Ever heard of it? I hadn't. Project 333 is the minimalist fashion challenge that invites you to dress with 33 items or less for 3 months. bemorewithless.com/project-333/ My eyes about fell out of my head when I read that!!! Seriously???? Here are the rules: The Rules When: Every three months (It’s never too late to start so join in anytime!) What: 33 items including clothing, accessories, jewelry, outerwear and shoes. What not: these items are not counted as part of the 33 items – wedding ring or another sentimental piece of jewelry that you never take off, underwear, sleep wear, in-home lounge wear, and workout clothing (you can only wear your workout clothing to workout) How: Choose your 33 items, box up the remainder of your fashion statement, seal it with tape and put it out of sight. What else: consider that you are creating a wardrobe that you can live, work and play in for three months. Remember that this is not a project in suffering. If your clothes don’t fit or are in poor condition, replace them. I wear more than 33 pieces of jewelry in a month!!! I can't even imagine doing something like this, and yet the idea of going minimalist really appeals to me! The Project is part of this movement: bemorewithless.com/about/ I started looking at internet images of minimalist homes, both interiors and exteriors. The one thing that struck me, over and over again, is how...angular and geometric everything is. The architecture of the homes themselves, the pieces inside the homes..it's all so harsh looking. I hate that kind of look. Feels so cold and unwelcoming to me. Started musing on if it's even possible to go minimalist with items that are warm and soft looking. Even so, I find the whole subject fascinating, because I am on a constant path to simplify my life, even as I have trouble comprehending how I could ever be this minimalist!
Without these items in the count...... What not: these items are not counted as part of the 33 items – wedding ring or another sentimental piece of jewelry that you never take off, underwear, sleep wear, in-home lounge wear, and workout clothing (you can only wear your workout clothing to workout) I don't even own 33 items of clothing. Seriously, I don't. And to explain...it's not that I can not afford a lot of clothes it is just that I see no purpose in having more than I can wear in one week. I do have special clothing for special occasions. But for normal dressing, I do wear things many times until they have to be replaced because they are wearing out. And following 'trends' (I really dislike that word) I do not follow them.
Oh ya! totally me. I wear the same skirt every Sunday and Wed to church. there, that is fixed a sweater/shirt depending on the weather, a denim skort or three in rotatation and knit shirts. two pairs of britches and an apron or three. done. I am so totally not a fashion plate. my clothes go to the trash when I am done wearing them. there is no life left in them. I still have too many clothes I don't wear though. and I have to have 4 seasons worth. that is insanity.
I've never heard anything like that before! I don't have any dresses or skirts but I do have 3 pair of nice pants and several nice blouses. The rest of my clothes are divided between 'okay to be seen in public' and 'work' and only worn in the yard. Holes and stains are acceptable for these.
Wow. Until now, I was sure I didn't know anyone who owned so few items of clothing! I'm jealous, a bit. Really. The idea of paring down what I wear to 33 items or less....I just can't even imagine it. I wasn't joking when I said I own and wear at least 33 different jewelry items in a month. I have matching sets, or have made matches of necklaces and earrings. And those jewelry sets are worn with the clothing items I've matched them with, at least my dress up or non work stuff. Maybe it's the kinds of things I'm involved in in my life. My dance wear is specifically for dance, it's not the kind of thing I'd wear to the grocery or to work. Part of that is visual for sure, but part of it is functional too, it has to be a certain fit and cut to be able to dance in it. And my work stuff isn't typical "go to the office" wear, because of what I do. It will be different depending on which client I'm working for. For some, it's a lot of sitting at a desk doing computer stuff, upkeeping the spreadsheets I've created or dealing with images on an external hosting site or other computer related business. For others it's personal shopping or other errand running. For yet others it's in home organizing, whether that be closet or kitchen or garage..and if it's garage or other more messy organizing, then I'm going to wear something different that can get dirty and is easily washable. Add to that my exercise wear and then the fun stuff I do..couple weeks ago I went paddle boarding, end of the month I'm going zip lining and aerial trekking...those each require a certain way to dress, mandated by the places that host them. Then there's my weekend wear, and that changes too depending on what I'm doing on any given weekend...hanging out with the grandkids, going to lunch or dinner, digging in the garden, hosting a get together or going to one... I really can't comprehend how how I'd pare down all my clothing items to encompass 33 things for all the different things I'd do in any three month period.
As a mere male, I don't wear any jewellery at all. My wedding ring no longer fits with the arthritic hands. I may have about 20 shirts, but most of them are working ones. She insists I wear a clean one every day. But 33 things? No way. I would have to change a lot more often to reach that figure never mind drop down to it.
Ronni, it is a matter of what your life events are and what ours are. But in most of the things you do you can still make clothes do double duty. Two pairs of nice jeans or slacks, one black, one navy blue.....5 tops that will go with both of them...that's 7 pieces and gives you 10 outfits. 5 skirts also with 5 tops that are interchangeable....that's 10 pieces and gives you 25 outfits. (if I did the math right) Three dresses, typically basic colors like black, blue and maybe one for a real pop of color. So far that's a total of 20 items to keep and creates enough outfits for a month.....then wash and repeat for the next month and repeat for the third month. That leaves you 12 items such as dance wear outfits, jewelry, sweaters, jackets, etc. For one month pare down your jewelry to a few very favorites instead of special ones that 'go' with special outfits....special jewelry looks pretty but favorite jewelry makes you feel so much better. And special jewelry that you wear every day doesn't count in the total, so you can have a few more clothing items. Remember work out cloths are not part of the count....gardening clothes, workout clothes, all those 'fun' things you do are considered exercise so the clothes are not part of the count either. If you are organizing a garage, then wear a pair of old jeans or shorts that you would wear gardening..double duty. I have lots more jewelry than I wear, mostly sentimental things. But everyday wear is a special necklace Randy gave me one valentines day, my wedding ring, a moonstone ring and a ring that reminds me of my grandmother feeding hobos back during the depression. And a few pairs of earrings for different holidays.
I am with you Ronni. I'd like to simplify but it's not in my nature. I do take large bags of clothes and household goods I have not worn or used recently (the last year) to the 2nd hand store a couple of times a year. Retiring this summer I got to get rid of a lot of work wear. Traveling and climate change has definitely impacted the number and types of clothing I have. Used to be I could wear sweaters with skirts and slacks year round. Now I have to have "summer wear". A whole new learning experience on what to buy Haven't always made the best decisions. Wish I had a nice pelt of hair and like my puppies and didn't have to think about it...
