The End of Project 333 and the Beginning of the Capsule Wardrobe

Well today marks the end of my first round of Project 333. That's three months with only thirty-three items in my closet. I struggled with committing to this project. But I found that once I committed it made my life easier. I no longer stand in front on my closet wondering what I should wear. Minimizing my choices has maximized my time.

For my next round, I decided to mix it up a bit a do a Capsule Wardrobe that has some pretty nifty wardrobe planning worksheets. There are some minor differences between the capsule wardrobe and Project 333, but they are similar ideas. When choosing my clothes last time, I don't think I was aware of the types of things that I wore most often. Casual tops, sundresses, etc. Instead, I choose things that I liked and ended up with a few too many dressy tops and a few to few pants and functional items.  I'm excited to use the capsule wardrobe planner worksheets as I remix my closet for the next three months.

This minimalist adventure has taken me on a journey. It's allowed me to start to hone my style and think about my fashion choices from an ethical viewpoint.

I am coming around to the idea of slow fashion and conscious consumerism. Perhaps this is a normal progression as I often work with people in other countries and spend time thinking about the inequality in the world. But I never considered the fact that clothing in my closet  is an active choice, and I am promoting unethical treatment with my consumerism.

I am also a pragmatic so I know that it will be quite difficult for me to stop purchasing unsustainable items entirely. But I hope to strike a balance between ethical considerations, budget, and access as I live overseas.  I decided to make a few guidelines for myself as I make purchases this year.

• I will not purchase any more new, unsustainably made items from fast fashion stores. This week I removed all my favorite shopping apps and promotional emails. Goodbye Rue La La! Goodbye Hautelook! Goodbye Express!

• I will try to replace items I need with used items first. 

• I will repair/reuse items that I already own.

• I will pay more attention to tags and purchase more natural fabrics (cotton, silk, linen,etc.). I found that the older items in my closet were mostly natural fabrics and endured time better. I will also make efforts to purchase more U.S. made items. That's just simple patriotism.   

• If I have to buy a new item, I will purchase a sustainably made brand.

 If every American spent an extra $3.33 on U.S. made products it would create almost 10,000 new jobs. 

I truly don't know if this is a fad or a change I will carry through my lifetime. But I hope that I will continue to ask questions about the things I buy and the lives that my actions can affect.