Completed - The Six Items or Less Challenge

I did it!  I did it!  I went 30 (actually 31 days – I’m mathematically challenged) wearing 6 pieces of clothing plus two accessories.  I began almost on a fluke.  I had decided – committed – to finally do this challenge, but was still waffling on the pieces I was to use.  For some reason, on that Saturday, I decided that I was JUST GOING TO DO IT! 

The reason I chose these pieces was for their versatility.  I work outside the home, I attend church at least weekly, I go on dates with my husband (almost weekly), plus other various and sundry activities that a wife/mother/girl about town has to attend.  The season was late fall in Georgia, so not too cold though occasionally cold for someone that has gotten acclimated to Georgia’s moderate climate.

Probably the two biggest advantages to this challenge were one – it was fairly easy to get dressed in the morning and two – laundry was SUPER EASY. 

The only piece I had in this particular grouping that couldn’t be worn more than one way was the jeans (though I wore the yoga pants only one way also).  The other four pieces could be worn as tops at least.  Two of the pieces (Oval Tunic and Fractional) could be worn as dresses, skirts, and jackets.  The Trapezoid Shirt could be worn as a skirt and vest (for me).  I wore more dress/skirt combinations to work than I ever had before during this challenge period.  And laundry!  That was an eye opener.  This challenge doesn’t limit your underclothing (thank Heaven!), but when I did laundry that first week I had less clothing to wash and fold than my husband which has probably never happened before.  One time, when I had misplaced one of the pieces at laundry time and I was in a panic - when you are that limited wardrobe-wise every piece counts.  Gratefully, it was found the next morning and one of my daughters laundered it for me.  Hanging up 8 pieces of clothing is so much easier (duh!) than the many other pieces I use to do.  Hopefully this won’t gross anyone out, but I only laundered once a week.  I did use Febreze® on occasion.

Over the course of these 30 (31) days, I learned some lessons – primarily about my designs and a little about myself.  Most of these pieces had been in my wardrobe for over two years, except the Fractional.  (This was a fairly new piece - quite possibly finished just in time to be part of the challenge.)  They all went together well in the combinations and variations.  Since the Fractional was the newest piece, I wasn’t sure how it would work.  It did well.  In fact, one week, I wore it 5 days straight – putting it through its variations.  Since this was more or less a prototype, it will probably be modified in the next revision.  The Trapezoid Shirt was also in its prototype stage and the sleeves were WAY too long – I didn't take the time to figure out to what length to shorten them. 

I also used decorated safety pins at the neckline to close the shirt.  I could have used another pair (once again too lazy/busy to make ‘em).  Due to the rayon lycra, some of the pieces were sheerer than I would have liked, but then I wore the Tube as a slip.  I learned that I could survive with just 8 pieces of my wardrobe AND I wasn’t too bored (day 31 pushed the limit).  I don’t know if anyone would have remarked on my clothing choices if I hadn’t mentioned that I was doing the challenge.  (I have two friends at work that seem fascinated by the clothing pieces’ ability to change functions.)  So this is a reason to do the challenge again – don’t tell anyone. 

What was the ugly about the challenge?  As mentioned before, it did get a little, tiny bit boring towards the end.  Otherwise, I can’t really think of anything else that was bad about doing this.  I did miss my leggings and my white button down. shirt.  Oh, I almost forgot about wearing black – it does show some “dirt” when other colors wouldn’t show it so blatantly.

The variability of the pieces is very likely what saved me.  But, I didn’t use all the variations of the pieces either.  Some of the pieces can literally be worn more than 20 ways and I know I didn’t stretch any of them to that limit.

If I was to do this permanently, I would probably up the number of pieces to 10 at least – to include my leggings and some more tops.  (Stay tuned – this is one of the purposes of this blog – to explore wardrobes and convertible pieces.)

I now have a huge boxful of clothes in my closet.

I did literally take all my clothes off the hangers, folded them and placed them in a huge cardboard box.  The question is:  Do I really need all those clothes?  Some of them are definitely destined for Goodwill, others though – I’ll have to deal with the separation anxiety.

What did I wear on my first day not on the challenge?  More plum and black…;-)

Would you do this challenge?

CAVEAT:  Full disclosure:  Items not “numbered” by the challenge include:  undergarments, coats, workout gear, pajamas, accessories, shoes, socks and work uniforms.  I did have two pairs of pajamas so I could do my laundry in one pair while I was washing the other pair and the wardrobe.  I did wear only one coat (when necessary) throughout the challenge – a stadium length black leather coat.  Shoes were limited because of the black pieces to mainly black (though I might have snuck in my brown Clarks® when I wore taupe and plum).  I don’t work out and I don’t have a work uniform.