Spoke too soon

I was feeling so smug that I had my wardrobe sorted.  Then I had an epiphany over some jeans I've been wearing for the last few weeks and decided they had to go.  They will be ebayed to make way for a new pair which is the same fit as ones I already have (no surprises) - I refuse to wear clothes that I know I look rubbish in (even if it takes me a while to work it out).

In other news, I drove past my nearest shopping outlet today. Without shopping.  The words "I don't NEED anything" popping into my head.  Am I cured??

Round 2: Project 333 October-December

 At the beginning of September I started to daydream about my autumn-winter project 333 wardrobe.  I hadn't actually made a conscious decision to carry on, but it all seemed to come together so easily it seemed a shame not to.

So I looked at what I had (I have a much better autumn-winter wardrobe than spring-summer) and it seemed so easy.  I've kept a few items that didn't make the cut, either as potential substitutes or because I really like them and can't justify getting rid quite yet.  I've carried out a few items from the previous July-September wardrobe (long sleeved t-shirts, work shirts, jeans) and I think I'm there.

Knitwear (8)
I don't like to be cold, so have lots of knitwear.  Two big cosy jumpers in black and purple - love these for non-work or even work if it's really cold.  Three cardigans in purple, brown and black - for both work and play.  Three jumpers, again for in or out of work, in deep red, black and teal.

 


Work shirts (3)
I didn't wear my work shirts much during the summer, but it's good to have them in case I actually have to look the part and as an extra layer under a jumper...

Casual tops (5)
Realistically, these are the tops I'll be wearing most of the time (and two from the previous project 333 wardrobe).  I really like them now, but who knows how I'll feel by Christmas.

Dresses (2)
Yes, I know, I don't wear dresses.  But with leggings (not counted) and boots I'm going to risk it

Trousers (6)
I'm going for two pairs of denim jeans (one blue, one black), two pairs of cotton jeans (I didn't know you could get jeans in non-denim fabric and still call them jeans, but apparently you can) in black and brown, which can be worn for both work and home, and two pairs of strictly work trousers, in black and brown.

Non-coat jackets (3)
These are extra layers for when a cardigan just isn't enough.  Good for work over a shirt/jumper combination when it's cold but not cold enough for a big winter coat.  Good to just pull on as you leave the house or take with you just in case.  I seriously love these.  I've had one for nearly ten years...

Coats (2)
No picture as I've not dug them out yet, but a have a very warm brown knee-length coat by www.Braintreeclothing.co.uk that I bought at the Greenbelt festival a few years ago.  As well as this (and depending on what I'm wearing underneath) I have a black cape bought from M&S last year that I love.   Some people are saying that capes are the big thing this year, some people make jokes about batman.  But it is truly the warmest, easiest thing to wear that I have ever owned.

Footwear (4)
Again, no picture.  I have over-the-knee black boots which I love (they were part of my first wedding outfit and I've been saving them for "best" until project 333 made me realise that if I love them I should wear them) which I will wear with the dresses and made the longer tops if I'm feeling brave.  I have almost-knee-length brown boots which I normally live in.  A pair of shorter black boots for wearing with trousers (I don't subscribe to the idea of short boots with skirts, I would feel ridiculous) and some work shoes (probably black).

Which makes 33.  It seems like a lots of clothes.

I've stuck mainly to browns and blacks as base colours because black is easy and I like wearing it and brown suits me most.  But I've also tried to bring in colours that suit me and go with most others, so hopefully it won't be a complete disaster.  

I'm bending the rules slightly as I've decided not to include leggings and vests as in the winter they are basically underwear.  I'm not including jewellery as I don't wear much in winter and if I do it will be a special occasion.  I have also not included hats, gloves and scarves, because it's winter.  I definitely have more clothes than I did in summer, but have justified that as it's colder and I'll need more layers...

So here we go again.

Project 333 July-September: the conclusions

So I've completed Project 333 in the summer - 3 months with only 33 items of clothing/footwear.  It was actually fine.  I learnt a lot.

1. I learnt which clothes I actually didn't like/feel good in (you'd have thought that I'd have been able to figure that out on my own, wouldn't you) and I subsequently got rid of those clothes.
2. I learnt that while doing project 333, it makes it very tricky to have more than two "basic" colours - for example, I had black, brown and navy but these weren't easy to combine and I ended up with a couple of items of clothing that could only be worn in one outfit - which is not great when you're trying to be minimalist.  And the main selling point of project 333 (to me) is that theoretically most things in your wardrobe can be worn together (taking the hassle out of deciding what to wear in the mornings). So that's been taken forward to next time.
3. I was reminded that clothes actually wear out.  I feel really stupid saying this, but I suppose I've bought clothes with such regularity (or to be fair, my size has fluctuated) so I've not had nearly as much wear out of clothes as I should have.  In fact I can tell you the last time an item of clothing wore out for me - it was a pair of linen/cotton maternity trousers that I worn non-stop through 1.5 pregnancies.  They literally fell apart so I could never again.  It was really disappointing as they were great trousers, but I certainly got my moneysworth out of them.
4. I learnt that fashion is a pain.  In my head I know roughly what colours and shapes suit me.  I look for v-neck or scoop neck tops - but high neck/slash neckline/round neck are the main styles in the shops.  I like bootcut/wideleg trousers (apparently currently the height of unfashion) but the shops are full of skinny jeans/cigarette trousers(??)/ jeggings - all of which make my legs look like parsnips.  I like brown - I needed to replace my brown cardigan - but could find nothing.  A search for brown brought up items in wishy washy taupe, or beige or camel, not chocolate brown.  Brown is obviously not in fashion.  (I eventually found one, but only by going to a specialist cardigan website that fashion had missed).  It is usually eventually possible to find what you're looking for, but it takes ages and many frustrating hours searching the web.
5. I learnt that I'm a creature of habit.  On a slow day this week I thought about my hypothetical project 333 wardrobe for spring-summer next year - lots of things in the wardrobe are very similar to those in this time.  I will properly segregate "holiday clothes" as shorts and sandals were really only worn for 1-2 weeks, I will replace a few items (the navy coloured clothes, for example) and will probably treat myself to 1-2 new things (if they suit me...) that turn up in the shops next year, but other than that, I like what I have.  *I have actually bought some summer shoes in the sales this week, as I really felt that I didn't have any "nice" shoes to wear outside work - I'm just sorry I'll have to wait another 6+ months to wear them*
6. I have found it liberating to get rid of a load of clothes.  I didn't think I would, but I did.  It is joked that I have my own collection at the local charity shop.
7. I've learnt that although I occasionally need smart clothes for work, it's not that often.  It's a bit annoying having to include smart work clothes into the wardrobe when they only worn a handful of times, but I guess if my projects changed their could be a greater need in future.
8. There are still some clothes I can't part with.  These are often dresses and skirts.  I'm not a dresses/skirt person, although I've worn both in the past.  I also have a number of posh-ish dresses that I need to keep hold of as my company has black-tie events twice a year and it's bad form to turn up in the same outfit twice (if you're female, obviously.  It's compulsory to wear the same outfit again and again if you're male...)  But back to the dresses and skirts.  I think I'm hanging onto them as they are definitely dresses/skirts I would wear if I were to wear dresses/skirts.  So they sit behind the wardrobe door that I seldom open - now that I can view my entire project 333 wardrobe by opening one door...
9. I learnt that I want to do it all again.