The temptation to buy more clothes may have nothing to do with the latest viral trends, fast fashion or influencer culture. New research from Vestiaire Collective, the global online marketplace for pre-owned luxury fashion, and consulting agency WRÅD suggests the problem isn’t a lack of clothes, but a “disconnect between what we own and who we are.”
This week, the partners released “Got Nothing to Wear Research,” a report that identifies the universal reasons why consumers often feel like they have nothing to wear despite owning full wardrobes.
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The study found that 84 percent of respondents have experienced the “got nothing to wear” (GNTW) feeling and 89 percent of frequent GNTW respondents report that the feeling has led them to purchase at least once. Although the feeling spans all age groups, it is especially common among consumers aged 18–25. Nearly six in ten in this group report experiencing it weekly or more often, and women experience GNTW 21 percent more frequent than men.
The study is part of a new Vestiaire Collective Impact campaign that aims to educate consumers to shop more consciously by buying less and better. The campaign encourages consumers to allow their wardrobes to evolve through more qualitative and timeless secondhand options rather than firsthand overconsumption.
The survey is based on 5,643 responses across five key markets: France, Italy, Germany, the U.K. and the U.S. The research also included 10 in-home wardrobe audits, each lasting approximately 60 minutes. Vestiaire said these sessions were “designed to observe emotional obsolescence as it manifests in real wardrobes, while generating qualitative insight to support the wider research.”
“Our exploratory research into the ‘nothing to wear’ phenomenon, conducted with predominantly fashion-engaged individuals within the Vestiaire Collective ecosystem, suggests that the feeling is near-universal within this sample and reveals that it has little to do with the quantity of clothes people own and more to do with how they relate to them emotionally,” the marketplace stated.
The report highlights how abundance tends to amplify GNTW feelings. Among those who experience GNTW weekly or more, 72 percent own more than 100 items, and almost half (47 percent) own more than 200.
An actual lack of clothing is rarely the root cause of GNTW. Rather, common triggers include poor body image, seasonal changes, weight fluctuations, lack of confidence and other societal pressures like the need to look different or comparison with others. “It’s about how we feel about ourselves in that moment,” the report stated.
The study found that, as the frequency of GNTW increases, emotional attachment to clothing collapses. While most people say they like their wardrobe, frequent GNTW moments are associated with greater wardrobe dissatisfaction. Among those who experience GNTW weekly or more, only 58.2 percent report liking or loving their wardrobe.
By contrast, among those who rarely or never experience GNTW, 86.9 percent say they like or love what they own, underscoring the value of feeling more connected to their wardrobe.
