This is probably waaaaaay overkill, but I'm procrastinating from other things I should be doing. I just made a spreadsheet with 30 rows (one for each day of the challenge) and five columns (shoes, bottoms, tops, toppers, and misc notes). I want to use everything in my 30 at least once, so I dropped each of those into its own row, and now I'm filling out outfits around them. I may or may not end up improvising from day to day, but I figure this (1) should (theoretically) save me some decision making time in the mornings, and (2) helps me come up with unique combinations.

I probably won't end up using all 30 outfits (next Saturday is a performance day, so I probably won't even have a chance to wear normal clothes, for instance), but it's a fun exercise.

That sounds FABULOUS, Srah. I am a LOVER of spreadsheets.

I just wonder why you (all who are participating) are doing this. Do you have too many clothes and now try to manage with fewer? Are you challenging yourselves to find new combinations? Or what is your goal? Do you all have the same goal, or do you have different goals and purposes?

By the way, right now, I am on a 3 weeks vacation. Let me check how many items I have brought. ... OK, here they are:
Bottoms: 8
Tops: 11
Toppers: 7
Shoes: 5 (pairs )
Total: 31. Not bad? And if needed, of course I could manage an extra week with these clothes and shoes.

My goal in doing this is to find out if I really need as many clothes as I have and where I can make cuts and still be happy, and for the fun of it.
The Cat, did you get all that in a carry on?
I changed my draft on this thread to a final list as it would not allow me to copy it. I also posted separately so I can add what I wear each day. I will start tomorrow. My 30 days may include an emergency trip to see DSIL who is having health problems, and family.

I think we all have different goals for this. I enjoy constraints and structured challenges as a way to force creativity. It's probably the same reason I like doing photo challenges... my brain freezes up if you tell me to "make an awesome picture", but if you tell me to make a "blue" picture, then I'll be much more creative (I'll start thinking of blue the color and all kinds of things that are blue, and blue as a synonym for melancholy and how that might be represented in an image, or blue as a homophone for "blew", or maybe a combination of some or all of these ideas at once, and then the ideas just flow).

If I have my whole closet to work from, I tend to wear the same few things over and over again in the same ways, and it's not always things I feel great in... it's just things that are easy to throw on in the morning when my brain isn't awake yet. If I have a limited selection to choose from, and I set myself the challenge of coming up with new combinations, then I stumble over ways to wear things that I hadn't thought of before but like very much. I've noticed that I tend to get more clothing compliments from coworkers when I'm working from a limited palette.

Joy, I am travelling with a real suitcase with 4 wheels. It contains not only my clothes and shoes, but also several other things I need to bring for myself and my family.

The Cat -- I think we may all be taking the 30 x 30 challenge for personal reasons.

Srah expressed what I feel very well: constraints and structured challenges as a way to force creativity. I learn so much about myself whenever I partake of a challenge in life. Fashion/style challenges are really fun for me. When friends join me in the challenge I have even more fun.

I'm in - because I have already been operating this way for a few months now I love the idea of capsuling. I have tweaked the concept to suit my needs - so all I did was pull out a colour grouping I wanted to work with, stick it all on a rolling rack, and just wear what was there. I didn't have to choose a certain number of pants, or tops or shoes - rather I put it all together on a rack and whatever was there became part of the capsule. It worked marvellously. I'm in month 3 now - the first of a 2-month navy/pale blue /olive green capsule. I don't find it a challenge at all - it's a blessed relief from having to choose from a mixed up closet.

Great Lisap!
I am also doing it because the structure allows creativity and not just in the way I dress. I also need the interaction with the forum to force me to dress more creativity. I live in a rural place. I could wear PJ all day long and no one would notice.

So happy you are going to join us LisaP!

I'm already doing what LisaP describes, just less elegantly. (No rolling rack; everything not in current capsule is in clear, labeled bins in storage room. And fewer colors than she has.)

So doing 30x30 just means listing what's in circulation, and making my next capsule early. Ok, I'm in!

But NOT counting gear or loungewear, because of extensive duplication for laundry reasons.

I'm loving everyone's lists. So inspiring!

I am looking forward to this and started yesterday. I plan to do weekly updates and hopefully photos too

The Cat- it is crazy on one level to do this challenge. We are coming from a place of privilege to have more than 30 items to restrict ourselves arbitrarily.

My reasons for participating are to have fun with a group of women, to incorporate some new pieces into my daily wardrobe, and to cheer up my mid winter. Life has not been great for us this year with stresses coming from several angles. Escapism is a good thing sometimes.

Welcome Minimalist!!!! I am so happy to have you join us.

Sal -- I think weekly updates will be a lot easier than posting daily. I am glad both you and Emily suggested it. I am going to make it a goal to take a picture every single day though!

On a side note, I am so glad you suggested doing a challenge. I really enjoyed that 30 x 30 challenge we did a couple of years ago. It was surprisingly challenging, but a lot of fun. I got to know you and Carter really well.

Weekly updates are a great idea. I will make notes in my journal.

So today is a special day. I have to conduct a site visit. This requires a very specialized wardrobe. I included three items in my 30 x 30 challenge to accommodate days like this.

The Gap Khakis olive pants; Gap short sleeve crew neck tee shirt; and a GAP Center Bar Buckle Belt. Hmmm. All Gap. Gap does make sturdy clothes and they are cheap enough for this purpose. In a way, that is GOOD advertising.

Anyway. I need these clothes. I wear them in the field and take them off IMMEDIATELY upon entering the house and launder them. I normally wear sneakers in commute, but I did not want to include sneakers in my 30 x 30 since they would be too hot for every day wear (i.e., I would only wear them on days like today). Instead I will wear the Vionic Orthaheel Tide II Women's Sandal in Navy in commute and change to steel toes boots once I get there. The steel toed boots are not counted in my 30 x 30 challenge. I mean just "ick." I don't even allow them in my house. They stay in the trunk of my car.

I am going to try to snap a picture at some point during the day. Perhaps my inspector will indulge me. She is kind that way.

If I did this, I wouldn't wear half the summer clothes I've accumulated (and thus wouldn't be able to evaluate which ones I need to keep and which to cull). But more power to you all!

I agree, Christina F. You have to be a certain point in your wardrobe before you would want to participate in a challenge like this. Some of us were just ready for this challenge and thought it would be fun.

Aster,I got. It sounds like a good plan and this is something you have down pat.

I'm having trouble getting up to 30; am I missing something?

white denim cuffed crops
white denim wide crops
white denim flares
white denim sailing shorts
black "boyfriend"-fit men's jeans

black silk jersey draped sleeveless top
black rayon woven ruffle sleeveless top
ink silk woven sleeveless swing top
black cotton jersey v-neck men's tee (borrowed from Mr Max until he misses it)
black poly velvet layered sleeveless top
grey rayon jersey drapey tee

black-white (reads as grey) cotton houndstooth men's shirt
black pullover hoodie

black, grey & white graphic cape jacket
black, grey & white linen knit jacket

black leather belt w silvertone buckle 1
black leather belt w silvertone buckle 2

black normcore slip-on sandals
grey spunky grandma wedge sandals
black asymmetrical strappy slingback sandals
black leather lace-up ankle boots

not counted: undergarments, socks; scarves, hats; loungewear, gear.

I do have more summer clothing, but don't really feel like adding garments just to make numbers.

sterling I have a summer clothes addition in particular. I keep buying things for an imaginary beach vacation (I take at least one a year, but to a cooler climate for one week - I have plenty of clothes for it). I could do this best in the winter when I wear the same 3-4 pairs of pants-jeans and 2 pairs of boots on repeat.

minimalist--in reading your list, I think I feel just as you do. Wow! it looks like you have a lot of good stuff...have covered all the bases...and still have a lot of slots left over. It's a worry, isn't it? In reviewing my list, I thought about some items I probably should have included: sunglasses, bathing suit, bathing cover-up, and tote bag. In all fairness, though, maybe all except the tote would be excluded items? Did you consider adding any purses or bags to your list?

ETA: Oh wait...I see by La Ped's post that you did remember bags

Hi Minimalist -- GREAT LIST. Why don't you consider keeping some slots open in the event you find you want this or that added in. It is impossible to predict how you might be feeling at about Day 15 or Day 20. I have thee open slots and I am pretty certain that I will use all three of them.

So that everyone else can see your list, would you consider copying the list to a new "conversation?" I am afraid other challenge members might miss your list and you would lose out on their wisdom.

Christina F. My summer wardrobe has always been my Achilles heel. I wanted to see if I could manage dressing for work, dressy casual, and casual using only my existing wardrobe. No new purchases during these 30 days. (Well, one made yesterday in a moment of weakness). I hope to identify holes in my summer wardrobe. I agree that a 30 x 30 using my winter wardrobe would a lot easier because it is in so much better shape. In fact, the Forum did a 30 x 30 challenge during the winter a couple of years ago. It was still a challenge for me. I got really tired of my clothes and yearned for change.

Yayy

Thank you for stopping by, Shopaholic77. You are welcome to participate with us any time you desire. It is a great way to get know other Forum Members. Whatever you decide, best wishes.

I always enjoy a good wardrobe challenge and regularly wear a capsule wardrobe each season. I seem to run around 33 items or so with my seasonal capsules myself. I look forward to watching everyone work through the challenge!

minimalist - I don't have 30 pieces in my current group either; your list seems pretty comprehensive to me!