How many pairs?

How many pairs of grey trousers does a person need? I am considering this question, as you may guess, not for purely philosophical reasons but because i have a bag by the door of trousers to return to H&M. Because on Friday I had a fabulous field day in the Covent Garden branch of this store, where I tried on about 24 items of clothing and bought about half of them.

But the delight wore off when I got home and tried them all on again. The shirts, the straw hat, the neckerchief, the flip-flops (yes yes I am going on a Mediterranean holiday)... these all seemed useful and delightful. But then when I tried on the three-quarter length grey trousers, the full-legged grey linen trousers and the multi-pocketed khaki shorts, I started to see a pattern. Yes, every time I go shopping (which is not often), I come home with cotton trousers in the latest neutral shades.

I checked thro' my wardrobe and was horrified to see that I have four dead pairs of grey or khaki trousers (stained or faded to the point where they are only for decorating or gardening, which I never do). Plus two nice pairs of active grey trousers in use and two of khaki (one full, one three-quarter).

WHEN WILL IT END? I am very happy with one of the new pairs and am wearing it right now. But the other two pairs are by the door with a beach towel and are going back to the shop. I did ask my girlf Jane how many pairs of grey trouser I need. She said, 'About the same as me with dance shoes.' She was on the phone in the ballroom at Blackpool Tower at the time. Possibly not the most reliable source of advice.