More than enough clothes: a social practice-oriented study of gender and clothing accumulation
Author: Vilde Haugrønning
Abstract
Despite the growing volumes of clothing in wardrobes, the drivers of accumulation remain poorly understood and are often explained through fashion cycles or replacement needs. This article explores clothing accumulation from a practice-oriented perspective, examining how demand emerges through the interrelation of materials and social practices, with particular attention to gender dynamics. Drawing on a wardrobe study with 15 women and 15 men in Norway, it analyses how garments are acquired and disposed of in response to shifting practice demands, ideals of being well-dressed, and everyday dressing negotiations. Findings show that, on average, women acquired more garments than they disposed of, reflecting accumulation dynamics, while men typically maintained or reduced their wardrobe size. Using Shove et al’s (2007) framework on having and doing, the analysis identifies four modes in the wardrobe that impact acquisition and disposal: balance, missing materials, unrealised practices and excessive having. These modes illustrate how clothing accumulation results not from irrational overconsumption but from responses to the challenges of aligning materials in the wardrobe with being dressed for occasions in everyday life. Understanding gender as a social practice, the findings demonstrate how the ongoing work of doing gender shapes clothing accumulation dynamics. Performing femininity has material consequences – more extensive wardrobes, more acquisitions and difficulties in disposal – linking gender performance to excessive consumption. By employing a practice-oriented perspective, this study offers a critical lens for feminist critique of sustainability approaches in the context of clothing consumption.
Keywords: clothing accumulation; social practices; gender; occasions; wardrobe study