Anna’s Six Items Challenge

Intro

Well, my turn began today and I completely forgot so it’s gotten off to wonderful start!  I guess the maxi-dress – a hand-me-down from my mum – and 15-year-old denim top that I threw on this morning will be in my six items rotation.

The idea of a capsule wardrobe really appeals to me – having a few key items that are dressed up with accessories and a few seasonal items sounds great. In reality though, I really like following fashion and updating my wardrobe, so wonder if a capsule wardrobe is achievable for me.

I can’t say the idea of wearing the same variation of six items thrills me now that my challenge has started. I look forward to participating though and hope my mind will change.

The Beginning

For my second outfit I went for a pair of blue jeans, a red short sleeved tee-shirt and a black jumper. I’ve decided to keep my sixth item slot free until I need it.

The Middle

I have to say this morning was a pleasure getting up and not thinking about what to wear. I just put on the same tee-shirt and jeans as yesterday. I’m glad I got a new tee-shirt just before starting this challenge. Now I have the perfect excuse to wear it as much as possible.

My in-laws are visiting and I would normally tell them about something like the six item challenge, however since they already live by the less is more motto I have to admit I’m a bit embarrassed. They always look well put together – wearing the same outfit with a slight twist or change. For example, they might add a vest over a shirt or a different coloured cardigan. Telling them about my apprehension over this challenge feels too superficial.

The End

This weekend starts the long Easter weekend and I’ll be travelling to Holland. I’ve hand washed my red tee-shirt so it’ll be ready for the trip. In the meantime I’m wearing a white tee-shirt. That’s my sixth and final item.

In a lot of ways I’m grateful for the challenge. My anxiety over packing is at an all-time low, since I already know what’s going in the suitcase. I am a bit worried however, as the forecast looks a lot cooler in Amsterdam than London. I may have to pack an extra sweater or top in case of emergency. That sweater however, will put me over the six item limit. The weekend will certainly be a test.

Conclusion

Well, I survived the challenge! I didn’t pack an extra sweater and while I was a bit cold in Holland I powered through (thanks to all the cycling). In hindsight, if I were to do it again I would definitely plan the six items ahead of time. Planning ahead would have kept me warmer and given me more varied outfit options that worked better together. I couldn’t bring myself to wear denim on denim for example. With more organisation I would have probably picked a pair of black trousers instead of jeans or a warmer, non-denim top. Here the challenge shows how fast fashion makes us careless when it comes to purchasing our clothes. Rather than think about what we need and the quality of these items, we often just grab what looks good.

For the record, one evening to keep warm at home I put on my husband’s sweater that was lying around. I could have put on my own, but was feeling lazy and didn’t think it broke the challenge rules. I was going to give myself a pass on this, but my husband insists it’s a violation. So, I’d be curious to hear your thoughts Dear Reader. Did I break the rules?

Last Thoughts

Overall, I really enjoyed the challenge and it’s made me feel less uncomfortable about wearing the same outfits around the same people over a matter of days. Now with my newly equipped tools, perhaps I can challenge myself to buy less. I’m sure this would be a great challenge for people on social media who don’t want to post photos of themselves in the same outfit more than once too!

I love fashion and buying new clothes. The Six Items Challenge has reinforced my conscious efforts over the past few years to buy higher quality items that will last. One half of this is becoming more aware of the detrimental environmental impacts of the fashion industry. The other half is seeing my in-laws always looking stylish in a subtle variation of the same clothes, day-in and day-out.