Red Week

I chose last week as red week. I almost didn't make it. I ended up having just enough red pieces to fill out the whole week.

Monday -- I was excited to wear a pair of new shoes. More on that later.

A different angle, but I don't know why. I guess because I thought I'd look thinner?

This was Tuesday. I really liked this outfit, but for some reason, it was really, really warm in work. So I wasn't comfortable. 

These boots were part of the black shoe purchase. I had been wanting a pair of gray boots and I know I will get a lot of use out of these. They are suede and not quite over the knee, but have a cute bow in the back. They are very comfortable.

This was Wednesday. This is a sleeveless dress with a sweater over it. It was very comfortable. I've had the boots for about 10 years and have only worn them as many times. I decided that it was time to pull them out of the closet. I'm glad I did. 

Thursday. I got this skirt from H&M back at the end of December because I felt I needed another gray skirt. It's actually pretty good quality and very comfortable.

I've had this jacket for a long time. It's a love/hate thing. It's kind of quilted and I received several compliments,
but I feel it can be frumpy.

Friday. I had to lose a few pounds for these pants to fit comfortably in the waist, and I have. I still have about 5 more pounds to go, but at least my pants aren't killing me anymore. 

So that's the week's rundown. This exercise made me wear clothes that I hadn't put on in awhile. What I should do is get rid of things that I am not truly happy with, but I'm giving myself a few more tries before I put something in the giveaway pile.

As for the shoe purchases, I originally went out to just buy a simple pair of black suede pumps. I only have one pair of black pumps and they are kind of plain. I found this cute pair for $50 and the boots were on sale, as well as a pair of rain boots. I paid for the suede boots and shoes in cash, and then charged the rain boots on a credit card. I see the rain boots as a necessity and didn't feel guilty buying them on credit. 

Stripe Week

In follow up to my previous post about picking a theme each week so I make sure I wear all of my clothes, I too pictures of my outfits last week for stripe week. I only took pictures for two outfits and snapped them in the bathroom at work. 

I really like wearing striped shirts with floral scarves. I like the contrast. 

Here is another outfit. 

I received a lot of compliments on this outfit, but the pants don't fit right. More about that in the next post.

I forgot to photograph Friday's outfit. Now that I know I can do this quickly in work and that the quality isn't really as horrible as I expected, I will do this every day and try and put them up once a week. 

Next post is about spending.

An Alternative to Project 333

One of my goals/resolutions this year was to do another round of Project 333 (like I did this time last year), but when it came time to choose favorite items to wear, I just couldn't narrow it down. Over the past year or two, I have gotten rid of a lot of clothing that I just didn't love. And I still do that whenever I find something that I don't like anymore. Or if I wear it and it bothers me, it goes out that night, whether it be to the giveaway pile or the trash. 

But I simply could NOT limit myself to 33 items this year. Last year I couldn't do it either, although I did follow the other rule of removing things that didn't fit or didn't wear that often. For the most part, those things have been given away this year, and yet I still have about 12 skirts, 10 sweaters, 7 dresses, 10 casual tops, about 5 blouses/button down shirts, 5 pairs of jeans, 5 pairs of dress pants, and 7 or 8 jackets. Not to mention the shoes and purses. 

However, at least in this past year, when I bring something into the house, something goes out. Amazingly, I only bought one or two pairs of shoes last year. My mindset has definitely changed. I have a pair of rain boots that I bought about 5 years ago, and they are on their way out. But instead of just rushing right out and buying another pair, I'm giving this pair one more season, and then I'll buy a pair of Hunter boots at the end of winter. I am finally investing in higher quality shoes because it is worth it. 

So to make sure I am wearing ALL of the clothes in my closet, I decided to have a theme each week, and that would limit my choices and force me to wear everything at least once. The thing that started me on this idea was when my mother in law got me aqua nail polish for Christmas. I decided to try it and I really liked it, so I looked in my closet to see what I could wear with it. I don't have a lot of that color, but I successfully pulled together five outfits that matched my nail polish in some capacity. I might have worn black pants and a white top, but I also wore a scarf that had teal in it. 

The second week was gray, the third week (last week) was animal print, and this week is stripes. 

I'm working from home today but I wore a striped shirt yesterday and I'll be doing the same tomorrow and the rest of the week. My striped item will probably be a top each day, because aside from a scarf or two, the only striped things I own are tops. 

This has helped me tremendously so far with simplifying my outfit options and forcing me to be creative. I am really enjoying this self-induced challenge. I may even photograph my outfits and post them.

Are you doing Project 333 or are you doing something else to make sure you wear what you have? 

Why I Need Project 333

I did Project 333 from January to April and I blogged about how great it was for me. However, when April 1 rolled around and I was challenged to again go through my clothes and get rid of what I didn't wear, it was still mighty chilly here in Southeastern Pennsylvania. We did not officially turn our heat off until the very end of April, and I could not even fathom looking at my spring clothes, much less getting them out and going through them. 

So I decided I didn't need no stinkin' Project 333, and I would instead wait for warmer weather and get all of my spring/summer clothes out at once. That process happened one weekend either at the very end of April or the very beginning of May, I can't remember which. At that point, we had had a few warmish days and I figured that it would be safe to put away my black and gray sweaters. Also, since it can go from the low 60s to upper 80s here in the span of a day or two, I didn't think that I could POSSIBLY narrow my wardrobe down to 33 spring items when I knew I'd be wearing my tank tops in a month's time. 

Here it is July 23. As in years past, I am thinking, "There aren't enough warm days in a year for me to wear all of the possible outfit combinations I can come up with, so at least some of my clothes will go unworn...again." 

I thought it would be different. I thought I learned my lesson this winter after the first round. I thought I'd give all of my spring/summer clothes the equal love they deserved and wear them all at least once, if not several times. And yet...

Here I am pulling out the same pieces of clothing every morning and switching it up enough to create a different outfit. Hmmm, there's a phrase for this, I just know it. 

Capsule wardrobe. 

Let me diverge for a second here. I, the "undercover minimalist," have continued to buy clothes. Let me say that again. I've continued to buy clothes. Have I learned NOTHING?!?!

So far this spring and summer, I have purchased:

•  three dresses (I already have four that I like and are flattering on me)
• a pair of black pants because I didn't lose enough weight to fit into the pair I already owned
• a pair of red flats because I needed something to go with the RED sweater I also bought (even though I donated a pair of flats in the exact same shade of red last year)
• above-referenced red sweater
• a pair of white sandals because I felt I actually needed white shoes even though I haven't owned white sandals/shoes for almost a decade
• TWO white T-shirts for layering because hey, buy in multiples!
• five printed T-shirts 
• a black sweater because apparently I need three
• an off-white lightweight sweater because one is not good enough
• a pair of khaki pants because two aren't enough
• a black button down shirt because BLACK
• a white eyelet suit-jacket-type jacket because it was $10 and on super sale at the outlets
• a royal blue skirt
• an orange skirt
• a plain black T shirt
• an aqua T shirt
• a pair of khaki sandals
• two summer scarves
• a dressier white short-sleeved shirt
• a blue and white v-neck sweater

I think there are a few more things in there, but I can't remember them at the moment. But wait! I have a good reason; lots of them actually! I NEEDED everything I bought. Or at least that's what I tell myself. To be fair, I did fill a few gaps in my closet and replaced a few items (black sweater, white tees), and I have walked away without getting anything a few times. I also purged a large bag of items that I knew were too uncomfortable or just not me to ever wear again. 

Oh, the outfit combinations are ENDLESS. So endless in fact, that I'll live to a ripe old age before I can wear them all. So endless that I get overwhelmed all over again looking at my closets. So endless that I wear the same things over and over and over again. Some of my clothes in the closet are pieces that are now too warm to wear but worked well for all of April and a few days in early May. However, I should probably put them out of sight because I won't wear them again until October at the earliest. But the rest...well, there are things I know darned well I won't wear ever again but I'm caught up in the old "getting rid of them is like throwing money away" mindset, not to mention the "what if I want to wear this one day?" thoughts that haunt me. 

And so I shall attempt to do a thorough closet declutter by the official end of the summer. The reason I say end of summer is because I was far too busy during the months of June and July to take the time to try everything on and make mindful decisions about what can stay and what should go. 

I know I posted about this before, but I really, truly have learned things from my first (and only) round of P333. I have learned that I don't like V neck shirts but prefer rounded necklines when it comes to T-shirts for layering. The opposite holds true for sweaters -- I don't like rounded necks with buttons but prefer sweaters with no buttons at all or V necks with buttons. I have also learned that without a doubt black, gray, and white are the crown jewels of colors. Aside from the red sweater I bought, everything else I bought for work is either black, gray, or white. I can liven things up with scarves or jewelry, but sticking to those basics makes getting dressed each morning infinitely easier.

I have also learned that while quality over quantity is the ideal, sometimes things don't have to be of the very best quality to serve your needs. Of those patterned T-shirts I bought, I got three cute ones from Old Navy. Two of them were specifically for two pairs of casual pants that I have, and the third was because I felt I needed something blue and white for the red, white and blue summer holidays. Old Navy T-shirts are the best fitting ones that I have found. Their "perfect tee" has spandex in it so no shrinkage and it keeps it's shape, and the ones I got for summer are lightweight and not as fitted so they hide my rolls. I wash them in the machine but hang them to dry and they are wrinkle free and ready for the next wear. 

So I've missed the spring round of P333 and the new round that started on July 1. I don't think I can get serious about it again until the next round on Oct. 1. By then I will be sick of my summer clothes anyway and will be ready to downsize. At least I hope I am. 

Next up...purses!    

    

Project 333 Part Two

Here in southeastern Pennsylvania, the weather finally seems like it will start acting more like spring than winter. This week we are expecting a few days with temperatures in the 60s, with some sunshine.

As most of you know, April 1 begins a new round of Project 333. While starting in January was fairly easy with regard to the types of clothing I was going to choose, this time will be a bit more challenging. We can go from 50 degree (F) days in April to 90 degrees in mid May and early June. So I will need to carefully consider my choices this time around.

I will definitely be keeping some of the same items of clothing as I used in the last round...things like striped tees that I layered under sweaters and even a few pairs of pants that weren't heavy material. I will be switching out my heavier sweaters with some lighter weight tops, but I'll keep a few lightweight sweaters that can be worn all year round, especially since I work in an air conditioned office.

One of the problems I will have in April is the fact that I need to lose some weight in order for my spring/summer clothes to be truly comfortable. To that end, I joined Weight Watchers in work and lost a few pounds in my first week. If I take off another 5-7 pounds by the end of April, my clothes should fit comfortably. When I lose all of the weight that I'm trying to get rid of, then my clothes will be REALLY comfortable. My motivation is to make sure I reach my goal withing the next 8 weeks or so. In the meantime, I'll continue to wear skirts and hose, which I often find more comfortable than pants anyway.

Today, however, I am going to Old Navy for a few more T-shirts in brighter colors. I don't plan to spend more than $50, and to make sure that I stick to my budget, I will only take that amount in cash. I know one of the benefits of being minimalist is being able to invest in higher quality clothing because you're buying fewer items, but oddly enough, the super cheap T-shirts from Old Navy happen to be my favorites. I bought two striped and one solid shirt in the fall, and they still look great after wearing them frequently in the first round of P333. I'm not sure if that's because I never put them in the dryer, but whatever it is, they have held up well. I can't see spending alot of money for T-shirts when their lifespan is usually pretty short. And O.N. really does have quite a selection.

I will post a little later in the week what my new items will be for round two of P333, so check back.

Have you done P333? If so, let me know how you made out with round one and if you plan to continue.

Oh, and thanks for reading!

Project 333 Update

I believe I gave myself about 48 clothing items for this first round of P333. Here I am 1-1/2 months into it, and I haven’t worn quite a few of those items. I am finding myself wearing the same things over and over but not really repeating outfits. Here’s my roundup:

 

Sweaters:

7 button down – 3 worn only once, 1 of them several times (my trusty black cardigan), and the other 3 not at all. I decided that one of the sweaters was a little too lightweight and therefore it has been moved back to my closet and will come out in the spring. I had a second black sweater and the opportunity to wear it just never materialized. The last one is ¾ sleeves and I just haven’t been inclined to wear it. It’s also quite bright, so I think it will work better in the spring.

4 pullover – I’ve worn all of these several times. Two are lightweight and work well over a blouse and the others are a bit heavier and are worn on their own.

 
1 open front cardigan – worn two or three times. I can wear this with so many things; I just don’t know why I haven’t.

Dresses:

1 black, 1 geometric pattern, 1 wool cowl neck. I wore the cowl neck for the second time yesterday and almost died of heatstroke in the office. Last night I washed it and it is now in the giveaway pile. It was one of those dirt cheap, name brand, final sale bargain buys that I never really loved. The geometric pattern dress has been a staple and has been worn several times. The black dress was worn a few times, but the last time I washed it my husband unknowingly threw it in the dryer. I haven’t tried it on again to see if it still fits. I’m a little afraid.

 

Pants:

1 gray, 1 brown, 3 denim, 2 black – I wore the gray and the brown earlier on. They were also Talbots final sale bargain pants of good quality. I was never happy though with how they fit so decided I could live without them. They’re in the giveaway pile. I’ve worn the denim several times, and the black ones got the most wear.

 

Skirts:

1 black, 1 gray, 1 taupe, 2 multicolored, 1 polka dot – I’ve worn the black, gray and polka dotted several times. The taupe is fairly new so I’ve worn it once. Wore one of the multicolored ones twice and the other one I decided is more spring like so it went back into the closet.

 

Blouses:

2 white button downs, 1 red, 1 animal print, 1 silver – Have not worn the white cotton blouse at all. I’m not entirely sure why; maybe because it’s not a good layering blouse. The other white, the red, and the animal print were new purchases. Red and white are great for layering as they are silky and lightweight. The animal print is kind of long; I wore it once but am having a hard time styling it. It will work into spring though, so I’m holding on to it. Wore the silver blouse a couple of times.

 

Tops:

3 striped tees (black/gray, black/white, white/black), 1 polka dot, 1 solid royal blue, 2 black – have worn all of these (minus the polka dot) several times. They continue to work as great base layers with my sweaters. The polka dot is a new purchase. It’s a bit big but since it’s black and white, it will go with a lot and can transition into spring.

 

Jackets:

3 black, 1 denim – wore 2 black and the denim a few times. The other one is a bit heavy so I’ll end up wearing it more as an outer layer when the weather warms up.

 

*********************************************************************

I did not include outerwear, shoes, purses, scarves or jewelry in my 33-50 items because I did not want to limit myself. However, as to be expected, I ended up wearing the same shoes/jewelry/ outerwear and carrying the same purse all winter.

Shoes:

1 pair rain boots, 1 pair black Uggs, 1 pair black pumps, 1 pair black flats, 1 pair of sneakers, 1 pair black walking shoes, 2 pairs of black leater boots. Clearly many of these won't be on the spring list, but I am not sick of them yet. I've had no desire to purchase another pair of shoes because these have all suited me just fine.

Outerwear:

1 almost knee length black wool coat, 1 black shorter coat, 1 black down coat, 1 shorter ski jacket – wore all of these, but the down coat has seen the most wear because of all the snow. It is functional and warm, but I’m tired of looking like a grizzly bear. I have two more winter coats that I need to just give away as I am unlikely to wear them again. I tried making the argument to myself that they are wool, warm, good quality, and I will wear them next year, but who am I kidding. I haven't worn them in about 5 years, so it's time to pass them on to someone who will use them.  

Purses:

1 light tan satchel with a detachable shoulder strap, 1 small green square bag that fits my laptop perfectly. I’ve gotten compliments on my purse from everyone. I picked it up at a discount store for $50. It’s not real leather, but I really wish it was. The size, shape, and color are perfect, and in the future, I may splurge on one that is real leather. The laptop bag was a super lucky find. I saw it in the same discount store for $20 hidden behind some more expensive bags. It’s colorful and matches nothing, but that is okay because I only bring it home some of the time. It’s the perfect size and I am thrilled with it. 

Jewelry:
I have been either throwing away super cheap jewelry that I never wear or colleting the stuff that is still salvageable to give away. I feel like I have a lot of jewelry, but probably not as much as others. Many of my pieces were gifts from my husband, so they stay. As for the other stuff, well, if it doesn't look classic/timeless, I'm probably going to get rid of it as I go along.

Scarves:
I've gotten rid of a few but I still have a lot more. Because I don't feel that they take up much room, I will keep them for now. However, I have not bought any new scarves at all this winter, nor have I had the desire to do so. 

What I Have Learned:

1. I am not yet tired of any of the clothes that I’ve already worn. I can still come up with a lot of different combinations.

 

2. The number of pieces I wear can probably be reduced next winter because I find that I wear them to work and then come home and change into yoga pants anyway due to the cold weather. I should probably stock up on those instead.

 

3. Many of my clothes will transition over to the next season because it will still be chilly in April. Also, because I work in an office, many articles are all weather pieces.

 

4. I need a new pair of rain/snow boots. I'd like to get a really good pair this spring duruing a sale, but I'm not sure it's in the budget this year,   

 

5. Real Uggs are the most fabulous things in the world. (Will share an interesting story on real vs. fake Uggs in an upcoming post.)

 

6. I will try to include shoes in my next selection. I'm making no promises, but I do think I could limit myself to a few pair and not feel shoe deprived.

 

7. I really need to go through my purses, but I am finding that this is the one thing that I tend to get bored with faster than everything else. I like carrying different purses, but I don't switch them out enough to get sufficient use from them. I need to further examine my feelings on purses as the year progresses.  

Finally, our winter here has been brutal, but I'm not dying to get into spring clothes like I usually am. I'm not even thinking about a "new" wardrobe for spring. Instead, I am really satisfied so far with my clothing choices and how this project has been going. I have become so much more selective about spending money on clothes. On the rare occasion that I have actually been in a store and see something that I might like, I immediately think, “If it’s not EXACTLY what I’m looking for, then I’m not wasting my money on it.” This has carried over to other things as well, such as items for my home. I absolutely refuse to have buyer’s remorse anymore, even if I just spend $10.

The Million Dollar Day

One of the items I decided was all wrong for me when I started clearing my closet for Project 333 was a long-sleeved gold sweater that I had purchased from Talbots in fall of 2012 during one of their online final sales. It probably didn't cost me more than $20. When I got it, it wasn't quite what I expected, but since it was on final clearance, I couldn't return it. I did alot of that with Talbots -- bought final clearence items for dirt cheap because of the name brand -- and most of my purchases ened up sitting in my closet because they were all wrong for me. In fact, I'm not sure I have more than 2 pairs of pants at most that I actually kept after one of my clearance frenzies. 

Anyway, I wore the sweater in December 2012 to one of my company's holiday parties, then put it away for the winter, and took it out again this past December for yet another holiday party. A coworker came up and told me how much she loved it, but after wearing it that day, I ended up hating it. It was too big on me, too hot, and just...too much. Since I knew I was never going to wear it again, I took it into the office and asked her if she wanted it. She didn't know what to say. She offered to pay me, but I told her absolutely not.

She wore it yesterday, and came over to my desk at 9 a.m. to tell me that four people had already stopped her to tell her they loved her sweater. And rightfully so, as she did it the justice that I never could. It looked like a different sweater on her and she looked beautiful. She thanked me again and said "I feel like a million bucks today." Which made me feel like a million bucks.

I can't even express what a wonderful feeling it was to have that happen. It will go down in history as one of my all-time greatest moments.

As I go through my clothes with P333, if there is something that I am wearing and I end up not loving it, I am getting rid of it. And if someone in work admires it, or if I think it might fit their personality, then it's theirs. Aside from giving away the sweater, I gave two scarves to another coworker who wears alot of navy. Considering I own only one thing in navy that I recently ate my way out of, I knew I'd never wear those scarves. She loves them and has since worn both of them.

This is really fun. I may very well end up giving someone the shirt off my back one day. Good thing I have a spare sweater in work to put on just in case...

Project 350 (or Less) Items

Because I don't actually have space at the moment to store the clothes that didn't make the cut, I moved them from my bedroom closet to the hall closet. I also took the T-shirts and sweaters that I chose and moved them to one dresser drawer. So while the clothes I'm not planning to wear aren't exactly stored away, they are out of sight. I can't believe what a tremendous feeling this is. Starting today, I didn't have to look at those clothes that I haven't worn in a year or so and feel guilty for not choosing them each morning. What a relief! I am closer to 50 items although some of these may go to the donate pile as I make my way through the next three months.

Behold my closet:

It contains the following items:

6 skirts (only 5 shown)
2 vests (one of them may go after I wear it; I haven't gotten that far yet)
6 basic T-shirts for layering under sweaters
4 blouses
13 sweaters (at least 9 of these are lightweight and I wear them more as shirts than sweaters)
4 jackets (for wearing over T-shirts; two not shown)
5 pants (includes 2 pairs of jeans not shown)
3 dresses (1 not shown)
Total number of items = 43.

Per the rules, NOT included are loungewear/workout clothes. I still have too many of those too, and I expect to cull them this winter.

Breaking the rules: I did not include in my items outerwear, shoes, and accessories. I am still experimenting with those items this winter. I want to see how many times I wear (or don't wear) a certain coat or pair of shoes before giving them away.

In years past, I wouldn't really think about whether I wore something; I was keeping it because I spent good money and I might need it at some point in the future. This year, I am much more mindful when I'm actually wearing something and taking note of how I feel in it. If I am even unsure about it, out it goes. The simple act of mindfulness when I wear my clothes is a great feeling.

I hope I still feel this way come the middle of March!

Oh Those Clothes...

The clothing dilemma. It haunts me. I am not doing well in this department, despite the fact that it was the impetus for my minimalizing.

About four years ago I got heavily into fashion, and as a result, spent more money on clothes than I ever had before. I wanted to be stylish and up to date in what I wore. Call it a midlife crisis. Also, as my kids got older and cost less money (no more daycare, etc.), I had more disposable income. So I started buying from higher end retailers like Talbots and Macy's (yes, that is high end to me), and I would order with abandon when Talbots had one of its outlet clearance sales. I got many pieces of clothing for under $20. My argument was that you couldn't really be picky, but hey, you got quality and a name brand, right? Never mind the fact that they were final sale, and many of the items I got just never fit me properly or were too bulky or whatever. They were Talbots and they were cheap.

Even when I started my new job 1-1/2 years ago, I felt even more justified in my spending because I was now working in a "corporate" environment. I felt important. Women wore skirts and nice pants and even suits. The guys all wore ties. I HAD to keep up. Also, I work with a blithering idiot, so I rewarded myself to lunchtime trips to TJ Maxx (right across the street from the office) two or three times a week because "I deserved it."

Fast forward a year and we're looking at college costs for my son. He's applied to mostly private schools (or out-of-state state schools) which may cost $40,000-$50,000 per year. I'll write more about that in another post, but suffice to say that I could no longer spend like I was. In August, my husband and I had a serious conversation about reigning all of our spending, and by that time, I had given enough thought to minimalism that I was up for the challenge.

I won't say that I haven't spent money on clothes. I have. But I have been filling gaps in my closet and bought things that were only white, black, or gray to get me through the winter. Those are the colors that EVERYBODY wears at work and they are easy. I didn't have enough in my closet, so I limited myself to classic pieces that would go with everything.

This endeavor has been successful, but I kind of fell off the wagon this past weekend. I am a big fan of the Jockey Person to Person line because their clothes are crazy high quality and made for women. Their blouses and pants are cut for the regular woman's body and I love them. However, I won't buy them full price, because that's just a bit out of my price range. So I buy a few pieces during their semiannual sale, and on Sunday, I went to my rep's house to try something on for size and to place an order for three items that I very carefully selected, after much thought and consideration. Still, I ended up buying four additional pieces of her sample items too. Granted, they are deeply discounted because a bunch of women like myself have tried them on countless times, but I don't really need any of them.

And yet, and yet, I WANT them. They are basic pieces that will go with everything I have and they will last me for years. I treat all of my clothes with kid gloves now, and I can get three or four seasons out of an Old Navy t-shirt that cost me $2.99.

I need to give myself a little credit here though. The way I've purchased my clothes has changed -- I only pay in cash, try everyting on, make sure it all goes with everything else, and are higher in quality. I no longer buy clothes because they were a good deal. Because we all know that if you don't need them, then they're no deal at all.

Anyway, today I wore another three pieces from my selection for Project333, so even though they aren't catalogued yet as such, they are still part of the experiment. When I finally move things around in my closet, I'll post a picture.

What is your philosophy on clothing purchases? If you changed your spending habits, how long did it take before you stopped really wanting to buy, buy, buy?

Project 350 (or less)

So I’m breaking the rules a bit when it comes to Project333. The essence of the project is to choose 33 items (every three months, or season) that fall into the following categories:

What: 33 items including clothing, accessories, jewelry, outerwear and shoes.

What not: these items are not counted as part of the 33 items – wedding ring or another sentimental piece of jewelry that you never take off, underwear, sleepwear, in-home lounge wear, and workout clothing (you can only wear your workout clothing to work out)

 

I say “essence” because I believe that Courtney Carver would still want me to downsize my wardrobe, even if it included 50 items instead of 33. That’s only 17 more items anyway, right?

 

Because I love fashion and clothes, I am taking a few liberties with this project so as not to set myself up for failure. If I am too limited, I will give up completely and not even bother making the effort. Therefore, instead of including jewelry, outwear and shoes in the 50 items (or less), I am keeping them out of the equation. It’s possible I will ultimately include them in my total selection, but that is yet to be seen.

 

I haven’t yet actually picked out my items, although that was supposed to be done this past weekend. Instead I got hung up on putting away holiday decorations and having a little me time.

 

But today is the day that I had planned to start, and in a way, I did. I wore a dress and a sweater that will definitely be part of my 50 items (or less). Over the course of this week, I will move the clothes that don’t make the cut into my hall closet and gather my wearable collection in my bedroom closet. I am not ready to actually get rid of some clothes that don’t fit because I do need to lose about 10 pounds, and I want those clothes waiting for me next winter.

 

Having to lose weight has actually been a big motivator in my doing this project. I have clothes that I love but are too tight; they will fit me next winter though. Unless I don’t lose the weight, in which case, they will be given away then. But for now, I am just wearing the clothes that fit me that I’ve been “unofficially” wearing for the past few months. Make sense?

I’ll post my choice of clothes by the weekend. Who knows, maybe I will be able to limit myself to 33 items.

 

Here’s to dressing with less in 2014!

Things Are Getting Awkward

I have a stay-at-home mom friend whose husband has a very good job. She has devoted herself to raising her two children while her husband works a demanding job that requires long hours on site. 

Their older child started college in the fall on a full scholarship, and their other child goes to private school. They just bought a larger home in an upscale area. They travel frequently and take what appear to be very nice vacations. They have relatives who live at the beach and visit them often in the summer months. It seems like a pretty good life. And by her own admission, it is.

Some of the things we used to enjoy talking about were shopping, home decor, and the latest in fashion. We only shopped together once or twice, but would still exchange stories of our latest purchases. It was fun, but it often felt one-sided. With working full time, I never had the luxury of going from store to store to find that perfect purse or side table or dress. She has filled many hours looking for just the right thing. Now that they live in a new, bigger home, her mission is to fill up the new rooms. 

We talked briefly about my interest in minimalism the last time we got together, but I'm still uncomfortable with sharing too many details. Regardless, I got the impression that she didn't take me seriously and would never be interested in minimalism anyway.

I had to work most days last week and am working every day this week except for New Year's Day. I was just hired permanently at my job (I was a contract worker for 1-1/2 years) and took a reduction in pay, although I do now get benefits. I am a little frustrated at having spent a little more money than I wanted to over the holiday and am preparing for a lean January. I am planning to start Project 333 in a few days (more on that later). I have been religiously unsubscribing myself from all of the email lists of my favorite clothing stores.
Anyway, my friend emailed me a link today from one of her favorite stores, which is having a big sale. She said she wanted so badly to buy something from there but she was feeling "poor."

??????????

I initially wanted to rail at her and tell her how lucky she is not to have to work or pay college tuition, to have the freedom to decorate her house with whatever she wants and to go out to eat whenever she wants, but I didn't. Instead, I replied that I wasn't going to enable her by saying "Go ahead, treat yourself. You deserve it." I told her she probably had more clothes in her closet than she could possibly wear. I sent her a link to Project 333 and told her I was doing that.

I'm guessing that's not what she wanted to hear. I haven't heard back from her; I am curious to see her reply.

I'm not sure how this whole thing will play out with my current group of friends who are still fully in the throes of consumerism. I am not judging them, but I am starting to see that they shop to fill a void. Many of them don't work, and their kids are getting older (middle school and beyond), and perhaps they have too much time on their hands and are bored, or their kids need them less and they are feeling vulnerable. I get that. But finding just the right blouse or piece of jewelry no longer matters to me. I have everything I need, and that is turning into all I want.

That's why this is getting awkward. I don't want my friends to think I'm judging them when I decline a shopping excursion to the latest craft fair. I'm not. Although I do think that my poor-feeling friend should take a good look at her life and count her blessings.

I'm sure I'll be writing more about this in the future.

If you are in the same awkward phase as me, how are you handling it?