Challenge Week: Limited Wardrobe

The last time we wrote a blog I was challenged by Jazmin for the next blog to wear only 6 articles of clothing for a whole week (this excludes socks, underwear and accessories, thank the Lord).

I started this challenge with excitement. I thought that it would make my life so much easier because I am just like Lizzie McGuire trying to find the right outfit to impress her crush, throwing clothes around from my closet until hours later I finally find the chosen pieces. It's usually extremely underwhelming and I'm never happy with that decision in the end anyway. Needless to say, I was looking forward to not having to practice this daunting and exhausting task everyday.

So I planned my six articles very strategically, thinking ahead of what I was doing in the coming week. This is what I chose

Four shirts:

        

My shirt for work

My awesome indie band t-shirt #coolteacher.

A somewhat more uppity shirt for potential special occasions.

And my tank top because it was supposed to be outrageously hot that week and weekend.

In addition I chose two sets of bottoms:

My work shorts that doubled as my casual every day shorts,

And my bathing suit because I planned on going swimming over the weekend.

That's it!

I didn't get as much documented proof that I stuck with this challenge, but I can guarantee that I did in fact commit pretty well. Here are three pictures of myself during this week:

This was at work (safety vest is mandatory) and the kitty came to visit me and cuddle. You can see which clothes I am wearing here.

Here is Marley and I at the lake right before we went out on the water. I am wearing my swimming trunks in case you couldn't see.

 The only thing that I did cheat on was that I wore my other jean shorts which were basically exactly the same because my work shorts just got intolerably dirty at work and I was performing that evening. So I wanted to look half decent.

One thing I noticed was that after about day two I actually found this challenge very difficult to do. As a person who loves expressing my personality through the clothes that I wear, limiting myself to only 6 pieces was quite a let down #firstworldproblems. But, it kind of put in perspective for me how some people who may not have the resources to have as large of a wardrobe as I do may not also have as much freedom to express themselves. How difficult it is to look presentable everywhere when you have to wear the same thing wherever you go, and how uncomfortable you feel when you are in public wearing clothes that may not be ideal for the situation you're in. But, it doesn't just stop at clothes.

All in all, I was relieved when the week was up and I could wear whatever I wanted again. I've learned the simplicity of having little choice in clothes, I've recognized that it is challenging at first but after a while I was kind of okay with the clothes that I was wearing. They kind of became part of me and I didn't really worry about how they looked anymore.This feeling was easily reversed once I put different clothes on.

Also, I am glad that I worked at a place that I wear the same clothes every day anyways, because if I worked in an office or something I would have been devastated to wear the same six clothes every day. The looks. The judgment. The horror.

I would urge people to give this a try! Especially those of you who are like me and change your outfit eight zillion times a day! It's a nice break and actually almost a complete lifestyle change. Part of your daily routine is gone... and that leaves more time for stuff!

Until next time,

Dillon