CAPSULE WARDROBE challenge

Duration: 30 days or one calendar month.

Parameters: I played around with a number of variations on this challenge before ultimately landing on a themed monthly office capsule wardrobe. I would choose a theme each month (e.g., wearing certain colours like grey and navy or black and blush, or wearing only dresses) and I’d build my capsule wardrobe accordingly until I reached around 10-15 pieces. I included clothing and shoes in my capsule wardrobe but not other accessories like jewellery, scarves, and outerwear. The capsule wardrobe challenge is amazing because it is so flexible. You can very easily customize the parameters to suit your lifestyle.

Variations: Courtney Carver’s Project 333 or Jennifer L. Scott’s Ten-Item Wardrobe.

Why this challenge? Have you ever had the feeling that you have a closet full of clothes with nothing to wear? Do you find yourself buying new things even though your closet is bursting at the seams? When you go through your closet, do you find things you’ve only worn once or twice, or perhaps even never worn? This challenge can help with that. Initially, I thought I’d get a feeling of scarcity by limiting my wardrobe; however, since I consistently chose my favourite pieces for my capsule wardrobe, I actually got a feeling of abundance. By wearing pieces that flattered me instead of things I thought I *should* wear because I hadn’t given them any love in a while, I also found my signature style and got a few more compliments too. Eventually, I realized I had more clothing than I needed and I stopped wanting to shop for new things.

My experience: I started dressing with a capsule wardrobe in 2015. Now that I’ve left full-time work, I’ve taken a pause on my capsule wardrobe, but I essentially wear the same thing every day so this is *almost* like an ongoing challenge for me. Eventually, I’ll play more with the capsule wardrobe concept in the creative explorer stage in my life.

LIPSTICK-A-DAY challenge

Duration: This challenge runs for as long as it takes to cycle through all your lipsticks.

Parameters: Wear a different lipstick each day until you’ve gone through your entire collection.

Variations: Blush-a-day challenge, scarf-a-day challenge, earrings-a-day challenge, and the list goes on!

Why this challenge? If you have a lot of items in any one category, this challenge can be very eye-opening. It might make you feel a little uneasy because it shows you exactly how many things you own, but it can also make you feel good when you start using the items. When you wear each item, notice how it makes you feel. Do you feel confident? Do you feel self-conscious? Is it comfortable to wear all day? This challenge can help you tune in to your preferences so you keep only the things you love. You may also find yourself buying less and letting go of the things that no longer serve you.

My experience: I used to have a lot of lipsticks. And when I say a lot, I mean A LOT. When I first did this challenge in 2016, I had already gone through several rounds of decluttering, but still had sooo many lipsticks left. I like to repeat this challenge when I feel overwhelmed by the number of items I have in any one category, which is fortunately a rare feeling these days.