YouLookFab Forum » Topic: DH Closet Challenge-Week 3 Recap

YouLookFab Forum » Topic: DH Closet Challenge-Week 3 Recap https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/dh-closet-challenge-week-3-recap Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Tue, 21 Apr 2026 06:13:37 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 <![CDATA[Search]]> q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php jayne on "DH Closet Challenge-Week 3 Recap" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/dh-closet-challenge-week-3-recap#post-1094221 Fri, 22 Nov 2013 05:10:20 +0000 jayne 1094221@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Great read Lisa.  I may try this myself.  I kinda already have my core outfits. But I stored away alot of meh items at the beginning of the season plus I have a few hanging with the others.  Perhaps putting them in another closet and making them accessible would help me use them when I am feeling I am reusing individual items too much.  (I am on team 'whole outfit preference' also, versus mix and match).  I have some adversion right now to real shopping.  Had en eye opener about the number of items purchased recently and have changed my shopping rules to get it under control.  So shopping another closet might help curb my addiction Lisa on "DH Closet Challenge-Week 3 Recap" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/dh-closet-challenge-week-3-recap#post-1094067 Fri, 22 Nov 2013 02:42:49 +0000 Lisa 1094067@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Angie-*smiling* Suz-It sounds like we are almost at the same wardrobe place.  And it's a nice place to be, I am very excited.  I've been trying to do one-in/one-out since I first read about it here and I was just never able to quite get it right.  Now I feel like after almost 4 years on YLF I FINALLY have a handle on my wardrobe, my preferences and my style.  It's been a long (fun and hard work) road.  It's also been really inspiring when I read about the struggles and successes others are having.  You don't feel like you are the only one anymore. Suz on "DH Closet Challenge-Week 3 Recap" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/dh-closet-challenge-week-3-recap#post-1093933 Fri, 22 Nov 2013 01:10:57 +0000 Suz 1093933@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I am really excited because all this number crunching (and attendant realizations) has left me clearer that I really do want more clothes (need is probably an overstatement) -- but not too many more -- and what they ought to be. And also, once I get up to that number, the one-in-one-out will be easy to maintain. I will just do as you suggest -- let the "meh" items, the ones I don't reach for -- be the ones I trade out.  Angie on "DH Closet Challenge-Week 3 Recap" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/dh-closet-challenge-week-3-recap#post-1093903 Fri, 22 Nov 2013 00:43:48 +0000 Angie 1093903@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I'm high fiving you and Mr. Lisa. xo Lisa on "DH Closet Challenge-Week 3 Recap" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/dh-closet-challenge-week-3-recap#post-1093855 Fri, 22 Nov 2013 00:21:08 +0000 Lisa 1093855@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Susie-It sounds like you have a great starting point for your wardrobe preferences. I hope you will let the forum know how it goes for you. Angie-I'm taking notes and DH is smirking because it's what he said too.  :)  I have one more week to adjust my working closet numbers and then I think I will be able to really exercise one-in/one-out.  It's a great system and one of the many things I have appreciated learning from you. Angie on "DH Closet Challenge-Week 3 Recap" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/dh-closet-challenge-week-3-recap#post-1093776 Thu, 21 Nov 2013 23:25:48 +0000 Angie 1093776@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Lisa, there are two approaches to that "dilemma": <ul> <li>Stop shopping</li> <li>Be ruthless about the one-in-one-out policy</li> </ul> It's the only way I've maintained order and discipline with a pretty small wardrobe.  Susie on "DH Closet Challenge-Week 3 Recap" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/dh-closet-challenge-week-3-recap#post-1093654 Thu, 21 Nov 2013 21:09:25 +0000 Susie 1093654@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I am really enjoying your posts, Lisa, and I appreciate you sharing in such great detail. You seem to be learning a whole lot from your experiement but I don't know how you can hold off on wearing some of those great new things you got! One thing in particular resonates with me... "I have a low tolerance for remixing individual pieces and a higher tolerance for repeating entire outfits." I think I feel the same way. I would rather find the best two or three ways to wear an item rather than try to make it work multiple ways. I am also comfortable repeating bottoms more frequently than tops. Last night I re-read Angie's post about the client who sticks to set outfits. A lot of people responded that they would get bored with that approach and would miss the creativity of mix and match. But I think that approach would work well for me, if I modified it. First, I would want at least twice the number of outfits so I wouldn't be repeating as frequently. Wearing the same outfit every other week feels too often to me. And I would want lots more shoes! Also, I would want more frequent refreshing. Unlike the client, I really like to shop and I would still want to have a few new pieces each season. Lisa on "DH Closet Challenge-Week 3 Recap" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/dh-closet-challenge-week-3-recap#post-1093576 Thu, 21 Nov 2013 19:55:59 +0000 Lisa 1093576@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Pam-I'm happy to hear the recaps are helpful! I started the challenge with everything in the boutique and pulled as little as I could up until this point. I tried to repeat as often as I could. Initially the goal was the see how little I could own. The minimum number of items I needed to stay dressed in public (the total after week 1), was not enough variety for me. Since then I've slowly added items while once again trying to repeat as much as possible. Now that I know about how much I enjoy to (or not to) repeat and remix in a week I can adjust the closet totals for our cold season. Items that remain in the boutique are staying in the boutique for now. It's nice to have a "store" that has items I do enjoy but I just cannot get to wearing right now. Will I swap in and out outfits as the season progresses? I may. Or I may not. That's an unanswered question right now. Like yourself, I have a jean heavy wardrobe and life style. One goal of the challenge is long term. How many cold weather outfits do I need? How many warm weather one's? We have 4 seasons but they are not even across the year. And part of the challenge is not just the number of physical outfits, but how much VARIETY I need in a given season. I may end up growing bored halfway through our cold season, that is ok, because I know I have probably another season (or more) worth of outfits in the boutique waiting to come out to play. If I end up pulling all my cold weather items into my working closet by the end of the season then I'll know I need lots of variety. But if I don't pull many items over what I currently have in the working closet, then I know I have plenty of items for next year. One key for me is, when I pull from the boutique I am pulling the items I like the best first. Over time only the meh items will be left in the boutique and there is a good chance that those items will purged. Since I will not want to go over my seasonal set-point of clothes, every item left in the boutique means one less item I can go out and purchase from a store. This will affect how long to keep the boutique open and stocked. If I keep 2 seasons worth of cold weather clothing in the boutique after this year, that would mean 2 years of no cold weather clothing shopping. DH and I brain stormed a pressure test for my current closet vs the boutique that I'm starting tomorrow and will recap in week 4. :) Alexandra-Remixing twins, yay! Alasse-Thanks for reading, I hope you will share your totals on the forum. Elly-DH and I brain stormed a pressure test for the working closet and the boutique that I am starting tomorrow and will recap in week 4. One of the questions is, how does shopping affect the working closet. Elly on "DH Closet Challenge-Week 3 Recap" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/dh-closet-challenge-week-3-recap#post-1093430 Thu, 21 Nov 2013 18:09:14 +0000 Elly 1093430@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Interesting! I have a lot of similarities-- I prefer to wear the one or two best combos rather than do a lot of mix and matching (although I am not like my new boss, who apparently has outfits that she wears on the same days of the week each week). I'm interested in seeing how you combine new things into what now seem to be your favorites and staples without loosing the functionality and frequent wearings you've achieved. Alassë on "DH Closet Challenge-Week 3 Recap" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/dh-closet-challenge-week-3-recap#post-1093380 Thu, 21 Nov 2013 17:34:36 +0000 Alassë 1093380@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I'm really enjoying reading your weekly recaps, Lisa! You and your DH are very insightful. I'm trying to apply your observations to my monthly/seasonal totals. Alexandra on "DH Closet Challenge-Week 3 Recap" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/dh-closet-challenge-week-3-recap#post-1093309 Thu, 21 Nov 2013 16:43:57 +0000 Alexandra 1093309@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Lisa, great analysis, very insightful! Thank you for sharing. I am like you in that I like to repeat outfits. I may be willing to experiment with scarves, but typically I decide on one or two possibles and stick with that. Anonymous on "DH Closet Challenge-Week 3 Recap" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/dh-closet-challenge-week-3-recap#post-1093255 Thu, 21 Nov 2013 16:17:06 +0000 Anonymous 1093255@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Lisa- your posts are fascinating. I am like you- prefer to wear the same outfits (rather than mix)- though seriously almost all my bottoms are jeans. I think a challenge like this might be a good way for me to evaluate which items are never going to get worn- I have a lot of things that I keep thinking I will wear them but keep going back to the same tried and true.  What are you planning to do with items that stay in the boutique?  Is it possible to do this by putting everything in the boutique and then dressing each day from your closet (because you have all you need) or going shopping (because you need some variety or something not in the closet)? I am extremely frustrated with my wardrobe (jeans or yoga pants and a Gap short or long sleeved T) that I think purging the fall backs and forcing myself to shop for worthwhile items might work. Lisa on "DH Closet Challenge-Week 3 Recap" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/dh-closet-challenge-week-3-recap#post-1093113 Thu, 21 Nov 2013 14:46:09 +0000 Lisa 1093113@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Kellygirl-I've been taking my work home with me. As a medical writer I'm paid to analyze and draw conclusions from lots of data.  :)   I really enjoy the extra light and space I have in my current closet.  My closet has 3-sides, one side I always keep empty because 1/2 the bar criss crosses with the two long sides.  The two long sides (I've only been showing one in my closet photos) are for two seasons each.  Fall/winter side and spring/summer side.  It is helpful to have everything out of the closet right now and in an easy to access closet in another room.  But my spring/summer clothes which cannot cross over right now are in a THIRD closet for now.  I thought about packing them up into the attic until springtime but I'm too lazy.  Unfrumped-I'm glad my recaps are helpful!  It sounds like we have similar preferences.  I'm noticing I really prefer only 2, maybe 3 tops per bottom.  Two is my favorite.  I can rotate a little bit with two, but I don't go batty trying to remember remixing.  After 3 weeks of trying to remix a small amount in LOTS of ways, it's just too frustrating for me. K-The "boutique" is where the bulk of my wardrobe is.  This includes both in season and out of season clothes.  I do have two boutiques right now, because it was too hard to fish through out of season clothes mixed in with in season clothing.  I am only shopping the in season boutique right now. Suz-I don't think at the end of week 3 I currently have enough items for the winter season.  In fact, DH and I were mapping out a big shake up for week 4.  :)  I don't want to spill all the details just yet, and I haven't adjusted the closet for our ideas yet...but here's a little taste....the shake up is to address some issues and observations from the first 3 weeks including: what to do with my new, trendy purchases that are sitting unworn and fit for our current season, incorporating personal repeat/remixing preferences while maintaining a small wardrobe size and tying into my outfit creation process into my closet organization.  I have some homework to do this weekend. :) E-I am happy to hear that the recaps are helpful!     E on "DH Closet Challenge-Week 3 Recap" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/dh-closet-challenge-week-3-recap#post-1093022 Thu, 21 Nov 2013 13:02:48 +0000 E 1093022@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I loved reading your reflections and everything you're learning! You're getting so much out of this, and I'm glad you're taking the time & effort to share it. :) I'm the complete opposite on the remix/set outfit continuum, in fact I want to start working on rewearing outfits that I loved instead of having to always tweak something. hehe But like you I don't mind repeating bottoms more frequently than tops. Suz on "DH Closet Challenge-Week 3 Recap" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/dh-closet-challenge-week-3-recap#post-1092820 Thu, 21 Nov 2013 03:42:20 +0000 Suz 1092820@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Wow, Lisa, this is fascinating. Thank you so much for taking us all along on this ride.  So you think around 35 pieces would be enough for you for one season? I worked out that I have in the mid-40s for winter. (Not counting special occasion and gear and such). And it doesn't feel like quite enough for me -- even though, unlike you, I don't mind remixing. (You would think that would make fewer items go further). But I get bored with the same stuff, it turns out. And I have "too many" in one category (mostly button up shirts, for winter) and "too few" in other categories (bottoms and sweaters and jackets).  What I love about this is that you are really getting to know your own needs extremely well. Going forward, you'll be able to plan more effectively and apply shopping discipline.  As far as incorporating trends each season the sneaky way would be to confine them to accessories and footwear!     But  -- more seriously -- even if things are not technically "worn out" if they have "worn out their welcome" (as in, you have worn them a lot and feel tired of them) then it is time to let them go. When you have a very large wardrobe, you rarely get to wear items enough to reach that stage. Or, if you do, that means you've really been playing favourites -- which suggests that the non-favourited items really don't deserve the space they are still taking up in the closet. Either way, there's room for something to go and something new to come in, budget permitting.  So, the way I deal with it is simply ask myself, at the start of a season, am i as eager to wear this now as I was a year ago? Do I love it? Does it fit well and make me feel great? Is it a super supporting player to my standout pieces? Do I have an alternative or replacement? Answers to those questions tell me pretty quickly when it is time to put something aside and allow myself to purchase something new. Kristin L on "DH Closet Challenge-Week 3 Recap" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/dh-closet-challenge-week-3-recap#post-1092748 Thu, 21 Nov 2013 02:54:40 +0000 Kristin L 1092748@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I love your insight on what you need and why. And your closet looks likes it's very easy to see what's there. I'm a little late to your posts, so you may have already answered my question. Is your boutique where you also store off season clothes, or are those somewhere else?  unfrumped on "DH Closet Challenge-Week 3 Recap" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/dh-closet-challenge-week-3-recap#post-1092740 Thu, 21 Nov 2013 02:52:02 +0000 unfrumped 1092740@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ This is a fantastic update, and I am so keen on your observation about repeating outfits. I think that really resonates with me. I've read Angie's post on the small non-mix and match but when put together with your aha moment, it clicked more for me. I don't think I really want a TOO small outfit-repeat wardrobe, but just as you said, I get frustrated when I try to mix and match spontaneously and it doesn't work--usually top too short or too long or even the footwear doesn't look as good as the "favorite". So I think I am in between--let's say the bottom item (pants or skirt) is the foundation piece. Perhaps I am happy with 1-3 tops and one or 2 shoe options. I know that is basically a capsule but the tops might be the same style in 2 colors,maybe one giving a monochrome look and one a contrast--or if not a color dupe, then one warmer or one cooler, temp-wise. Or shoes, one nude option and one darker, again for seasonal spanning. So I am okay with what might be called tight capsules that make the best several outfits from a given skirt or trouser. I do not have as much success trying to achieve the "all pieces go with all other pieces" approach. It's not that I wouldn't like that--I love the idea of being very creative and ending up with some really interesting combinations, but I don't seem good at it. Instead, I am having more success with trying to add texture and pattern and less than expected color combos in tops/bottoms plus in the choices of belts, footwear. So, a brown boot with gray pants, for example, and textured belt, and maybe some other color top, instead of black footwear and belt (woohoo, sounds racy, huh--but you get the point). Also, subtle pattern in pants and some really definite pattern in skirts. kellygirl on "DH Closet Challenge-Week 3 Recap" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/dh-closet-challenge-week-3-recap#post-1092724 Thu, 21 Nov 2013 02:45:43 +0000 kellygirl 1092724@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ That's some analysis, Lisa. Some of your points really resonate with me. Like you, I prefer to repeat outfits than to re-mix and that's why I think my closet is probably bigger than it could be. I love your boutique idea and I could see myself doing something very similarly if I had a spare closet in the house! I have to say, I LOVE the simplicity of your current closet. It looks so peaceful! Lisa on "DH Closet Challenge-Week 3 Recap" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/dh-closet-challenge-week-3-recap#post-1092693 Thu, 21 Nov 2013 02:30:29 +0000 Lisa 1092693@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Mo-My current challenge number does not include shoes.  I just looked at my speadsheet, I have worn 6 pairs of shoes thus far this month (7 if you count my riding boots) and all of them are boots.  Before starting the challenge I would have guessed about double the amount I am currently at.  I am quite surprised by how few jeans I am wearing and enjoying to wear.  Actually, the amount of repeating I'm really doing surprises me.  I would have thought I needed a LOT more variety. Carole-The "boutique" is a holding zone, where the rest of my wardrobe is.  Just out of sight in another closet.  I have no plans to cull these items right now.  I've done a lot of purging these past few years and like everything I own.  I was just overwhelmed trying to assemble outfits before the challenge. Caro-You are spot on! Shedev and Cheryl-Thanks for reading, I know they are a tad long. :) Angie-DH says it's a different way to look at one-in/one-out.  When you know how much clothing you need you can more effectively keep one-in/one-out and stay at a steady state.  Also it's easy to pinpoint a "dud" item pretty quick.  When you don't have a lot of choices and you keep avoiding an item, it's time to move it along.  The issue right now is, how do you fit in shopping as a hobby and for incorporating fast fashion items or trends if you are keeping the wardrobe very small and the items are good quality and last a long time?  We haven't figured out how to incorporate this yet.  Any ideas? Deb-The DH challenge is to identify a baseline of the amount of items/outfits for each seasons weather.  Right now I am focusing on cold weather outfits since we are heading from fall into our winter.  As the seasons change I do plan to increase the number of clothes in my closet.  Our weather is too varied (I live in a 4 season climate) for most items to work year round.  I do not plan to increase the number of outfits as the seasons change.  If I decide that 12 outfits is enough variety for me for the cold months, when we have warm months, I'll assemble another 12 outfits suitable for that weather.  After the winter I'll know my baseline of how many outfits I need for cold weather.  For example, if I decide I enjoy wearing 5 pairs of jeans, then when it is hot weather, I'll keep say 2 jeans and add 3 shorts.  I'll still have 5 bottoms for hot weather, but I'll own a total of 8 bottoms in my wardrobe.  Or I may say I enjoy 5 skinny jeans in the winter, but I don't enjoy skinny jeans in cool springs, I enjoy only bootcuts, then I would have 10 total bottoms in my wardrobe.  I work in a casual office, so I generally wear the same item to work and at home.  I do have a small business capsule for meetings, etc (suits and dresses) but they are only worn a few times a year and are not in the current challenge. deb on "DH Closet Challenge-Week 3 Recap" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/dh-closet-challenge-week-3-recap#post-1092558 Thu, 21 Nov 2013 00:58:25 +0000 deb 1092558@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Will you be increasing the amount of clothing as the seasons change? This is for one season, correct? I am going over my inventory and am having a hard time working it into your challenge because I lumped all seasons together. Back to pondering.   ETA - another question. Do you work at home or do you have to change your outfit type for work? Angie on "DH Closet Challenge-Week 3 Recap" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/dh-closet-challenge-week-3-recap#post-1092538 Thu, 21 Nov 2013 00:43:49 +0000 Angie 1092538@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Wow. How insightful. A fascinating read. The less you have, the less you need.  What has DH shared in all of this Lisa?  cheryl on "DH Closet Challenge-Week 3 Recap" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/dh-closet-challenge-week-3-recap#post-1092521 Thu, 21 Nov 2013 00:31:23 +0000 cheryl 1092521@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ This is fantastic. I love reading about your process and challenge. I give you credit, I could never do it, lol.  shedev on "DH Closet Challenge-Week 3 Recap" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/dh-closet-challenge-week-3-recap#post-1092511 Thu, 21 Nov 2013 00:23:10 +0000 shedev 1092511@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I'm really enjoying your insights, Lisa. Caro in Oz on "DH Closet Challenge-Week 3 Recap" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/dh-closet-challenge-week-3-recap#post-1092506 Thu, 21 Nov 2013 00:21:35 +0000 Caro in Oz 1092506@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Great work Lisa. For me the thing that comes out of this & the other posts is how important it is to know what you actually wear. This ties in with:  <ul> <li>determining how much you need</li> </ul> <ul> <li>determining what you love & feel great in</li> </ul> <ul> <li>discarding the rest. </li> </ul> Thanks Carole on "DH Closet Challenge-Week 3 Recap" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/dh-closet-challenge-week-3-recap#post-1092497 Thu, 21 Nov 2013 00:13:52 +0000 Carole 1092497@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ This is so intriguing, Lisa. I love the idea of a "boutique" to shop from and need to read your other posts about the whole process. I'm wondering (and maybe you have answered this in another post) what your plans are with the "boutique. Is it a holding zone for all the good stuff or are there items in here you are trying to decide about.....this seems like a good compromise between completely abandoning some great wardrobe pieces just for the sake of a smaller manageable closet. Smart DH! Mo on "DH Closet Challenge-Week 3 Recap" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/dh-closet-challenge-week-3-recap#post-1092494 Thu, 21 Nov 2013 00:09:01 +0000 Mo 1092494@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Wow - you deserve an award for thorough closet analysis!  This is great.  I have a feeling most people are like you and would rather repeat bottoms more often than tops.  Makes total sense.  How much of your closet did you think you would need for the challenge?  I would guess that I'd want 35  pieces to do a whole month, especially if I were not repeating.  Does that include shoes?   Lisa on "DH Closet Challenge-Week 3 Recap" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/dh-closet-challenge-week-3-recap#post-1092488 Thu, 21 Nov 2013 00:01:54 +0000 Lisa 1092488@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Hi, This is a recap of Week 3 for DH’s closet challenge. Some great discussions (<a href="http://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/closet-inventory" rel="nofollow">Deb's closet inventory</a> is one of them, <a href="http://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/closet-analysis" rel="nofollow">Pam's closet analysis</a> is another, <a href="http://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/more-number-crunching--how-much-do-i-need-long" rel="nofollow">Susie's number crunching</a> is another, and <a href="http://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-much-is-enough-playing-with-numbers?replies=56" rel="nofollow">Mo's number crunch</a> also linked later in this thread) on the forum this week regarding wardrobe sizes and some personal insights, mean this is going to be a long post.  Consider yourself warned. I tried to bold some subtopics in case you have a specific one in mind. To read more about the challenge, including the rules, <a href="http://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/closet-challenge-from-dh-rules" rel="nofollow">click here</a>. For Week 1 recap <a href="http://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/dh-closet-challenge-week-1" rel="nofollow">click here</a>. For Week 2 recap <a href="http://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/dh-closet-challenge-week-2-recap" rel="nofollow">click here.</a> My wardrobe size after 3 weeks is 34 items: 5 bottoms 1 hoodie 4 toppers (added a tweed blazer this week) 6 knits (added a striped knit this week) 3 gear items (added a sweatshirt this week) 1 shirt (for layering) 2 LS T’s (for layering) 4 tanks (for layering) 2 thermal layers 2 scarves 2 workout outfits (top and bottom) Reflections for week 3 I started week 3 with 31 items.  After doing the challenge for 2 weeks, surely this would be enough items going into week 3 right?  Wrong.  I ended up adding an additional knit (stripes) and a topper (tweed blazer) right away due to a laundry bottleneck.  Then I realized I’ve been sporting the same gear outfit for two weeks straight so I added one more item, a sweatshirt. It’s harder to save clothes when you have only a small number in rotation.  When my closet was stuffed, I had a habit of reaching for the same handful of items again and again.  But now I find it easier to wear everything in my closet more often, which is an important goal for me.   I only have 6 knits in my closet right now, so it’s not as easy to save one for later, I have to wear it.  I haven’t given special occasion items a second glance when I visit the “boutique.”  Special occasion items (suits for interviews, dresses for weddings, etc) are not typically going to be worn often and I don’t mind if those items sit. You can remix a lot of outfits from a small number of clothes.  I’ve worn some  combinations that I would not have thought to create prior to this challenge, especially print mixing.  I’ve liked some of them, but not all of them which brings me to a key insight for this week. I have a low tolerance for remixing individual pieces and a higher tolerance for repeating entire outfits.  To keep from boredom (and trying to participate in the no-repeat-November challenge by Mo) I’ve been trying to sport the same items in different combinations and I don’t care for it.  I’d rather wear the same combinations again and again and just have a few more combinations to pick from instead.  It’s too much thinking when getting dressed trying to remember if I’ve already worn an item in a specific combination or not and how I should combine it with something else for a “new” look.  I find capsule challenges interesting because you can find a new favorite combination, but to do so every day is just not for me. Reflections regarding closet organization Closet organization must tie into your outfit creation process.  I’ve tried my closet organized many ways (all by items of the same colors, all by items of the same type, and right before this challenge, all by outfits).  Before I started DH’s challenge I had spent almost 5 months with my closet organized by outfits.  It’s not as peaceful to look at as when it was organized by same color or same type of item, but it made getting dressed really easy.  It kept me from over shopping for one type of bottom and leaving another bottom as a wardrobe orphan with no tops/toppers.  And I didn’t have to worry about putting together an outfit, I had a collection of them ready to grab and go.  I think my preference is a bit like<a href="http://youlookfab.com/2013/07/23/the-small-non-mix-and-match-wardrobe/" rel="nofollow"> Angie’s client mentioned here.</a>  After reading her post I had reorganized my closet by outfits and I currently miss it. I generally like to pair two tops/toppers per bottom.  The bulk of my wardrobe is jeans which I consider an item that is really, really, easy to remix in lots of ways.  Yet I’d rather pick the best two or three tops/toppers to pair with them and move on. This probably explains why I own over a dozen pairs of jeans, even though I only have 5 in my current working closet (the rest are in the “boutique.”) Reflections regarding wardrobe size <a href="http://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-much-is-enough-playing-with-numbers?replies=56" rel="nofollow">Mo has a great post</a> that goes into what a potential minimum wardrobe number could be, and if I add in my entire wardrobe, which would mean all the clothes sitting in the “boutique” and my current working closet, I see for some of my categories I am already at or have surpassed that magic number of 12.  This could be why I felt overwhelmed by the size of my wardrobe before starting the DH closet challenge. For example, I own a total of about 12 jeans/trousers.  But for the DH closet challenge, I am only wearing 5 of them.  Apparently I don’t mind repeating bottoms every week. Toppers I plan to add a few more as we continue to get colder weather.  Now knits I am about halfway at the Mo limit already.  And here is a photo of the closet after week 3. I'll try to snap the outfits this weekend. Thanks for reading, I know this was a long one! Edit to add: Here are the<a href="http://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/wiw-for-dh-closet-challenge-week-3-outfits?replies=2#post-1095156" rel="nofollow"> outfits for week 3.</a>