What I Learned by Wearing the Same Things Over and Over Again
I’ve been wearing the same things over and over again for many years. Before I simplified my closet, I shopped too much, had a closet stuffed full of clothes and felt like I never had anything to wear.
Recently at one of my book events, I showed up wearing the same things I was wearing in the photo on the cover of the book taken more than a year earlier. It wasn’t intentional but very on brand. Wearing the same things over and over again is one way I’ve simplified my life. I used to spend so much time getting ready in the morning. Figuring out what to wear was a struggle. My closet was stuffed with clothes I didn’t really enjoy wearing but I still felt the pressure to wear things I didn’t like because I had paid for them and kept them for so long.
The first round of The Project 333 Challenge changed the way I think about my clothes, my stuff, and my spending and shopping habits. The challenge invited me to embrace the joy and ease of dressing with less and it continues to surprise me with new lessons. Even though I can make many different combinations of outfits with a tiny wardrobe, I usually gravitate towards wearing my favorite things. You probably do the same thing, even if you have lots of different choices. Many people tell me they could never dress with 33 items or less but when they think about what they actually wear, they usually dress with 33 items or less. The most challenging part of this challenge is thinking about it.
What I Learned by Wearing the Same Things Over and Over Again
If you want to spend less time, energy and money on what you wear, see if any of these lessons from dressing with less inspire you to declutter your closet. If you want to try a capsule wardrobe and sample simplicity without making a permanent change, read more about Project 333! These lessons continue to inspire me. I’ve been dressing with less for almost 15 years and I will never go back.
1. I need way less than I think to be happy.
The more I had, the more I wanted. It seemed like my clothes needed more clothes. “That sweater would go great with those jeans I have,” I would think. Or, “A new scarf or belt will really pull this look together.” My constant quest for more resulted in frustration, overspending, and discontent. In contrast, choosing from a small selection of clothes makes me feel light, and I almost immediately feel gratitude for what I have instead of thinking about the next thing I need. When I applied this to the rest of my life, I finally realized I had enough and that I was enough.
2. No one cares what I’m wearing.
Between in-office sales meetings, client lunches, and community events, I was out and about most of the time, with many of the same people. No one noticed I was wearing the same things over and over again. My colleagues didn’t notice; my clients didn’t notice. I actually received more compliments. I even wore the same dress to every holiday function and event for more than a year. Now when I’m making decisions about how I want to live my life, or do my work, I can do what’s best for me regardless of other people’s opinions. I’ve also realized that other people’s thoughts about me aren’t really about me. They are about them.
3. Fewer items in my closet (and home) mean fewer decisions.
Have you ever experienced decision fatigue? I used to spend so much brain power buying things, chasing sales and figuring out what to wear. I remember trying on several outfits getting ready in the morning in hopes of finding the perfect thing. Now, with a small capsule wardrobe, there are no daily decisions required. I get to wear my favorite things every day. I streamline other decisions too so when it comes to being creative and making the big choices, I have energy and clarity.
4. Dressing with less doesn’t make me less creative.
Instead of planning outfits, shopping for colorful scarves to complete a look, or figuring out what to wear every morning, I use my creative energy for actually creating. Spending less of that energy on my wardrobe means I have more of it for writing, photography, brainstorming and other things that I care about. When you turn off the creativity faucet in one area of your life, it flows in other ways. While there’s nothing wrong with fashion design or wanting to be creative with your wardrobe, may of us get weighed down by all of the choices when it comes to what to wear each day.
5. A simple closet is the gateway to a simple life.
Simplicity is contagious! Once you begin to enjoy the benefits of dressing with less, you may get very curious about living with less. Simplicity in the closet seeps into every other area of your home and life. Once I realized how little I needed in the closet not only to get by but to thrive, I wondered what else was holding me back from even more joy and ease. Did I really need all of those spatulas and wire whisks? Was anything in the junk drawer worth holding on to? Did I even need a junk drawer?
6. My wardrobe is the least interesting thing about me.
I used to try to prove who I was by what I wore. I had long conversations about the brands I wore, what I got on sale and what I was looking forward to buying. All of that got in the way of me being me and connecting with other people on a deeper level. We have more interesting things to talk about than what’s on sale, where we got our shoes, or what looks flattering. There are better ways to connect, compliment and feel confident than focusing on what’s on the outside.
7. The 333 challenge was never about clothes or fashion.
I realized that all those times I thought, “I love shopping” or “I love clothes,” I didn’t really know what I loved. Removing all the more, more, more from my closet helped me figure out what mattered to me, what I was curious about, and how I wanted to live my life. I’m so glad I decided to trade the excess in my closet for more joy and ease in my life. A tiny wardrobe has taught me so much about my closet but even more about living the kind of life I want to live.