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6 items - 1 month

rachylou

Veteran

I saw this on LearnVest:

http://www.learnvest.com/2012/.....challenge/

You have to pick 6 pieces of clothing (not counting accessories, shoes, undies, etc.) and live in them - and only them - for a whole month. That sounds extremely tough to me. I think people at the office would beg askance.

But I'm also wondering if I should try it. I have way too much clothing. More than can fit in my closet (albeit, my closet is microscopic and there's only one closet for everything in my place).

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22 replies

Latest reply was from Tanya

Isabel

Veteran

Rachy, why not ? It is the type of thing that you can always go back on. I do think that at this time of year, depending on where you live, that 6 pieces is very hard. Maybe 10 or 12, but don't include raincoats or a couple of sweaters ( it can still get chilly or very hot ). I think that this would be easier when there are less likely weather swings.

christieanne

Veteran

You could set a shorter time for your own challenge - maybe two weeks - if the thought intrigues you. Seems like I would be so tired of those same 6 items after this that I wouldn't want to wear them
Despite doing huge closet purges (I now have to sneak donations out of house - DH is worried I am giving too much away lol) I don't think I will ever be a minimalist in closet (or anything) so it wouldn't work for me.

rachylou

Veteran

Hmm. Maybe I will try 10 items, 2 weeks. I think it would be cheating too much to put all my sweaters in the "outerwear category." I'll have to put my bakery clothes into the excluded "workout gear" category.

Isabel

Veteran

That sounds good, Rachy !! If two weeks goes well, you can stretch into 3 weeks or drop an item. Good Luck !

AJ

Veteran

This is essentially a small wardrobe capsule. How about picking a color and two neutrals for your 6 pieces (or however many pieces you decide on) and seeing how long you can go remixing and remixing?

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I can understand how such a challenge would be fun for some - for me personally, it would take the fun out of dressing

Kiwichik

Veteran

Hmmm I'm with Angie however if I was travelling & only interested in hand luggage for a month it would be an idea worth trying.

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

I'm not sure I could do 6 items for one WEEK (lol)!

Sarah A

Veteran

I was very into learning about/trying some of these challenges toward the beginning of the year... then I found YLF and now i have gone whole hog the other direction buying about 80-90% new wardrobe. Although down the road when I am wanting to hone my wardrobe skills a bit more i may consider doing one. I also looked at the one that was 30 items for 3 months. Definitely an interesting concept.... Will be looking forward to hear how it goes...

CocoLion

(website)

Veteran

I could see doing 6 items for a week maybe, during a time when the weather is stable. I'd start with baby steps first RachyLou. And definitely exclude your bakery attire. That goes into a uniform category, like my button downs and dark pants/jeans and apron for serving.

rachylou

Veteran

I hear you, Angie. I'm not sure how long I could last wearing only 6 items of clothing. 3 days? My mother assures me, though, that I do NOT get enough wear out of the clothes I own. That I have so many, I don't have to do any repeats in a year, which is kinda true...

AJ - Picking two neutrals would be easy at this point - I'm down once again to only two pairs of pants that fit. Ack!

jayne

Veteran

ooo, that sounds downright painful. I couldn't do that!

rachylou

Veteran

Kiwi - You're right. 6 items would be ideal for streamlined travel. I've gotten pared down in the travel dept, but not that pared down.

Shannon, Jayne - I know! I know! It's hardcore!

Sarah - Yes, I was thinking maybe it would help me distill my style ideas.

Coco - Oh, the weather the weather. Good point. Can 6 items work for the land of micro-climates? 10?

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Ouch!

I'm a wardrobe minimalist and I can see trying six pieces for a short travel capsule. But six pieces for one month?

When would you do laundry?

I think I'd get truly bored and depressed. Honestly.

During my unexpected stay at my mom's (went for 3 days, ended up staying 3 weeks) I had what I thought was a pretty small capsule:

1 dress
1 pair jeans
2 jackets (denim and black crepe)
1 button down
1 cardigan
3 layering Ts.
3 scarves.
2 belts.
2 pairs of boots.

That's already 9 regular items of clothing (not counting the accessories or outerwear) and I got INCREDIBLY bored. Okay, so my items were all neutrals (I happened to do this during Mary K's neutrals challenge). But even so. 6 items is what I call an extreme diet.

Meredith1953

Veteran

Sad to say but I pretty much do the small number of clothing over and over and over again. 6 pieces would be a stretch but not outside my comfort zone. Thanks for posting the interesting link.

rachylou

Veteran

Haha, Suz. I'm already trying to worm out of it... I figure, from your list, if we count the layering T's as "undies" or the jackets as "outerwear"... Any tips, Meredith?

As for laundry, I assume you have to stay very very clean...

I'm reminded of a history teacher I once had... ok, well, and a French teacher. But the history teacher beats all hands down. He had one pair of pants and two shirts (one for summer, one for winter). He did wash them every day - they were shiny with washings. I'm not sure how he got them dried so fast... he did not seem like the type to do anything but line-dry... and the electric dryer eats clothing.

Mamapicklejuice

Veteran

I think I could do it if I excluded my "Sunday capsule" - which includes dresses really only worn at church. I think it's an intriguing idea...it appeals to the minimalist in me. Six items max must be fairly arbitrary, though, right? I mean, that's not supposed to morph into a magical week's worth of outfits somehow. (Obviously, it can, depending on how you select your items.) My point being, pick a (small) number that is both challenging and practical. Maybe pick a weeks worth of OUTFITS and see how many individual pieces are in there that can be mixed/matched/swapped out - til you reach a minimum number.

Fun!

Dana

(website)

Veteran

I am sure 6 pieces for a month could be done, but you'd have to repeat outfits over and over and over...A great formula would be 2 bottoms and 4 tops allowing for each top to be able to be layered or worn by itself. I didn't read the challenge, but surely they don't mean accessories are included in the 6 items!

I'm heading to Europe for a month and need to pack light, but I know I'll take more than 6 pieces!

Deborah

Veteran

6items over the course of a month just doesn't sound mlike fun. I would get bored and then grumpy:)

Astrid

Veteran

I think it sounds a bit excessive, even though I like the idea of minimalism. I could do it I guess if the weather is stable, but it wouldn't be much fun.

And Suz is right, when would you do laundry? It just doesn't sound practical.

I agree to start with one week if this interests you. I like Mamapicklejuice's idea to "pick a (small) number that is both challenging and practical" - for YOU. You'll sure learn more when you do it that way.

rachylou

Veteran

I was thinking I could count my long sleeve tees (that I wear under everything) as "underwear" and therefore not count it. Did I say that already?

Anyways, accessories don't count. That would definitely be do much!

I also think it would be really boring for OTHER people. But perhaps the severity of the exercise is meant to be a learning experience, wardrobe boot camp. It really has a certain appeal to me right now; I feel my mind as well as my closet is very cluttered.

I just have to find the time to pick six (or ten) items!

Tanya

Veteran

It is very impressive that you are even thinking about this, for me it would be a torture. I could do 6 items for 2 days

Maybe a gentler version? I think 10 items/2 weeks sounds far more reasonable.