YouLookFab Forum » Topic: Closet Challenge from DH-Rules

YouLookFab Forum » Topic: Closet Challenge from DH-Rules https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/closet-challenge-from-dh-rules Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Wed, 15 Apr 2026 05:57:16 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 <![CDATA[Search]]> q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php Alassë on "Closet Challenge from DH-Rules" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/closet-challenge-from-dh-rules#post-1079282 Fri, 08 Nov 2013 19:30:55 +0000 Alassë 1079282@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ That makes sense re: top repeating, Lisa. I can get 2 wears in if I'm not sweaty (fall/winter/spring). I would definitely need 5 tops minimum in summer. I'm still looking over all my monthly outfit analysis data. The 10-15 outfit capsule is comprised of 3 tops & 5 bottoms; I'm surprised by how few tops there were. 4 bottoms was definitely too boredom-inducing.  I wonder how I'll do this winter/summer (fall & spring are my short seasons). I can be happy with a well-chosen capsule for 2-3 weeks of fleeting fall, but during 5 months of summer.... Would I be completely sick of all 10 items and need a whole new set? (Likely.) What about after that set finished? Could I go back to the first, or would I still be tired of those clothes? (Latter more likely, at least for tops. Bottoms repeat more easily for me.) That comes to 3 capsules' worth of tops + 2 capsules' worth of bottoms. Hypothesis testing must wait several months, though. Lisa on "Closet Challenge from DH-Rules" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/closet-challenge-from-dh-rules#post-1079254 Fri, 08 Nov 2013 19:15:33 +0000 Lisa 1079254@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Suz-I did think of your capsule challenge when DH was suggesting his challenge. :)  I agree, that my wardrobe has a lot of crossover due to my job's dress code.  I have a sneaky suspicion I could sport more items on the weekends that I already wear to work, than I currently do.  I still have "weekend only" and "work only" clothes and this may be a way to break that habit from years of dressing more corporate. Pam-I do have some niche items.  I exercise and horseback ride.  Both activities that have their own capsule in my closet.  I am including those items in this challenge.  I probably have more workout and riding clothes than I need so these are areas that would also benefit from a reassessment of size.  I also have a small corporate capsule, that I carry over for special events.  I recently sported a suit I typically wear for business meetings to a baptism.  Since the corporate capsule is small, I'm not adding it to this challenge for now. Deb-Thanks! Unfrumped-Thanks!  I think items that layer successfully is key to a smaller wardrobe.  I don't expect all my items to layer, but it will help keep the size down if I have at least half that do layer across seasons. Jazz69-Thanks!  After more than 3 years on YLF, DH is used to me chatting about challenges by now. :) Elizabeth P-Thanks! Alasse-Thanks!  You have some great numbers and it is helpful to hear the numbers someone else has.  I'm suspecting my outfit repeat tolerance to fall around 10-14 outfits.  I'm not sure for individual items yet, I'm guessing 2x's week is the most I could do, especially since I wash after every wear for tops, I'll only be able to fit a top in twice if I time the laundry right. Alassë on "Closet Challenge from DH-Rules" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/closet-challenge-from-dh-rules#post-1079197 Fri, 08 Nov 2013 18:30:10 +0000 Alassë 1079197@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Hi Lisa, great post! I'm a newbie who always enjoyed reading your purging posts.  I applied your challenge rules to the capsule I've worn so far this fall. Here's what I came up with: - How many times can I wear a top before tiring of it? 3x/week for a new top purchase is okay for 1 week. Thereafter, 2x/week is better so I don't get tired of the top.  - How many times per season can I wear a top before tiring of it? 8x wasn’t too much for one of my fall tops. Therefore, 10x/season may be fine for signature colors. - How many unique outfits do I prefer before repeating? I’ve worn 10 unique outfits that felt fab (from this capsule) and don't want to repeat just yet. I kind of want to add a few more outfits before repeating (15, for a 2.5 wk rotation). (Doesn't count 1x/week for Sunday church/casual.) I would still like to find out how many tops per season that comes out to for dominant & non-dominant seasons. Also, how many outfits that translates to, and whether my repeat threshold (2.5 wks) is the same in dominant seasons. Elizabeth P on "Closet Challenge from DH-Rules" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/closet-challenge-from-dh-rules#post-1079196 Fri, 08 Nov 2013 18:28:37 +0000 Elizabeth P 1079196@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Also watching... sounds like a great approach.  jazz69 on "Closet Challenge from DH-Rules" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/closet-challenge-from-dh-rules#post-1079192 Fri, 08 Nov 2013 18:23:12 +0000 jazz69 1079192@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Like the idea and wonder what you will find out.And really like that your husband is so involved and interested;) unfrumped on "Closet Challenge from DH-Rules" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/closet-challenge-from-dh-rules#post-1079169 Fri, 08 Nov 2013 17:53:07 +0000 unfrumped 1079169@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Great challenge, Lisa! I hope it goes very well and I think you will learn a lot about how to build/edit your wardrobe. I especially like (e)--as in my post today, i'm okay with having some items that are just for the half-seasons of very-hot-summer or coldest-winter, but I want to increase the proportion in the middle ground and adapt with layers. deb on "Closet Challenge from DH-Rules" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/closet-challenge-from-dh-rules#post-1079157 Fri, 08 Nov 2013 17:43:17 +0000 deb 1079157@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I will be watching this thread to see how it goes. Anonymous on "Closet Challenge from DH-Rules" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/closet-challenge-from-dh-rules#post-1079147 Fri, 08 Nov 2013 17:33:56 +0000 Anonymous 1079147@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Also- some clothes might be granted "immunity": my hiking clothes, long black velvet dress (surprising number of formal winter events), pea coat (worn once last winter but I got it 12 years ago and it still looks good). Lisa: Do you have any of these niche items that are useful but might not be worn a lot this year or even at all? I am planning to separate them out. Anonymous on "Closet Challenge from DH-Rules" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/closet-challenge-from-dh-rules#post-1079140 Fri, 08 Nov 2013 17:28:29 +0000 Anonymous 1079140@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Great idea! When I get access back to my house (redoing floors) I may try this myself to see who makes the cut and how much I really need. I work from home and live in a part of the country that has hot summer and cool summer so all of my clothes should be available all the time. Suz on "Closet Challenge from DH-Rules" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/closet-challenge-from-dh-rules#post-1079135 Fri, 08 Nov 2013 17:16:31 +0000 Suz 1079135@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ This sounds fascinating, Lisa! I applaud you and look forward to hearing what you learn about yourself.  I did a similar thing when I tried Angie's small capsule wardrobe earlier this autumn. I failed miserably! By that I mean that one week's worth of outfits (or times to make outfits) really didn't satisfy me. Either I was dealing with unexpected weather conditions (so needed to shop my "boutique" - i.e. the rest of my closet) or I was bored after two wears of an item and needed to rotate items more often -- in short, i needed more than 7 days' worth of clothing to play with at one time.  You and I are similar in that our work wear is pretty casual and not all that distinguishable from weekend wear. I think in some ways this means we need more items in this capsule to avoid boredom, even if our boredom threshold is quite high.  Lisa on "Closet Challenge from DH-Rules" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/closet-challenge-from-dh-rules#post-1079125 Fri, 08 Nov 2013 17:04:51 +0000 Lisa 1079125@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Hi, Pam <a href="http://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/that-28-80-rule?replies=13#post-1079099" rel="nofollow">recently had a post </a>about how little we sport our clothes which was perfect timing as it coincides with a challenge DH gave me recently. I was talking about the "no repeat November challenge" mentioned in the forum and he decided to give me his own challenge. Background about me: 1. I've been purging my closet for 3 years now and while I am happy I have shrunk the size from over 300 items to about 150 now, I still have many more clothes than I can sport in a given season. 2. I live in a 4 season climate and some clothing items (shorts I'm looking at you) just cannot be sported year round. 3. I am on team always cold and layers are a necessity for me, but layers do mean more clothes to own. 4. I prefer to sport the same combinations again and again, versus heavily remixing outfit combinations. 5. I'm still trying to curb the shopping beast I unleashed at NAS this summer when I overhauled my fall/winter wardrobe. 6. At NAS this year I did the "one in/one out" rule but I do not want to purge any more items in good condition.  I'd like the next time to be items I've truly worn out for once! 7.  DH owns a truly minimal closet, wears out everything before purchasing new, and only owns enough for a small rotation before repeating outfits.  I'd like a similar idea, but maybe a few more in number of outfits before I repeat (8 outfits sounds a little low to me). 8. I've always tried to wear as many items as possible in a given season, the goal being to sport everything at least twice.  But I still have items I wear more or less often than that.  If I am wearing some items more often, than maybe I need less clothes. DH's challenge: A dosage (or threshold) experiment.  Add as few items as possible to see what my threshold level is for number of items and level of repeating items. 1. On Nov 1 we took all items out of my closet and put them into a spare closet we are calling my "boutique." 2. Now I add in items to my current closet as I sport them. Ground rules: a. Add in enough clothes to get through the first week, keeping in mind to sport clothing items as often as possible considering our once a week laundry cycle. b. Continue to add items to build the wardrobe size, without adding in entirely new full outfits.  c. Shop my "boutique" for "new" items. d. One in/one out items as they wear out. e. Build new outfits as the season changes with items I already have.  Would adding a thermal underlayer let that top stretch into winter?  Can I add a blazer for more warmth to a series of tops? f. Assess how many times I can sport an item before I am bored with it.  Have I sported a top 3 times and I'm now already bored with it?  Am I comfortable wearing the same blazer 3 times in one week?  Do I need 14 individual outfits before I am ready to start the cycle again? I'll do a check in on the first week this weekend when I can snap photos in better light. Thanks for reading!