DH Closet Challenge Recap-Week 52 (12 months!)

Hi,
I didn't want to keep hogging up the forum with my updates for the DH Closet Challenge so I've been updating on my blog. I've had a few comments on my last WIW asking how the challenge was going and I am happy to comply, so here is recap of my latest musings.

To read more about the challenge, including the rules, click here.

For a recap of week 36, which was my last update on the forum, click here.

Reflections for week 52

For my favorite top ten observations check out this post. And I'll add/summarize a few below too.

The boutique is down to a bakers dozen

After a year of doing this challenge, I find myself with only 13 items left in the boutique. Despite my best attempts to clear out all my unworn clothing over the past year I still cling to these handful of items. (I analyze each item here) The bottom line is, my souvenir items, which are impulse purchases, often do not fit into my current wardrobe goals, style or lifestyle. I often overpurchase items for weekend use, and I only have two days to sport those pieces, which isn't much time. I also tend to 'stock up' on pieces, only to find out that it takes much longer for something to wear out than I think it will.

My wardrobe size is much, much smaller than I ever suspected

With a current working wardrobe total of 111 items (58 for fall/winter and 53 for spring/summer) and 13 items sitting in the boutique unworn, I have 11.7% of my wardrobe sitting ‘on hold.’ In the next 6 months I would like to close the boutique and either purge or have added into my working wardrobe, these final 13 items. Before starting this challenge I would have arbitrarily calculated that I required X items in my wardrobe. How? 4 seasons. 14 outfits per season (so that I could repeat items every two weeks) 3 items per outfit. That's 168 pieces! This number is much higher than what I really have because I don't mind repeating pieces both across seasons (why do I need 14 bottoms for one season?) and repeating pieces within a week (6 bottoms for two seasons seems to work just fine).

Sales and poor planning = poor purchases

I've done so many mini purges in the past year and I find myself with the same take-aways every time I analyze why something is leaving my wardrobe. When I don't really think hard about how the potential item is going to fit into my wardrobe, it ends up sitting unworn, gets me frustrated because I cannot remix the piece into my wardrobe easily and ultimately ends up donated.

Wardrobe challenges help me understand my wardrobe

I adore a good challenge and I've completed two mini challenges throughout the past year, I've called them The French Capsule challenge (fall recap here and summer recap here). Working with a smaller collection of my wardrobe has given me the time to really analyze what I like, what I do not like, and what changes I need to make so that I am happy with my wardrobe. These challenges have made me realize that I enjoy a wardrobe with softer colors than what I currently own and I prefer when my pieces can remix easily. As I purchase new pieces I try to keep in mind these preferences and pay attention to if the item meets these criteria before I purchase something.

So where do I go from here?

Well I do have something up my sleeve, I plan to finish up the DH Closet challenge very soon, put the boutique out of business and start a new wardrobe challenge.

And no wardrobe recap is complete without an inventory.

At week 52, I have 58 items in my fall/winter wardrobe.

6 bottoms (jeans and trousers)
13 toppers (this includes: pullover sweaters, blazers and cardigans)
8 knits (used for layering)
4 gear items (2 toppers [fleece, hoodie], 1 layering knit [turtleneck] and 1 bottom [jean])
1 shirt (for layering)
5 LS T’s (for layering)
4 tanks (for layering)
6 thermal layers
5 scarves
4 workout items (2 tops and 2 bottoms)
2 Short Sleeve Tops/Knits

Thanks for reading!

11 years ago

Anonymous

Lisa, your observations along with your challenge have been fun to follow and inspiring to many of us. I suspect that, if I did this challenge, I would also find that I need far less and would want softness in color.
I have started inventorying what I am wearing and sticking to mini capsules for about 6 -8 weeks at a time to see what I'm drawn to most. I want to wear fewer things more so that there is more turn over to add new updating pieces each season.

Alassë

Veteran

I've been following your blog for the updates, but thanks for posting here too. Like Joy, I've found mini-seasonal capsules an excellent way to stave off boredom; I can wear 2 or 3 in a dominant season and never feel bored.

Alexandra

(website)

Wow, has it really been a year now? Thank you for posting this recap. I really like your insights re: sales and poor planning. Funny how your wardrobe ended up much smaller than you'd have guessed, no?

Suz

Lisa, you now have an incredibly lean wardrobe! And it sounds as if you have learned a great deal about your preferences and buying habits. I am impressed!

Very interested to hear that you prefer softer colours. What happened to bring you to this recognition? I do think that softer mid-tones are more flattering on the whole for your colouring. And perhaps you tire of them less, also?

Caro in Oz

Thanks for the recap Like you I find I "need" less than I previously thought. Tracking wears (& likes) makes such a difference to our wardrobes doesn't it?

shedev

Thanks for posting this, Lisa. You've done an amazing job pairing down to your essentials.

Sara L.

Thanks for posting! I remember when you started the challenge and it's nice to get the final recap. I'm surprised you include gear in your wardrobe because that's one capsule that many people separate out from their normal wardrobe. I know I don't consider gear such as my running clothes to be part of my regular wardrobe. Thanks again for the update.

Thistle

Wow, super impressed with your dedication to this challenge and the analysis you gave it. The investment in time and energy will continue to serve you so well!

Lisa

Joy-Thanks! I was initially surprised I liked softer colors better. And then I took a look around my home and realized it's all soft colors! Why didn't I realize that was more flattering earlier? And as I've slowly added more softer colors, I've grown happier with my wardrobe.

Alasse-Thanks! (and double thanks for following my blog too!) Two of three mini capsules is a great way to starve off boredom. I have outfits built around straight leg jeans and bootcut jeans, I consider these my mini capsules.

Alexandra-Thanks! I am surprised it's been a year. And I have learned a great deal but the best part is my smaller wardrobe makes me much happier.

Suz-Thanks! I have learned a great deal of my preferences and habits and I am hoping it will help me be smarter in the future. When I did the French Capsule Challenges I realized that all the black and bold colors (the first challenge wardrobe was black, white, cobalt and kelly green) I was sporting were fun to look at but not flattering on me. For the fall challenge I incorporated browns as enjoyed that capsule more than the summer one.

Caro in Oz-Thanks! Tracking has become a daily essential for me. It really helps me stay accountable and remind myself what my wardrobe goals are and how little of my wardrobe I use.

Shedev-Thanks! I am happy to hear that the recap is helpful!

Sara L-Thanks! I find that gear clothing is just as easy for me to overshop for at my daily clothes, by keeping it in the challenge, I am able to keep myself more accountable. In truth though, not all of my wardrobe was in the challenge. I still have my business capsule, formal wear capsule and loungewear capsules. But these are so small they have not been the problem and did not require shrinking their numbers.

Thistle-Thanks! I am hoping that I will make much smarter purchasing decisions in the future as a result of doing this challenge.

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