Project 333 – One Year On

Today I wanted to share with you how I choose what to wear each day.  My inspiration is Courtney Carver and Project 333 although I do not precisely follow the principle of 33 items for 3 months.  We live in a mild climate and many items can be worn almost year-round so I have chosen to have a simple selection of clothes which can be worn in a variety of ways and most importantly, that suit my lifestyle.  I have never had a huge selection of clothes but since discovering the concept of Project 333 nearly 12 months ago I have streamlined my wardrobe and made the items I have really work for me.

Since going back to work last Tuesday I set myself a mini-challenge.  I wanted to see how many outfits I could create that I had not previously worn before.  It can be something as simple as a different cardigan/jacket or a skirt/top combination that I have not tried before.

Today is the 6th day and here is what I am wearing.

This dress is a relatively recent acquisition and I love the fact that it includes my 2 favourite colours – red and pink.  I have worn it with a red jacket but today it is a different look with a fine cotton cardigan in pink.

I am wearing sandals as it is still quite warm here (about 25C) during the day but mornings and evenings are cooler and the cardigan is also useful in the air-conditioned office.

I have streamlined my wardrobe to the extent that I do not need to trawl through it to see what I have or what goes with what.  I know exactly what I own and can plan my outfits a day or 2 in advance in my head and then simply grab the required items in the morning.

We live in a mild climate and it is officially autumn (fall).  It is hard to believe but it will get cooler over the coming months.  I need to buy some new trousers to wear to work as the one pair that I owned were discarded at the end of last winter as I had lost weight and I could have nearly ‘lost’ my trousers!  I hope to buy 2 pairs – black and charcoal grey in the same style if possible, so wish me luck!

Project 333 – Goodbye Summer

We are now into March and it is officially autumn here in the Southern Hemisphere.

I was reading this post over at Extra Organised where Kim posed the question, “Have you worn all of your summer clothes yet?  If not, why not?”

This was just the reminder I needed.  My wardrobe is now sufficiently streamlined, that when I read this I could confidently answer to myself that everything had been worn except one item.

These board shorts.

I had previously identified that they probably would not survive as a long-term addition to my wardrobe but the thing that finally prompted me to move them to the op shop bag is the fact that they are much too big for me now.  So, out they go.

My summer collection will continue to be curated and upgraded but it is a good feeling to know that the number and type of clothes that I have suits my current lifestyle.

I wonder if I will be able to say the same about my winter clothes at the beginning of spring?

Project 333 – How Many Can You Make?

While I don’t adhere precisely to the concept of 33 items for 3 months, I have been working on streamlining my wardrobe.  I make sure that everything in there is something that I truly love and wear.  It also needs to be capable of being worn in several different ways.

Today I want to show you how versatile a few pieces can be so I selected a total of 13 items.

2 skirts

A pair of 3/4 trousers

Dark blue jeans

That is a total of 4 ‘bottoms’.  Then I added 4 tops.

Three are the same style and the white one is slightly different.

A jacket with 3/4 sleeves which is very practical for our climate and also air-conditioned offices.

A cardigan

Finally, some footwear.

Look carefully and you will see that almost any combination will work.

In reality there are a few things I would not do.

Wear sandals with jeans
Wear sandals when wearing jacket or cardigan
Wear white top with spotted skirt (cream) or with the white trousers (too much white)
Wear red top and red jacket together
Wear black top and black cardigan together
Wear blue top and black cardigan with checked skirt or jeans (too many different dark colours together)

By applying the ‘rules’ I set above I have calculated that I could create 72 different outfits by adding/deleting a jacket/cardigan or changing the shoes.

How versatile are the clothes in your wardrobe?

Making Way

As many of you would be aware, I have been streamlining my wardrobe for nearly 12 months.  My goal is to have a modest selection of good quality clothes that I love and are flattering to wear.

The Duke generally keeps his selection of shirts under control but after our  shopping spree in Melbourne a couple of weeks ago it became obvious that he had too many pairs of trousers that he rarely wore.  So, this evening we went through them and culled 3 pairs of trousers as well as the suit he had replaced.  I have also put 3 skirts into the op shop bag.  I am planning on refashioning 2 other skirts but the these do not fit with the clothes I need and love.  All of the items we are letting go of are good quality and in excellent condition so I hope someone can use them.

In the back of my mind I keep thinking of the money that we have spent on these (and clothes) over the years but I know that I cannot use that as a reason to hang onto them for ever.  That is no way to recoup the money spent. However, it is a timely reminder to be very thoughtful about what you spend you money on, whether it be clothes or something else entirely.

It is far better to someone else the opportunity to gain some use from the items that are no longer wanted or required.

Finally, a warm welcome to all of the new readers and followers.  I hope you find something of interest in my blog and thank you for joining in.

Project 333 – A Perfect Fit

I have been continuing my quest to own only clothes that I truly love and wear regularly.

When I first became involved in Project 333 in April 2012 I took 4 items out of my wardrobe that did not fit me.  I was not prepared to get rid of the clothes at that time as they were almost brand new and I was not ready to let them go.

Fast forward to July 2012 and I decided to embark on a grain free, gluten free diet for health reasons.  Coincidentally, I have lost 8kg in 6 months.

In October I tried on the skirt and decided that it was never going to suit me whatever size I was, so that went to the op shop.  There was a pair of white linen 3/4 trousers which 6 months earlier had not been even a glimmer of hope of zipping them up yet now they fitted.

Tonight I decided to check the other 2 items in the bag.  They are cotton drill jackets – one red and one a dark charcoal in an identical style.  They now are also suitable to wear so will be added back to my wardrobe as the weather cools down over the next few months.

It is just as well that I had these additions because there is going to be some more culling of the wardrobe contents before long.  There are several pairs of 3/4 trousers which are really much too loose and now are quite unflattering.  Some of my skirts are also rather loose.

I am trying to think carefully about what new items I might buy and make sure that they fit with the existing pieces in my wardrobe.  We will be in Melbourne this weekend so I am hoping to find some trousers that will be suitable for winter here.  I will also look out for anything else that is on my wanted list.

Project 333 – A New Dress For Christmas

Do you remember the excitement of getting a new dress for Christmas or your birthday?  It was really exciting because it was a rare occurrence.  Now it is relatively cheap and easy to buy a new outfit whenever you please and I feel that this detracts from the excitement.  Is it the fact that we are trying to recreate that excitement that sends people back to the shops to buy more and more clothes and shoes?

Actually, I did not get a new dress for Christmas, in fact I did not receive any gifts of clothing nor did I buy any clothes during the Christmas season.  This is the only dress I currently own.  It is about 3 years old and I wear it at least once a week for about 8 months of the year.

I did not feel any need to rush out and buy something new for a special occasion.  I have enough clothes at the moment to cover my needs which are the same as they were a few months ago.  I did make this skirt before Christmas and wore it to a Christmas lunch with my work colleagues as well as on Christmas Day with my family.

One of my sewing projects is to make a new lining for a skirt so that I can wear the skirt to a wedding in March.  The wedding is in Canberra so it could be quite cool so I want to make a jacket, probably black velvet and my sister has offered to lend me her black pashmina as well.

Although I am not strictly participating in Project 333 at the moment, I am constantly reviewing the clothes I own and deciding what may be the next thing to go and whether or not it needs to be replaced.  Even though we still have the hottest part of the summer ahead of us, I am already considering what I will need for winter.  I have lost weight in the last 6 months and I am managing to continue to wear most of my existing clothes but one of the first casualties was the one pair of grey trousers which I wore to work.  I had been wearing them for several seasons and they were looking a little past their prime.  I sent them to the op shop when I discovered that I could pull them down over my hips without undoing the fly.  I must admit that they were always a little on the large side.

Shopping is definitely not a pastime for me but I will have to make a concerted effort to find some nice fitting trousers.  I would like 2 pairs, perhaps a charcoal grey and a lighter grey.

I like good quality clothes that are a flattering cut and colour for me but I do not feel the need to have a bulging wardrobe.  I am getting closer to my goal of only having items that I wear regularly and being able to mix and match most, if not all of the pieces.

If you haven’t heard of Project 333 then here might be the place to start.  You can also check out some of my earlier posts on the subject by typing 333 into the search function on the right-hand side of the page.

Do you have any hints or suggestions for minimising the contents of your wardrobe?

Slow and Simple – A Goal For Living

I was sitting and vaguely wondering what I might write today when I found the following words from Courtney Carver at “Project 333“.

Life is noisy. Inboxes are overflowing. To-Do Lists are three pages long. Time flies. We run late. We catch up. We fall behind. We never finish.

All of those things leave us exhausted and uninspired. How can we keep up and slow down at the same time? How can build in more time, space, and resources for health and happiness?

The answer is simple … use less, do less, need less, spend less. Sure, the answer is simple, but where do you start?

Simplicity can start anywhere, but it can’t start everywhere. Beginning a journey into a new way of life in the same you we ran our old way of life doesn’t make sense. Complicating simplicity by trying to do it all at once defeats the purpose. Instead, start small and start in one place.

These words really sang to me and I instantly felt my breathing slow and a sense of calm and order descend.

Courtney is correct, there are so many aspects of our lives that can be simplified that it is easy to get caught up in a whirl.

I participated in Project 333 quite successfully earlier this year.  Since then, I have not actually counted items but I am continually aiming to streamline my entire wardrobe even further.  I now know what styles and colours I really like to wear and make sure that everything I own truly deserves its place in my wardrobe.

A wardrobe is a very good place to begin your journey to a simpler life. We all have more clothes than we actually need and it is a confined space and you can easily quantify the contents.

After you have expended considerable time and energy clearing out clothes that you do not wear or even like, you will think twice about buying more.

I can assure you that once you begin, the principles of simplicity will naturally flow to many other facets of your life.  You will find yourself seeking out simpler meals, decorating ideas and simple ideas for recreation and leisure time.

Every little bit helps.  Over time you will find that you can apply the underlying principles of Project 333 to areas as diverse as your linen cupboard, utensil drawer and DVD collection.

If you have less stuff in your life you will need less time, money and energy to acquire, store, clean and organise it.  Release the stuff and reclaim the time and space in your life.

And the final word must come from one of my favourite quotes.  This is from Francine Jay at “Miss Minimalist“.

Life is the space between our things.

So, do we want a fulfilling life or a life full of things?

A Pile of Clothes & Something For Me

I am gradually working my way through a pile of clothes that I brought home from Missy’s place nearly 2 weeks ago.  I was helping her to sort and declutter in preparation for her interstate relocation.

Some items were deemed not suitable, too old, worn out or simply no longer loved.  Most would suitable for someone else so they went to the local op shop.

I did score a scarf which Missy no longer wanted.  I am not usually a huge scarf fan but this was a small lightweight one in turquoise, black and beige/gold colours  which caught my eye.  I have worn it twice in less than a week.  The first time was out to dinner when I had a black skirt and 3/4 sleeve top of the same turquoise colour.  The top has a v-neck and no collar so the scarf really finished it off nicely.  Secondly, I wore white 3/4 trousers and a black camisole with a gold tie-up 3/4 sleeve mesh top.  I used the scarf as a belt for the trousers and it added a bit of colour and brought the whole outfit together.  I certainly had not gone out looking for a scarf like this but once I saw the opportunity it fits really well with my existing wardrobe.

Like most people she had some items lurking amongst her clothes which were not wearable for a variety of reasons.  We assessed the viability of each piece and I brought some home for some alteration/mending to return them to fully functional pieces.

The handiwork has included replacing buttons, letting down hems and a multitude of minor adjustments that enhance the wearability of a garment.

One dress gaped where the bodice crossed over but since it was a stretch fabric I just permanently sewed the crossover section.  Another top had fold back cuffs on the armholes which needed to be pressed into place each time before wearing so I stitched them so that it stays in place.  These adjustments are no usually evident at the time of purchase and it is not until you wear an item a few times that you realise that it is not as ‘easy’ to wear as you would like.  Sometimes there is a simple solution that can make all of the difference.

This is the pile that I have finished.  There were some other maintenance jobs like trimming off loose threads and pilled fabric.  All of this combined with washing has created a pile of items with a new lease of life.

I still have a bit left to do but it is not as bad as it looks spread over the ironing board.  Soon it will be a neat pile of wearable clothes.

One of the things that I have learned from my involvement in Project 333 is that nothing deserves a place in your wardrobe unless it is wearable and you love it.

Do you find yourself with a cupboard full of clothes and ‘nothing to wear’?  Perhaps it is time to check out what is lurking in the cupboard.

 

Project 333 – Plains & Prints

Today I had a blinding flash regarding the items in my wardrobe.

I have plain shorts (black, white and khaki) and plain trousers (black, white and jeans).  I can wear patterned tops with these (striped, floral prints etc).

My skirts are patterned (striped, floral, spotted) and I have plain coloured tops to wear with them.

But………..never the twain shall meet, so I am limited in the selection of mix and match outfits that I can create.

I can, and do wear a plain coloured top with plain shorts or trousers but there is no way I would ever mix 2 different patterns.  So I have come to the conclusion, that although at least some of the patterned tops will remain to be worn with the trousers or shorts, I will work towards having more plain coloured tops that can be used in a greater number of ways.

How have you identified ways to streamline the clothes in your wardrobe?

Still On Track

My tandem challenges for October are both still on track.

Frocktober – I have accepted the challenge to wear either a dress or skirt each time I leave the house.  In order to add a degree of complexity to the challenge I am trying not to wear the same outfit twice during the month.  So far this is going well.

Stoptober – in conjunction with Frugal Queen I am endeavouring to spend as little as possible this month.  In addition to my haircut and fruit and vegetable shopping which I mentioned in an earlier blog, I bought some hem binding to complete a false hem on a skirt for Missy.  My total spend in 9 days has been $59.70.  The Duke has ordered a new DVD player online since our old one simply ceased to work.  He searched for a good deal and this one is less than $5o, including delivery.

My organising has been fairly limited recently but I am working on completing mending and sewing projects.

I am busily making lists of what I need to achieve before Christmas which is only 11 weeks away.  Composing my Christmas letter and writing cards are things that I like to get done fairly early so will be starting those soon.  I am also keeping an eye out for recipes to include in our Christmas menu.  It will be a little different this year as I am eating a gluten-free diet.  I try to make it grain and sugar free as much as possible, too.  Creativity will be the key.

Have you started thinking about Christmas or do you have your head buried firmly in the sand?