"Express Lane" Challenge – Rounded Third, Sliding Into Home
…and I do mean “sliding.”
In week 4 now, just a few more days remaining in the challenge. I’ll admit that I cracked last week on the fourth day of 90+F heat. I couldn’t bring myself wear the same top for one more day, so subbed out a navy tee for the black tunic which I’d worn for the prior three days. And added a cotton cardi for the office that also wasn’t included in the original dozen items. The fluctuating temperatures have been the most challenging aspect of this enterprise. I wasn’t expecting either the highs or lows that we’ve had, but I’ve mostly been able to make do with my 12 items by layering.
I confess that I’ll be glad to finish with this exercise. While I did mostly find it easy to get dressed in the mornings, I’m looking forward to wearing some of my other seasonal pieces.
What I did differently: wore a skirt MUCH more than I normally do. Will probably continue to work the skirt into my rotation more often. Wore the same item multiple days in a row. No one seemed to notice, but I was switching up the accessories quite a bit.
I wonder if having the temptation of other items in full view made me feel more constrained by my capsule wardrobe? If I only had those twelve items available, would I miss having other pieces? It’s hard to say. Being in the process of losing some weight, I’m hopeful that I’ll have the opportunity to do more weeding and refining of my wardrobe in the near future. While I don’t think I could live long-term with only twelve items, I do realize that I could do with far fewer than my current inventory, provided they are well-selected and of a quality that will hold up to frequent wear.
If you’ve experimented with a limited item wardrobe, what did you glean from it? Could you make do with a limited wardrobe over a long period of time, or is variety the spice of your wardrobe?
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Years ago, when my clothing budget was very limited, I bought a few basic dresses and several different scarves to wear with them. One of the mean girls in the office asked me one day if that was the same dress I wore a few days ago, or did I have multiples of the same kind? Zheesh!
The only time I have had a self-imposed restriction is when I travel (recently two weeks in Ireland – last year 3 weeks in New Zealand). I am always amazed at how I reach for the same items over and over and realize that I should accessorize more. Could I do it at home with the rest of my closet begging to be worn…uh, no. Could I do with less…uh, yes! BTW – How did the Talbot’s coat work out?
Give me at least the possibility of variety…not only can’t I bear the prospect of limiting myself to a dozen pieces, these challenges make my skin crawl. I just keep thinking, “Why?! What does it prove?” Really, dear Deja, explain it to me because I might be able to use it in an upcoming post 😉
Is it just that some people like to test themselves anyway they can think of, the way some gamblers will wager big money on which elevator door opens first or which drop of condensation plops down sooner?
Wendy, obviously such challenges are only meaningful if one has the possibility to choose – and probably too much choice and an overabundance of “stuff”. I think it is a matter of learning to pare down, edit and declutter – our lives as well as our closets.
I’ve been on extended stays (in European cities) several times in recent years, so wearing a suitcase of clothing over and over for a couple of months. More than 12 items, even not counting socks, panties and bras, but sometimes I did have to deal with changing seasons.
I found it strangely elating, but that is not at all the same thing as being a real refugee with no permanent home anywhere.
In the process of losing weight…do tell!
and 90 degree heat, wow sounds like summer!
You are very disciplined to keep this regime going. I think I would cheat a bit!
I am so impressed that you kept your committment to the challenge. I was wondering if the experience help you identify what clothes are most effective in your life, and which ones just don’t work as well?
Miss J applauds Miss Pseu attempts at the limited wardrobe. In no way was Miss J even tempted to try this experiment. While still thinning her own wardrobe and certainly seeing the value, Miss J knows she’d last all of two days. Even with a closet stuffed with clothes, Miss J suffers from the “I have nothing to wear syndrome” more times a month than she can count. This would probably send her over the edge…
I’ll post on Thurs. Would not remotely want to dump my items, after all, chose favourites and one absolutely new thing.
Moved other stuff out of closet- important. Wanted to investigate my own attachment to “stuff”.
And your cheating was hardly significant!
I wonder if we North Americans have a harder time with a limited wardrobe because of our climate? Even here in San Diego we’ve gone from 50 degrees to 90 degrees F in a day or two. And don’t get me started on weather variations in the Midwest! Are temperatures more stable in Northern Europe? I guess I’m thinking of Paris in particular because I always think of Parisians as having limited but wonderful wardrobes.
Rita – my, that was a bit rude of her!
itztru – packing to travel is a great exercise in capsule wardrobe planning!
Wendy B – I’m going to elaborate on this a bit more in a follow up post, but my reason for doing this was to test whether I really can make do with a more edited wardrobe, and whether I *want* to. The answers turned out to be a qualified yes and a qualified no. More later!
lagatta – how did you handle laundry on your extended trips? Were your pieces all washable?
Septic Tank Man – thanks, but if you’re just commenting to promote your business, your comments will be deleted.
hostess – yes, here in LA our warmest temperatures are often in the months of Sept – Nov. Though I really did think we were done with the Santa Ana’s (hot desert winds) for the year.
LBR – we’ll have to do a Talbots shopping trip!
Deb – I’ll be honest that my committment is flagging a bit at this point, and I may abandon for the last few days (I have a work presentation on Thursday that I’d already decided necessitates stepping outside my capsule). I feel as though I’ve gleaned what I can from the challenge. But I’m glad I took it as far as I have.
Miss Janey – I remain committed to purging the “junk food clothing” though I’ve learned that a little variety is a good thing. At least during this experiment I never had one of those “nothing to wear” mornings!
metscan – I’m going to do a “conclusions” post, but will say that some of the items will be keepers, and others not.
Duchesse – looking forward to reading your conclusions! Some things I *thought* were solid favorites turned out not to be, and visa versa. More later.
SewingLibrarian – I’ve wondered that too, plus the greater attitudinal divide between the formal and casual bits of our lives…
I love this blog. Keep up the good work!
The Septic Tank Man
I didn’t try this experiment. But I did enjoy gleaning what you learned from it. I am in the planning stage for a new wardrobe( post-goal weight) and I am imagining I will start with about 10 pieces that will be the work horses of my wardrobe. Starting with great basics makes all the difference.
Funny — while I did think briefly about joining in the challenge, I guess at some level I anticipated getting to something like where you are. I just really didn’t want the lack of variety right now. I’m quite happy with the wardrobe I’ve built up, and I like the freedom to play that it affords me. I already know from travelling (we do a month with a carry-on) that I can manage if I have to with less.
Like itztru, I’m curious about the Talbot’s coat. . .
You have managed very well! What do you think, are you planning to dump your 12 pieces after the challenge? Are your co-workers aware of your challenge?
Terri – I probably won’t do this again for a while, but if you want to give it a try, just set your own rules and dates, and let us know how it goes!
materfamilias – I’ll post about the coat in a day or two. Still trying to get a decent pic…
You’re making such good use out of the components of your wardrobe right now, can understand why this didn’t ‘grab’ you.
If you do this 12 items thing again, I want to participate next time!
Hmmmm, although in theory I always love the IDEA of a capsule wardrobe I wonder if I would really be able to make it work! Well done you and I expect you are glad that it’s over though! x
I’ve always had a very lean wardrobe. I tend to buy things, wear them a lot, and then pass them on. Clothes lose their zip after repeated washings.
Regardless of what people say, I don’t think clothes stay in style for long. Even classics change… the width of a blazer’s lapels, for example, or the toe shape of a pump. I like having a small, up-to-date wardrobe.