October Outfit Challenge
As I was weeding through my mom's closet, I had an idea.
What if she wore a different outfit every day for the next 60 days?
That way, she could challenge herself to wear the items she had in her closet instead of insisting that she doesn't have anything to wear. She could see if she really wants to get rid of what's perpetually in the 'maybe' pile. She could get more clarity on what fits and what doesn't and what she's keeping because she actually likes it versus what she's keeping because she feels bad letting it go.
Brilliant!
I'm in the same boat, honestly: I have a closet full of clothes and I am always practicing some kind of consumer behavior (just like capitalism wants us to!). When I come home with yet another blouse from Goodwill, I think to myself:
WHY DON'T I JUST WEAR ONE OF THE 30 BLOUSES THAT I ALREADY HAVE?
Yes, I really should. But it feels SO GOOD TO BUY ANOTHER BLOUSE, DAMNIT.
Does this happen to you, too?
It certainly makes sense. We are exposed to THOUSANDS of marketing messages every day in every way and my brain starts to believe that all those things will make me happy. And they do, for about 5 minutes after I buy them. (Goodwill included.) And then I start wanting more. More, more, more! Consume, consume, consume!
Well, I have a bit of a solution. Or a challenge, rather.
In order to reset my consumption brain and play around a little bit more with what I already own, I'm challenging myself to wear a different outfit every day in the month of October!
That means I will wear a different top and bottom every day.
So, here's what I'm going to do:
1) Turn around all of my hangers so they look like this:
This will ensure I don't wear anything more than once. I'll turn the hangers back around after I've worn something.
2) Keep track of my outfits by taking photos each day -- and probably posting them on social media to excite me and keep me honest and make it a fun, social thing!
3) As the month goes on, decide to swap, give away, or donate the items that truly do not fit or that I cannot repurpose. I will likely have pile for: Mend, Giveaway, Donate.
4) Reassess my closet and my mood at the end of the month. Was this process useful? How does my closet feel now? Do I feel as overwhelmed by all of my clothes?
Feel free to join me in this challenge! It will be a fun way to connect with others, get creative, and challenge our current clothing options.*
Remember what they say: "The most sustainable closet is the one you already have."
--
I am happy to report that my mom is on Day 52 of her 60 day challenge. It hasn't been easy for her, but it's been productive and illuminating for her to understand her clothes and her closet better. Each day, she has posted her outfit on a shared photo album for me to see. I admire her diligence and commitment to this process. Clearly, I've been inspired!
And my realization about her clothes? (She doesn't need my approval or opinion, but I still have one and I'm going to share it anyways.)
Most of her outfits look the same to me. Ha!
--
*If you do post on social media, be sure to tag me in the post so I can see your outfit!
What if she wore a different outfit every day for the next 60 days?
That way, she could challenge herself to wear the items she had in her closet instead of insisting that she doesn't have anything to wear. She could see if she really wants to get rid of what's perpetually in the 'maybe' pile. She could get more clarity on what fits and what doesn't and what she's keeping because she actually likes it versus what she's keeping because she feels bad letting it go.
Brilliant!
I'm in the same boat, honestly: I have a closet full of clothes and I am always practicing some kind of consumer behavior (just like capitalism wants us to!). When I come home with yet another blouse from Goodwill, I think to myself:
WHY DON'T I JUST WEAR ONE OF THE 30 BLOUSES THAT I ALREADY HAVE?
Yes, I really should. But it feels SO GOOD TO BUY ANOTHER BLOUSE, DAMNIT.
Does this happen to you, too?
It certainly makes sense. We are exposed to THOUSANDS of marketing messages every day in every way and my brain starts to believe that all those things will make me happy. And they do, for about 5 minutes after I buy them. (Goodwill included.) And then I start wanting more. More, more, more! Consume, consume, consume!
Well, I have a bit of a solution. Or a challenge, rather.
In order to reset my consumption brain and play around a little bit more with what I already own, I'm challenging myself to wear a different outfit every day in the month of October!
That means I will wear a different top and bottom every day.
So, here's what I'm going to do:
1) Turn around all of my hangers so they look like this:
This will ensure I don't wear anything more than once. I'll turn the hangers back around after I've worn something.
2) Keep track of my outfits by taking photos each day -- and probably posting them on social media to excite me and keep me honest and make it a fun, social thing!
3) As the month goes on, decide to swap, give away, or donate the items that truly do not fit or that I cannot repurpose. I will likely have pile for: Mend, Giveaway, Donate.
4) Reassess my closet and my mood at the end of the month. Was this process useful? How does my closet feel now? Do I feel as overwhelmed by all of my clothes?
Feel free to join me in this challenge! It will be a fun way to connect with others, get creative, and challenge our current clothing options.*
Remember what they say: "The most sustainable closet is the one you already have."
--
I am happy to report that my mom is on Day 52 of her 60 day challenge. It hasn't been easy for her, but it's been productive and illuminating for her to understand her clothes and her closet better. Each day, she has posted her outfit on a shared photo album for me to see. I admire her diligence and commitment to this process. Clearly, I've been inspired!
And my realization about her clothes? (She doesn't need my approval or opinion, but I still have one and I'm going to share it anyways.)
Most of her outfits look the same to me. Ha!
--
*If you do post on social media, be sure to tag me in the post so I can see your outfit!
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