I've been reading the 30 x30 posts with interest but have also never had any interest in following it .

Like Jenn, it is perhaps pretty close to how I dress anyway. I counted up the clothes I have worn since Jan started and cutting out loungewear and gear (we were camping for 4 days) I was mostly just wearing the hot summer capsule I bought last year - i.e., 2 dresses, a white skirt and a chambray sleeveless skirt. Add in 2 lightweight cardis for warmth in aircon and you have 6 items.

I'm on holiday (vacation) at the moment and when I return to work I'll add in more items, so I thought I'd keep a count of how many - but not actually restrict myself at all.

I am bit surprised at some of the negativity here! Of course no-one has to participate in the challenge.

I don’t see the challenge as necessarily being about wardrobe minimalism or arbitrarily restricting myself.

Personally, I am looking upon the challenge as an exercise in wardrobe planning and not in miminalism. I plan to build a 30 item high summer work/going out capsule over the course of 30 wears. I don’t think a 30 item build-as-you-go dressy summer capsule (which excludes shoes, accessories and outerwear) will limit me arbitrarily. I may not even reach 30. And if I go over 30, there may be good reasons for that. But I am hoping at the end of the process that thinking about what made the cut and why, what I didn’t choose and why, what I did wear but didn’t enjoy, what was missing, etc will help me with purchasing and editing decisions. And with travel planning. I also hope it encourages me to find and wear new combinations of items in my existing wardrobe rather than to boredom buy. I think that is a way of being creative.

If I were one to track wears, I think I wouldn't be far away from 30x30 actually. As I wrote on Angie's recent thread, I tend to repeat outfits a lot over a certain period and therefore am not interested in limiting myself in case inspiration strikes. But I do agree with Brooklyn that the challenge is actually very versatile and although I am not participating I am very much enjoying seeing what others are doing with it.

Janet, what fits in a carry on for a 21 day trip is its own challenge. At the end of a trip I am so sick of what is in the suitcase that I can not wear any of it for months. I definitely need variety and a large wardrobe but am hoping to figure out what my needs really are. I have also learned to be aware that my wardrobe needs variety and not to buy several of something, like skinny jeans, just because I like the look. If I do, they had better be a new color or have a pattern or texture that adds something new. In past challenges, I have learned that variety in tops is more important than in bottoms. Lessons may be small but help when shopping decisions. I agree with Brooklyn, that using a limited number of items forces creativity. For me that is especially with dresses and layering.

I don’t see negativity — everyone here seems very supportive and respectful of others’ efforts. Just expressing a different opinion or direction need not be interpreted as negative.

I crave variety, too, Janet! I do use a flexible capsule approach, I suppose. For example, I wear my bootcuts extensively during fall and holiday season, switching more to skinny pants when the snow makes them more practical.

Good for you for designing a practical capsule for travel! It sounds like you'll enjoy your full wardrobe on your return!

I’m enjoying reading about everyone’s challenges, and the different rules they set up for themselves, but am not participating, I was going to, but when I started to plan, realized I’m still needing to wear postpartum stuff and even with footwear and outer wear, it’s less than 30 items. I was inspired to come up with a few new combinations, though and that was helpful.

Make sure you post 'em!

Ok, I did several years ago put about 2/3 of my wardrobe in storage, when I moved up from the suburbs (boy do I miss the space you get in the ‘burbs!). Not a 30x30, but limited - and illuminating. I learned a lot about what was dead weight and what I was overlooking but loved. I also learned to think about the whole outfit more. Previously I really evaluated items in isolation. Like, ‘oh, this is a cute sweater.’ But I realised this cute sweater and those cute pants don’t really go together just because they’re both cute.

I also learned I wanted to stop being ‘cute.’

Ok. WIW pics were also important there too... lol!

Janet, this makes perfect sense -- of course you crave a change after living out of a suitcase for several weeks!

For myself, I find a capsule challenge forces me to wear things I wouldn't otherwise, and I end up with more variety than if I have access to my whole closet. Particularly in the winter, if I don't make a conscious decision to wear my "good" things" it is so, so easy to default to jeans and a flannel, especially since it will be covered up by a big puffy coat for much of the day!

And I think you're better than I am about wearing your cool new things. My goal with my winter capsule is to get myself to wear several new trousers -- they are all more polished than jeans, but if I don't start wearing them now, I will save them and they'll still be new next winter! This is quite similar to Angie's winter goal, I just need to be more restrictive with myself to actually make it happen (and I didn't even wear them the first week of my 30x30! I wore all three of the "casual" options I've given myself due to weather and illness. This week, though -- this week I'll make it happen!).

I found one or two comments unsettling. Let me emphasize that you do not need to stop reading Forum posts for the entire month of January just because a small subset of the Forum is posting about their 30 x 30 Challenge. This Challenge was never meant to be obtrusive or mandatory. It was a fun exercise for those that wanted to participate. It is also an opportunity for the participants to get to know one another better and reap the benefits of the Forum that much more.

I think I almost do a 30 x 30 a lot of the time anyway because I am a big repeater when it comes to outfits I like and I get lazy and just keep rotating the same items through the laundry at the end of the week. I 'hang' my clothes to finish drying inside the house (too dusty outside) and often my favorite things are out there in plain sight after laundry so I tend to reach for them again. lol.

I'm with you, Janet. I appreciate the idea of the challenge, but I like to be able to wear whatever suits my mood that day without limiting it to a capsule. Also, we have four distinct seasons here, and joke that we sometimes see all four in the space of a week. Just trying to dress for the weather is enough of a challenge.

Yes, I'm in this boat too - I enjoy reading the 30 x 30 posts, but I have no desire to participate. I'm easily bored with my wardrobe so I'm constantly trying to NOT repeat outfits.