Today rounds out my last official day of my 30 day capsule wardrobe experiment, where I limited my closet and wardrobe to 33 total items for the month.  These 33 items included: 5 dresses, 5 cardigans, 2 pairs of jeans, 2 pairs of shorts, a pair of black pants, 4 pairs of shoes, 2 necklaces, some assorted blouses and t-shirts.

My main intention for this challenge was to see if I could comfortably live with less to re-examine and evaluate the overall contents of my closet.  In the end, I was pleased not only with the ease I had in following the challenge but also with the simplicity this challenge gave my life.  This is a great challenge to try for anyone that wants to take a first step into exploring a more minimalist lifestyle.

Here are 6 things I learned from the challenge that are worth considering for anyone interested in trying a Capsule Wardrobe of their own:

1. A Capsule Wardrobe Doesn’t Have to be Boring– For a long time I didn’t think a capsule wardrobe was for me primarily because when I would see ‘capsule wardrobes’ in Instagram photos or on Pinterest boards, many examples would feature monochromatic wardrobes comprised solely or mostly of gray and black pieces.  I like color and found that by mixing up my selection with colorful pieces it made my outfits feel less monotonous.
2. Choose Pieces You Like Wearing– Perhaps my biggest tip is to make sure you select clothes you want to wear.  I chose clothes that I wear often. Clothes that make me feel comfortable and that I like wearing. This is important, because you will wear them a lot.
3. Consider options and versatility– While a monochrome wardrobe isn’t necessary, it is important to select colors and patterns that compliment each other to maximize options.
4. Laundry Limitations–  The biggest negative to a capsule wardrobe is that doing laundry becomes a much more regular and reoccurring chore.  Around day 26, my washing machine developed a strange hiccup that required a scheduling visit from a tech, which ended up compromising the clean clothes I had in my capsule wardrobe.  While there is an elegance to the rules of Project 333 for me I need a little more flexibility.
5. Scheduling and Planning– In selecting your wardrobe, make sure you consider what sort of activities might be in store for yourself (both in terms of time of year and level of fanciness).  I did this challenge in the middle of summer in Orlando, so lightweight summer clothing was essential.  I also made a point to ensure I had plenty of variety for work, weekend, and a few nicer outfits.
6. There’s an App for That– Perhaps the coolest thing I discovered was an app that is perfect to help someone with a capsule wardrobe.  The app- Smart Closet let’s you digitize your closet, by taking pictures and cropping the images. From there, you can put together and save outfit combinations, or let the app generate outfit combinations for you.  There is also a calendar function so you can plan out outfits.

Overall Enjoyment in Challenge–

• In theoretical concept to simplify my life: 10/10 !!
• In the actual practice of having to constantly do laundry: 7/10

Overall Success in Completing Challenge- B (again mostly due to laundry issues)

Likelihood in Continuing Challenge- EXTREMELY LIKELY!  I actually intend to continue this summer capsule for another 30-45 days and I plan to try a new wardrobe in Fall.