YouLookFab Forum » Topic: DH Closet Challenge Recap-Week 5

YouLookFab Forum » Topic: DH Closet Challenge Recap-Week 5 https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/dh-closet-challenge-recap-week-5 Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Tue, 21 Apr 2026 02:03:23 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 <![CDATA[Search]]> q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php Lisa on "DH Closet Challenge Recap-Week 5" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/dh-closet-challenge-recap-week-5#post-1106107 Fri, 06 Dec 2013 14:15:46 +0000 Lisa 1106107@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Ornella-Thanks!  I have also enjoyed your Flavia series.  It's amazing to see how few items one really needs.  It's something I've suspected, and been fascinated by, but this is the first time I'm really testing out the idea for myself. Alexandra-Thanks!  Now that I know some items do not last, I think I'll be able to select better brands in the future, faster. Krishnidoux-Thanks!  I'm still tweaking my working closet right now, since we are shifting to our cold season, but I think in another week or two I should be set until it starts to warm up again. Bionda-Thanks!  If you do the challenge I hope you will share your thoughts with the forum.  I've been much happier with my closet since starting the challenge, which surprises me because I have very few clothes in there compared to my entire wardrobe.  D'Ellen on "DH Closet Challenge Recap-Week 5" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/dh-closet-challenge-recap-week-5#post-1106039 Fri, 06 Dec 2013 12:25:13 +0000 D'Ellen 1106039@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Lisa, I've been fascinated by your project and have loved reading your concise analyses.  I'm seeing a lot of myself in your revelations, which makes me think I should pursue a similar project.  I have a large wardrobe full of things I love, but I also love the thrill of adding new things.  I'm looking forward to retirement in the very near future, at which time the shopping will have to be curtailed.  Yours may be the perfect solution for keeping my closet refreshed and finding contentment with what I already have.  Thanks for sharing all your hard work with us! P.S.  I'm especially sad about the horse sweater...it looked so fab on you. krishnidoux on "DH Closet Challenge Recap-Week 5" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/dh-closet-challenge-recap-week-5#post-1106031 Fri, 06 Dec 2013 11:35:01 +0000 krishnidoux 1106031@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Thans for posting this. It is instructive and makes me want to take on the challenge too. Me too going into 3-4 months of deep winter.  Alexandra on "DH Closet Challenge Recap-Week 5" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/dh-closet-challenge-recap-week-5#post-1106011 Fri, 06 Dec 2013 10:20:05 +0000 Alexandra 1106011@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Lisa, good for you for returning the unneeded new outfit. I like your insights about taking better care of your garments and spotting poor quality faster. I think this is what many people don't get (because they weren't taught it growing up). Thank you for sharing your experience! Lisa on "DH Closet Challenge Recap-Week 5" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/dh-closet-challenge-recap-week-5#post-1105409 Thu, 05 Dec 2013 19:09:21 +0000 Lisa 1105409@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ E-No rambles to my ear, I've done the same thing.  Declared no more shopping, only to go out and shop.  I don't know why it's so hard to not shop sometimes, it just is. Ornella on "DH Closet Challenge Recap-Week 5" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/dh-closet-challenge-recap-week-5#post-1105408 Thu, 05 Dec 2013 19:09:10 +0000 Ornella 1105408@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Lisa, you are an inspiration! I have to come back to this when I have more time. R.e.s.p.e.c.t! E on "DH Closet Challenge Recap-Week 5" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/dh-closet-challenge-recap-week-5#post-1105390 Thu, 05 Dec 2013 18:56:09 +0000 E 1105390@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ All of your insights are so interesting! And good for you returning your outfit. I put myself on a shopping ban in November, and it took a good two weeks to stop trawling ebay...I didn't buy anything, but why was I putting things on my watch list when I had said I wasn't going to buy any new clothes?! Talk about an exercise in futility, lol. And I agree the only way to not shop is to stay out of shops; I went with my sister to Goodwill to help her look for a dress, and I ended up getting 3 blouses despite my ban. And there are no returns, only exchanges, at my Goodwills, so I couldn't take it back. I love them all, but there are so many things to love in this world, do I really need more clothes? Anyway, I'm rambling on for no purpose, just wanted to say how much I've enjoyed following along during your exercise. Lisa on "DH Closet Challenge Recap-Week 5" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/dh-closet-challenge-recap-week-5#post-1105235 Thu, 05 Dec 2013 15:38:11 +0000 Lisa 1105235@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Angie-Thanks!  I don't plan to edit my closet at all right now, just continue to add from the "boutique" over time as things wear out or I grow tired of them in the working closet.  Ultimately, my plan is to have all 4 seasons worth of clothing back in the working closet and no "boutique."  I figure I'll either get tired of items in the "boutique" that never make it back it into the working closet and donate them, or they will eventually be back in the working closet. I only have a handful of cool weather and a handful of cold weather clothes in the working closet right now, so I suspect I'll be adding a few more pieces until I've adjusted numbers for both weather patterns.  Then I'll repeat this exercise in the spring/summer months.  DH thinks it will take 3 years to "shut down" the boutique and he may be right but we shall see.   I'm also not going to stop shopping in the stores for new items, but I am hoping my future shopping will be much more focused and keeping to one-in/one-out should be a LOT easier for me now.  This will also help me in deciding when an investment purchase is really going to be worth it and not just another costly mistake. Angie on "DH Closet Challenge Recap-Week 5" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/dh-closet-challenge-recap-week-5#post-1105222 Thu, 05 Dec 2013 15:31:10 +0000 Angie 1105222@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ This was an extremely interesting exercise - for you and us, Lisa. Thanks for taking the time to share your reflections in great detail.  My big question is - how much are you going to edit your closet after this is over?  Lisa on "DH Closet Challenge Recap-Week 5" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/dh-closet-challenge-recap-week-5#post-1105194 Thu, 05 Dec 2013 15:09:59 +0000 Lisa 1105194@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Joy-I think it will take sometime before I can enter a store and not get the urge to buy. :) Deb-Thanks! I hope you will post about the challenge on the forum if you decide to take it on. Suz-Wow I had not realized that I was working with a smaller wardrobe, neat!  This probably explains why I was always so overwhelmed with my wardrobe when it was all in one closet. I don't have the items anymore but here was the thought process with the new outfit I returned.  It started with a pair of black watch plaid trousers which I liked because they were navy/green/black.  I thought they would work well for holiday parties.  This meant I needed a few toppers for it.  I decided on three pullovers, <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.lordandtaylor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/en/lord-and-taylor/womens-apparel/wa-cashmere/fall-brights-collection-cashmere-v-neck-sweater">green</a>, navy and black.  Then I added a <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.aerosoles.com/eng/product/finish_line/finish-li">pair of booties</a> because all of my footwear for straight leg bottoms need to be worn with the bottom tucked into the boot and I wanted to showcase more of the trouser here, so I selected a bootie that the trouser could fit over the bootie.  Oddly enough, these pieces did not remix well into my current working closet and with only a few items in the "boutique" so that and the poor fit of the trousers (the plaid lines were wavy on my pear shape) meant the entire lot was returned. Clearlyclaire-Thanks!  I'm finding I am becoming much more efficient with my shopping and taking care of my clothes.  It's taking sometime but the change is happening. Runcaria-Thanks! Ingunn-Thanks!  I hope you will post about the challenge on the forum if you decide to take it on.  I'd love to hear someone else's perspectives doing this challenge. Alasse-Thanks! Unfrumped-I agree.  I think items that are sitting unworn for too long, and are new, have a very high chance they were not a purchase that fit seamlessly into one's wardrobe. Bella-I am nodding my head in agreement.  I have been thrilled to move along these pieces and for the first time, they are truly worn.  I'm not even comfortable to donate to someone.  I've always felt so guilty giving up "perfectly good clothes" just because I grew tired of them or because I had too many of them so this is a lovely change. bella on "DH Closet Challenge Recap-Week 5" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/dh-closet-challenge-recap-week-5#post-1105158 Thu, 05 Dec 2013 14:11:41 +0000 bella 1105158@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I find it very satisfactory to let go of clothes not because you no longer like them or they no longer fit but because they are old and worn. In other words, they've served their purpose. Do you feel the same way about these replacements?  unfrumped on "DH Closet Challenge Recap-Week 5" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/dh-closet-challenge-recap-week-5#post-1105154 Thu, 05 Dec 2013 14:03:46 +0000 unfrumped 1105154@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Lisa, great update, again! I am finding so many parallel aha! times. The balance of set outfits + remixing. I like my set combo's but I get that creative kick and satisfaction from a certain amount of remixing, plus its THE way to have"new" without spending $$. Also as in your " wear now" I'm becoming more sensitive to whether an item seems to fit in or whether it leaves me " perplexed" which is often a sign that I just don't need it- that I would be working too hard to use it rather than its working to make things easier. Alassë on "DH Closet Challenge Recap-Week 5" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/dh-closet-challenge-recap-week-5#post-1105141 Thu, 05 Dec 2013 13:35:11 +0000 Alassë 1105141@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I look forward to reading each weekly recap. Thanks, Lisa! I too found that 1-2 low-remix tops were permissible - I just had to remind myself that low-remix was okay in that instance. That option really helped mid-late season when I was tired of most of my clothes. Ingunn on "DH Closet Challenge Recap-Week 5" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/dh-closet-challenge-recap-week-5#post-1105019 Thu, 05 Dec 2013 06:35:18 +0000 Ingunn 1105019@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Thank you for sharing this! I've been following your challenge from the sideline, and now I'm thinking about trying this your way for the winter months. It is very inspirational to read your posts. Somehow, dressing minimally - or rather simplistic - appeals a lot to me in Winter. I am also very impressed by how you firmly stayed on your path and returned the outfit you bought. Well done! Carla on "DH Closet Challenge Recap-Week 5" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/dh-closet-challenge-recap-week-5#post-1104992 Thu, 05 Dec 2013 04:56:09 +0000 Carla 1104992@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ You are doing a lot of hard work, Lisa, and this is a really profound thread. Anonymous on "DH Closet Challenge Recap-Week 5" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/dh-closet-challenge-recap-week-5#post-1104928 Thu, 05 Dec 2013 03:35:14 +0000 Anonymous 1104928@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ You can bet I have to stay on top of my laundry too, with my small wardrobe. I also concur that poor quality items out themselves quickly when you're wearing them heavily. These are such insights Lisa! Way to go, I'm proud of you for returning your purchases to the mall. It's hard not to be triggered by the old familiar buying triggers, even when you don't need anything. I know! At least you bought from a place that let you return.  Suz on "DH Closet Challenge Recap-Week 5" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/dh-closet-challenge-recap-week-5#post-1104925 Thu, 05 Dec 2013 03:33:50 +0000 Suz 1104925@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ This is great, Lisa! Thank you for posting. I find it interesting in all kinds of ways. And may I confess that along with MuseumGal I am very sad to see the striped sweater go? I like the replacement but I enjoyed that striped one a lot.  As far as your reflections go, I was nodding along with you. It really does keep you on top of things when you only have a limited number of choices. So you take care of your clothes and notice their quality (or lack thereof). I also want to point out that quite a lot of your items are gear or layering pieces -- so in fact, your regular wear choices are even more limited than your numbers may make it seem. Really, you're working with approximately 26 "real" wardrobe items. Which is really very small!  Is it wrong of me to want to see that outfit you bought? Oh, I am a terrible enabler! But actually, I am glad you took it back -- you stayed firm to your purpose. My question is -- what were those items and what made them appeal to you so powerfully in that moment that you would buy, even though you knew you were in the midst of this challenge?  That might be a clue to what's still missing from your very compact closet.  deb on "DH Closet Challenge Recap-Week 5" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/dh-closet-challenge-recap-week-5#post-1104918 Thu, 05 Dec 2013 03:08:07 +0000 deb 1104918@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Every time I read your posts I think 'I really need to do this'. Your threads are so inspirational, thank you. Anonymous on "DH Closet Challenge Recap-Week 5" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/dh-closet-challenge-recap-week-5#post-1104891 Thu, 05 Dec 2013 02:41:02 +0000 Anonymous 1104891@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ When I lost weight and had to replace everything, I had a very small wardrobe and loved that I had to keep all my clothes clean and pressed. So I was nodding along with your thoughts and agree that it's best to just stay away from the shops if not looking for something. Thank you for this fascinating series Lisa on "DH Closet Challenge Recap-Week 5" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/dh-closet-challenge-recap-week-5#post-1104874 Thu, 05 Dec 2013 02:23:57 +0000 Lisa 1104874@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ MuseumGal-I am sad the tiger stripe top did not last long.  I haven't had much long with ATL clothing lately. Caro-I'm surprised at how fast these items "wore out" as both were new when I started the challenge. Caro in Oz on "DH Closet Challenge Recap-Week 5" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/dh-closet-challenge-recap-week-5#post-1104870 Thu, 05 Dec 2013 02:21:58 +0000 Caro in Oz 1104870@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I agree that poorer quality clothes really show up much quicker in a smaller wardrobe. I'm still working my way through the how many clothes do I really need question too so this is very interesting. MuseumGal on "DH Closet Challenge Recap-Week 5" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/dh-closet-challenge-recap-week-5#post-1104865 Thu, 05 Dec 2013 02:18:07 +0000 MuseumGal 1104865@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ This will sound silly, but I am sad to see that blue tiger stripe thing go - I loved seeing that top. Lisa on "DH Closet Challenge Recap-Week 5" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/dh-closet-challenge-recap-week-5#post-1104840 Thu, 05 Dec 2013 01:52:39 +0000 Lisa 1104840@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Hi, This is going to be another long post. I tried to underline some subtopics in case you have a specific one in mind. To read more about the challenge, including the rules, <a rel="nofollow" href="http://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/closet-challenge-from-dh-rules">click here</a>. <a rel="nofollow" href="http://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/dh-closet-challenge-recap-week-4">For Week 4 recap click here.</a> At the end of week 4, I went shopping in the "boutique" to round out my wardrobe.  So how did I do? Reflections on Week 5 Six bottoms is one too many. -I have one too many bottoms. In prior weeks I’ve realized that I like to repeat bottoms often.  I was fine the first 4 weeks when I had only 5 bottoms. To start week 5 I added a sixth bottom. Six bottoms are also ok, but I actually liked it better when I had only five.  I’m not going to return any bottoms to the boutique at this point, and I won’t add any new bottoms until the spring months.  We have 3-4 months of cold weather coming up and I am curious if I will grow bored of my current bottoms throughout the winter.  It will be interesting to see what I add in the spring, replace one worn out pair or replace all of them?  I have my eye on one pair in the boutique (boyfriend jeans I am looking at you) that I am looking forward to sporting come springtime already.  They did not work with my tall boots so I don’t mind waiting until spring to sport them with booties. One “low remixing friendly” outfit is ok, but an entire closet of them would be too many for me. To start week 5 I had added one outfit (built around grey metallic skinny jeans) that did not coordinate with any of the items in my working closet and I enjoyed owning this low remixing friendly outfit.  This is a fun outfit to wear and it definitely varies up my look.  But if my entire closet consisted only of standalone outfits, that would not be enough variety for me.  Although I appear to have a low tolerance for remixing (tan poncho I prefer to sport with one pair of jeans every week), I like being able to remix in small doses (solid grey knit top also worn every week but usually with a different bottom).  My closet needs to have a balance of favorite outfit combinations and pieces that can remix a little when I want to freshen things up.  Even with a small wardrobe I save items for some unknown reason. I have a poor habit of “saving” new items.  Even though I added a number of new items last week, I still reached for the same older pieces at first.  I had to remind myself to start wearing my new things!  Why did I do this?  Part of the reason may be because for the older pieces I already knew how I wanted to wear them.  For the new pieces, I had to spend some time figuring out what combinations I wanted to try.  Clearly I still have to work on shifting to team wear right away. It’s easier to spot poor quality items with a smaller wardrobe.  When you are sporting an item regularly, if it is poor quality, you will notice really fast.  When I had lots of clothes, it would sometimes take a long time to repeat an item, so I may not have noticed I only got a few wears out of it before it needed to be purged because there were large gaps in between wears.  With a smaller wardrobe, I notice pretty quickly!   I have two knit tops that are already looking poor and will be my first one-in/one-out pieces (photos 1 and 2 below).  I’m taking better care of my clothes. When you don’t have a lot of clothes, you stay on top of washing them.  After all, you need them back from the laundry bin faster than if you owned more.  Also I find I stay on top of ironing and steaming too.  Again, I can’t let items sit untouched for weeks on end, because I need them back to wear them again.  This is keeping me from having multiple piles of clothes in different stages (need to be washed, need to fold, need to iron, etc.) Rotating clothes is easier to do with a smaller wardrobe. Even with the new additions, I’m still finding it easy to rotate my clothes so that I sport them ALL regularly instead of selecting favorites and letting half my closet sit unworn week after week.  At least this is working well now that I stopped “saving” my new clothes.  And I feel better about my new things because they are now working just as hard as my older items. The only way for me to not shop, is to stay OUT of the stores, for now. I almost had a huge setback with this challenge.  While out shopping for gifts on Black Friday I got suckered by the sales.  I came home with an outfit complete with shoes (photo 3).  But I wasn’t in the mall shopping for me, and I have plenty of clothes still sitting in the “boutique” so I certainly do not need any new items.  While I was happy I was assembling outfits instead of my usual “oh this is pretty I’ll figure out what goes with it at home later” shopping style, I need to work on not being triggered to shop for me just because “I’m here at the mall already might as well pick up a little something.”  I returned everything the very next day and I am so relieved I did!  I’ve been able to look at clothes online and look at websites for new outfit combination ideas but clearly I am not ready to be in the brick and mortar stores just yet.  I think I have to participate in this challenge a bit longer to defuse the mall shopping trigger. Photo 1-I replaced the tiger stripe knit (which pairs well with my denim jacket but has pilled to am embarrassing state) with another blue printed top that will work with my denim jacket.  Photo 2-I replaced the incredible shrinking horse printed knit (which has continued to shrink with each washing and I can no longer wear because it's too short and too tight), with a horse printed hoodie that also will pair well with my tweed blazer. Photo 3-Is my almost fell off the wagon purchases from Black Friday which were promptly returned the next day. And here are the stats. At the end of week 5, I had 44 items: 6 bottoms 1 hoodie (this will be 2 to start week 6 due to one in, one-out discussed above) 10 toppers (pullover sweaters, blazers and cardigans) 6 knits (this will be 5 starting week 6 due to one-in,one-out) 3 gear items 1 shirt (for layering) 3 LS T’s (for layering) 4 tanks (for layering) 4 thermal layers (added one thermal bottom during week 5) 4 scarves (added one scarf during week 5) 2 workout outfits (top and bottom) I'll try to post outfits soon and thanks for reading! Edit to add: Here are the <a rel="nofollow" href="http://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/wiw-for-dh-closet-challenge-week-5">oufits.</a>