Comments on: Could you wear just six pieces of clothing for a month?

By: CAC

CAC — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 08:30:22 +0000

I really need to do this!

I’m in the Navy, the branch beside the Coast Guard with the most uniforms, and sorely wish I could purge many of my uniform backups. It is required for me to own:
4 pair cami pants / 4 pair cami shirts
2 cami covers (hats)
2 black n tan pants / 2 black n tan shirts
1 black n tan cover
1 dress blue pants / 1 dress blue white shirt
1 dress blue jacket
1 peacoat
2 dress white pants / 2 dress white shirts
1 unfoldable dress blue/white cover
2 pair coveralls
1 pair PT sneakers
2 pair PT shorts/ 2 pair PT shirts
1 pair boots
4 pair cami undershirts
4 pair white undershirts

and various accessories like a scarf that doesn’t keep one warm, a ski mask, light gloves and heavy gloves, 2 belts, as well as so much underwear (bras and skivvies) and black (2 types) and white socks.

I guess I’m going to just have to purge some of my civilian clothes, which I have a few too many of.

By: Ange

Ange — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 20:34:36 +0000

I have the amazing luxury of working from home, and my wardrobe usually changes depending on the season – but I pretty much wear the same outfits weekly during that season. (Jeans and shirt, skirt and shirt, capris and shirt, etc.) So I give you: The Rule of Four.

The biggest issue – for me, anwyay – is washing. If you wash the same clothing too many times, it gets thin and worn, so I try to get a two-day wear out of each piece, and line-dry everything. You’d be amazed at how much longer your stuff lasts on the line dryer (I use an indoor rack for 2 days, then a quick toss in the dryer to remove wrinkles & make it soft.)

All of that to say, a minimalist wardrobe can be done. Varying the accessories (say, a red cardigan or light sweater over the black skirt/top combo, a different pair of shoes) really does make a new outfit. I’ve pared my closet down to 4s: 4 blue (pants/skirts), black, brown; and 8 tops that could match (in white, brown, black, blue, purple and red – that latter of which are my favorite colors).

Past 4, it’s time to decide what you really like in that color and get rid of the rest.

“Church clothes” (anything I need to wear in a professional/dressy environment) get their own space, and it’s minimal. 4 dress, 4 outfits, changed out by season.

I fully realize this makes me sound like an uber-organizer, which I totally am not. I do color-code my closet, so I guess that negates the previous sentence…

By: Kenneth

Kenneth — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 15:52:32 +0000

In the old days before sewing machines when clothing was beautifully made by hand, soldiers were issued with three sets of clothes: dress, undress (for everyday wear) and sometimes stable or fatigue dress. Two pairs of boots or shoes, three shirts, and not much else. Once a year they got a new dress uniform and new pair of boots or shoes. Everything else they kept up themselves. By the end of the year things must have gotten pretty threadbare. But I think about how few things that amounts to all the time and now here’s a thread about it. I couldn’t possibly manage.

I really have three classes of clothes. One, things I wear to work in an office every day. More than enough to change every day and then some for about two weeks. A second of things that are either for rare dress up times, like a suit, or things that are otherwise too good to wear, for fear you’ll wear them out. You probably know what I mean. Finally, there are the weekend clothes, which are the things I’d rather wear all the time anyway. But I agree with Patti and try to do without anything for as much as possible. But that’s a little too outrageous for most people.

By: Patti

Patti — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 18:54:01 +0000

We could solve all the clothing nonsense of the world if everyone just went naked.

By: Patti

Patti — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 18:31:49 +0000

I could do this. I’ve already given away a lot of clothes, and as of this writing at least half of what’s left is boxed up and waiting for the right recipient. What’s left in my closet, most of it I don’t really care for, even though it “fits” my body, size-wise.

Even so, if I can find the right local charity that isn’t already inundated with plus-size women’s clothing and wouldn’t just toss it in a dumpster, or even a 3rd-world organization that would love to have it and would give it to the women who want/need relatively good condition wash ‘n wear casual clothing, they can have literally the shirts off my back.

And anyone at my workplace that notices me wearing the same 5 outfits every week, well, they have even less than a life than I do and are to be pitied.

By: hadashi

hadashi — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 17:40:59 +0000

being a frequent traveler, i probably have been doing a variant on this theme for years, but i got this down to a science on an almost-month trip to Turkey with only a carry-on. it gave me a new appreciation for my closet’s bounty when i got back!
but to the point. one thing i believe is very important to keep in mind: if you’re going to pare down your wardrobe, remember that every piece of clothing you’re not wearing regularly could be worn by someone else. maybe Erin, you could do a post on what to do After The Closet Is Clean? i know you’ve done lots of other posts on donating unused stuff, but clothing is a big one.
if you aren’t giving them away to grateful friends, then please take them to your local charity, your local mission, or an organization like Dress For Success. that clutter in your closet could literally make a difference in someone’s life; perhaps a person who simply needs clean clothes or a woman interviewing for her first job who can’t afford that nice pantsuit you don’t wear anymore.
it’s not just about efficiency or simplicity, it’s also about sharing what you don’t need with those who do.

By: M

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 16:11:50 +0000

The key is accessories.. scarves, hats, jewelry, and having everything in your closet work with multiple pieces..

By: Sue

Sue — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 13:41:06 +0000

Just read the six things site and it specificially excludes workout clothes, jackets, shoes, underwear and accessories, among other things. With all of that, I just don’t see the point. The person who started it claimed it was to cut back on the “20 minutes to decide what to wear in the morning” problem. First, who takes 20 minutes to choose an outfit? Even on my indecisive days I take 5 minutes at most. Second, if your problem is indecision, I can’t see how this will help. You’ll still spend lots of time picking out the right shoes and accessories if those aren’t limited.

By: Alexandra

Alexandra — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 12:07:49 +0000

I’m doing a variant of this. I have 10 items of clothing that I have been using and rotating for the last month. We are spending a month away from home visiting family members and only wanted to take one suitcase (we travel by train), so we wash as we go. I have one lightweight jacket, 2 summer dresses, workout pants, a t-shirt, a tank top, a dressy top, a dressy dress, a pair of jeans and a sweater. I have to admit it works – but I get tired of it. But that’s really all I *need* for the whole summer, and I could cut down on a few things if I had to. But I like having about three times this many clothes just for variety’s sake and to not have to bother with laundry as often.

By: Sue

Sue — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 02:45:22 +0000

What about workout clothes?

I couldn’t do this, mostly because my job involves office meetings and field work. I can’t think of 6 pieces of clothing that would cover those two extremes, plus workout/casual clothing for when I’m not at work. My suits are not something I want to hang around the house in, and my field clothing needs to go in the wash as soon as I get home.

By: Craig

Craig — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 20:30:52 +0000

Am I the only one that includes underwear as items of clothing? Unless the challenge is to go barefoot and commando for a month most people would add 2*shoes, 2*socks, 1*underpants/whatever and some would add a bra. All of those items would be counted separately if playing strip poker. There’s your 6 items and you’ can bet your coworkers would notice if you wore only them for a month!

By: InfoMofo

InfoMofo — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 18:00:24 +0000

On the plus side, your co-workers will assume you get laid a lot…

By: Tara @ Froogaloo

Tara @ Froogaloo — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 17:55:37 +0000

That would be quite a challenge for me!

By: MutantSupermodel

MutantSupermodel — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 16:43:36 +0000

LOL! I have to say that I am completely amused more the comments than the article. It seems some people just don’t want to listen. We swear everyone would notice– they don’t.

I actually think people who are more style-inclined would gravitate towards this type of challenge. You don’t wear the exact same outfit over and over again, you mix and match. There are many style icons who do this and no one freaks out about. Carolina Herrera is a white blouse fanatic. Michael Kors only wears t-shirts and jeans.

The argument against inefficiency is completely invalid. Just because you are wait three weeks, you are still washing three weeks worth of clothes. You are also washing MORE pieces. You use up the same, maybe more resources, procastinating on your laundry. Besides, most households offer up more than enough laundry items to support this type of wardrobe. This experiment does not mandate daily laundry. And really, I’m amused by the weather-related comments. I live in the hottest, most humid climate in the US (not including Hawaii) Miami, FL and do not have the aforementioned sweat issues. Lucky i guess LOL

Also, I’d like to finally remind everyone it is a challenge. That means it’s supposed to be somewhat difficult.

By: JC

JC — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 14:10:09 +0000

@ Cat’s Meow: Here in Alaska I have the same climate issues. I need a lot of layers for winter. Summer is fleeting and not guaranteed to be warm- and you still have to have layers. I will often make a summer dress a little large so that I can wear a long sleeve top and thermals under it during the winter.

I sew, so most of my ready-to-wear purchases are underthings, sweaters, and socks/tights, and shoes- all of which are fairly limited in my area. I will make 3-5 new day dresses every 4-5 months or so, depending on what I’m interested in and how my others are wearing. I rotate the same dresses. When one is getting on from wear, it gets cut down for quilts or to make a child’s play dress.

I do have a couple really nice things that will last years, like the suit I have to wear in court and my coats.

Depending on your profession of course, most times people really don’t notice if you wear the same things repeatedly. There was a post about personal uniforms a while back on Unclutterer that touched on this topic. Developing a personal uniform/style can also reduce the clutter in the closets. I am aware of what I actually wear and don’t spend time/resource/closet space buying things I know I will not wear. I would never have more than two pair of jeans. I wear my dresses with muck boots and an old overcoat to do daily chores and the jeans only for major chores like getting in the wood for winter and mucking out the chicken coop, etc.