but saves time for the rest of the year.

One combined purchase gives an overview

With the whole list in front of you, the gaps are easy to see. Buying one piece at a time, you forget what is already in the drawer and end up with three of the same and none of what is missing. Sit down together, go through the drawers, and write down what each of you needs. See the women's range.

The same quality across the drawer

If everything wears at the same rate, everything can be replaced at the same time. That makes the drawer easier to manage. Mix new and old, and there are always a few pieces that should have been replaced but still get worn. A combined purchase gives a drawer where everything is in the same condition. See women's most popular.

Twice a year is enough

Basics wear slowly enough for two purchases to cover a year. Spring and autumn work well, because the wardrobe changes between seasons anyway. Then buying becomes a fixed part of the tidy up at those times, not something to remember on its own. See most popular from Copenhagen Bamboo.

Make a list before you buy

The simplest way to avoid buying the wrong things is a list. Count how many socks, boxers, knickers and T-shirts each of you has, and how many are worn out. Note sizes and colours so you do not have to guess later. The list also shows whether something can wait until next time.

A list each, one purchase

Even when you buy together, these are two separate wardrobes. Keep the lists apart, and let each person decide on their own. What is shared is the purchase and the timing, not the choice of clothes. Then both get what they need without one having to judge the other's drawer.

Stick with styles that work

Once you have found a style that fits and lasts, the easiest thing is to buy it again. You know how the size fits and how it holds up after washing. New styles can be tried as a single piece first, before you buy more. That keeps the drawer consistent and saves on returns.

Make room for the new

When the new basics arrive, take the worn ones out straight away. If the new simply goes on top of the old, the drawer fills up fast, and the old keeps getting worn instead of being thrown out. A combined purchase works best when it also becomes a combined clear out.

Small buys can still happen

Buying together does not mean you can never buy anything in between. If something breaks or is suddenly missing, it is fine to buy it. The point is that most basics are bought together, so the small buys become the exception rather than the way the wardrobe is built.

Frequently asked questions

Why buy basics together

Because a combined purchase gives an overview. With the whole list in front of you, the gaps are clear, and you avoid buying three of the same while what is actually missing gets forgotten.

How often should you buy

Once or twice a year. Basics wear slowly enough for two purchases to cover a whole year for two adults, and spring and autumn fit well with the change of season.

Is having the same quality an advantage

Yes. When everything wears at the same rate, it can all be replaced together, and the drawer does not hold a mix of new and worn out pieces that you end up wearing anyway.