Nine going on ten

Despite my ever-rotating collection of clothes, I try not to let myself become a fashion hoarder. Normally, when shopping, I can take a step back and tell myself, "Yeah, that pair of shoes is just gorgeous, but you already have a perfectly serviceable pair in almost the same color, so you don't need it." And then I don't buy it. Unless I buy it and then actually follow through with getting rid of its inferior twin.

There is one category of fashion items, though, I can't seem to stop accumulating, and that is black pants. 

I currently have in my closet a pair of black cigarette pants, a pair of old plain-jane flared business-casual pants, and a pair of black capri pants. I have 2 pairs of black skinny jeans. In winter, I get out yet another pair of long black flares with a foldover waist. A friend donated me a pair of black pants with very subtle grey striping. I have a pair of black "tall"-sized skinny work pants. I also have a pair of long, dramatic, shimmery palazzo pants. That's 9 pairs of black pants in my collection, and I haven't even started on the yoga pants, lounge pants, and leggings (I'm guessing those will about double the number)!

I have very compelling reasons for never getting rid of any of my black pants: The business pants might be slightly too big but are definitely too comfortable to throw out; I refuse to part with either pair of black jeans because one fits short, and one fits long, and each serves a very distinct purpose; the foldover pants, while very similar in cut to the dress pants, are much longer and therefore much more conducive to wearing with high heels; the grey striped pants are a little too uncomfortable for me to want to wear often, but I keep them because sometimes plain black is just too severe; the skinny dress pants are – well – skinny and dressy, which makes them a valuable addition to my work wardrobe; and the palazzo pants are the only ones that have a genuinely wide leg.

Maybe it's because pants are so hard to shop for (If they don't fit perfectly, they look just plain terrible), that when I find a pair that fits, I can't risk losing it. And also, black pants go well with any top, so as long as you have a pair in every shape and weight, you can always make an outfit with one. In fact, I'm still on the lookout for a long, wide-legged, lightweight pair of black pants that I can wear in the summer when it's too hot for anything anything else I own.

If I get the perfect summer pant, then my collection of pants will have reached an even ten, which might be the perfect place to stop. Then again, if I want to get with the times, I think I might need some jogger pants. Aaaaaand probably a pair of cropped flares. And really, I can't see why I have to settle for shimmery palazzo pants when a pair in a matte fabric would be so much more versatile. Perhaps infinity is the right number of black pants for an Unfashionista.