30x30 Capsule Wardrobe Update

10 weeks and counting.....

I've been re-working my capsule for May - and I have really noticed some gaps in my wardrobe - but as I have banged on...and on...and on to you all, I have just under four months left of my big challenge, that of not buying any clothing for six months.  So I am just going to have to work around those gaps for now (that's a cue for inserting sad face emoji).

The re-tweaked 30x30

I'm sure there are periods in my life when I have not purchased clothing for more than 10 weeks...but for some reason, this seems like an eternity.  Probably because it's a conscious choice...therefore I am constantly thinking about it.  And it takes a lot of effort to avoid shopping, especially when heading to malls for something unrelated.  I find I almost run through the concourse to avoid making eye contact with anything pretty, shiny and new.  Those circulars are still being dumped in recycling without being opened, and I have pretty much unsubscribed myself from all clothing retailers.  But the real question is...has this helped?

Because I have exactly the same
figure as this model!!!!!

Well, I know it's amazing...but i have survived...only just. Because I haven't completely unplugged from all things clothing related.  I watched a vlog the other day (research only...I promise...really...) and eyed up a lovely dress that the very pretty, young, skinny, perky (did I mention young and skinny?) "youtuber" was wearing, then before I even knew it, I was visiting the on-line site.  I didn't even notice my fingers moving the mouse in that direction...it just kinda happened.  Honest!  But the dress was sold out.  If it hadn't been?  I don't know that I can say with absolute certainty that I wouldn't have purchased it then stashed it away for the next four months pretending that little episode never happened, while desperately trying to starve myself to fit into it. I would like to believe my self-control would have stepped in...but I don't know.  

Do I have an addiction to shopping?  That's a hard question to answer.  I'm not suffering major withdrawal symptoms (I don't think standing in front of your wardrobe sighing loudly counts), and haven't had to chop up or freeze the credit card, but I do think I shop unconsciously.

It's that simple but dangerous act of running your hand over a lovely cashmere jumper displayed on a mannequin in a shop, and before you know it you're in the dressing room trying it on, when you only came down to the mall to buy some bread and milk from the supermarket.  

It's that click onto a bargain internet site, and all of a sudden you have a "three pair of jegging" set with "a second set thrown in for free" you never knew you needed (and you don't...trust me, you don't!)

My big concern when starting this challenge was wearing the same clothes over and over, and worrying about what people would think.  I'm pretty sure that unless I've told people I am doing this challenge, they haven't even notice.  Because the truth is I probably only wear 20% of my wardrobe anyway.  As for the rest of my clothing? Some of it is seasonal, some of it is special occasion, and some of it is waiting patiently for me to loose weight, grow taller or morph into the 20 year old that was modelling the item I impulse purchased!  (Remember that young, skinny, perky, pretty "youtuber"?)

On another note, while my halt on clothes shopping is helping me save (so money can go towards debt/mortgage) I do wonder if it's false economy just wearing 30 items of clothing over and over...as the items may suffer from wear and tear more quickly due to frequency of use.  I've also noticed I am washing clothes more often with smaller loads.  That's because if I don't keep on top of the laundry, all of a sudden I literally have nothing to wear.  I'm serious.  It takes one week to clear out over half of my pieces into the washing hamper. It will be interesting to see what state my clothing is in at the end of the six months.

The challenge has also helped me re-evaluate my wardrobe and as I mentioned at the beginning of this blog, I realise I have some gaps - such as a classic white shirt.  So my shopping list for when I finish the challenge, while not long, will hopefully help me focus on what my wardrobe really requires.

But until September, I guess I am just going to have to be inventive with my wardrobe...and ignore the fact that I am re-circulating some core pieces over and over...and over...sigh...and over again.

The journey continues....till June when I try the 333 capsule wardrobe...that's 33 items of clothing for 3 months...gasp!

Follow my blog with Bloglovin