For 21 days, I wore the same outfit to work *every single day*. Then for 3 weeks after that I expanded a bit and added a few other items with a very narrow, minimalist capsule wardrobe theme.

The week of Labor Day in 2018, I decided during the short 4-day work week to wear the same outfit every day. To be completely honest…it was a joke. I knew it would be a light week staff-wise, and I genuinely wanted to see whether or not anyone noticed and then make a YouTube video about.

The thing was…

Nobody noticed!

So the experiment continued into the next week. I bought another shirt to prevent so much washing, and then went a third week.

When I realized I really enjoyed wearing such a simple wardrobe, I realized that this “joke” had triggered something in me: a desire for more simplicity. I’d heard of capsule wardrobes before, but in the middle of this experiment, I first heard of a “dress” code. This made a lot of sense to me. The idea behind a dress code involves focusing in on what you consistently love to wear and creating a permanent simple wardrobe. So…essentially a capsule wardrobe, but in a term that made more sense to me.

This experiment really helped me hone in on what my actual style preferences are, and its made my life much easier.

In the upcoming video below, I give you the full scoop including:

Why I decided to try this experiment

How I chose what outfit I would wear every single day for 21 days

What I included in my capsule wardrobe when I expanded my selection

How this experiment changed my mindset about buying clothing

How this experiment will make it WAY easier to shop for clothes in the future

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The Benefits of a Minimal Wardrobe

I’ve read about people like Steve Jobs who wear the same outfit all the time, and they do it for a few reasons. One reason is to save mental energy and another is to save time.

If I stop worrying about what I wear every day, I have a lot more energy for other things.

Another reason I decided to try this out is because I’ve suddenly become exhausted by having STUFF. A few weeks ago, I filled two trash bags with clothes for donations—TWO WHOLE BAGS.

And you know what?

My closet is still seemingly full of clothes, much of which I don’t wear. I hang on to all of these clothes in all of these styles, and I find myself gravitating towards the same items all the time. So, I decided to be more intentional about it.

How I Chose An Outfit

The two most important factors were

comfort and, appearance.

I wanted something that was comfortable on a normal day AND on days when I might be bloated or not feeling my best. So, it couldn’t be too tight and had to have some stretch. I wanted to wear something I felt confident in.

It also needed to look good every day. I decided NOT to go all black, because I didn’t think all black was all that versatile. So, I something that I could wear to work and on the weekends so I could dress it up or keep it casual.

I also wanted something that was flattering and attractive. So, I had to find a balance between “comfortable” and professional.

I landed on a white collared shirt with skinny jeans, which was the perfect choice for me.

4 Steps To Simple Style:

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What Happens When You Wear The Same Outfit Everyday

I ended up really enjoying wearing the same outfit everyday. There were a lot of benefits.

So, what happened when I wore the same outfit everyday?

#1: I had more time in the morning.

This is a given, but I loved not choosing a different outfit every morning. Instead of trying things on and wearing a outfit based on mood, weather, bloating, etc… I just put my outfit on 🙂 It was actually a tremendous relief that I didn’t anticipate, and definitely made me more aware of how I stress over my appearance and others’ perceptions of me.

#2: I had more space for mindfulness.

It wasn’t just time that I gained, it was mindfulness in general.

I don’t know why – maybe just because I was reserving mental energy by not choosing outfits, but I felt more in tune with myself. Which leads me to my next point…

#3: I was forced to face myself more.

I often shop out of boredom or distraction, and at the end of this challenge, I found myself feeling emotional.

I didn’t understand this at first either. When I first made the video above, I got teary eyed talking about wearing the same outfit everyday, and I had to really think about why. I truly believe that I use my appearance and belongings as a distraction from my insides. I really enjoyed getting more in touch with myself.

#4: I found other ways to add interest to my appearance.

To spruce things up, I definitely experimented with a few lipstick colors and shoes.

I kept it incredibly simple, but found myself enjoying accessories more than I usually do.

So, after realizing how much I enjoyed this simple style, I decided to create a dress code for myself…

The Dress Code Idea

I initially planned to do this for 7 days, which turned into about 3 weeks. At the end of the 3 weeks, I still wasn’t ready to “return to normal”. I was enjoying the simplicity too much.

But during the course I stumbled on an article about creating a dress code, and this seemed SUPER exciting to me.

The idea behind a dress code is to continue to keep things simple, and recognize that I tend to gravitate towards the same things all the time. So, I might have 100 pieces of clothing in my closet, but I’m not joking when I say I probably wear about 15 on a regular basis.

What I Included in My Capsule Wardrobe Dress Code

I noticed that the clothes I wore repeatedly were very predictable:

Dark pants : I have light pants and colored pants, but I always gravitate towards dark blue or black pants. I knew I should go with whatever I typically wore the most.

: I have light pants and colored pants, but I always gravitate towards dark blue or black pants. I knew I should go with whatever I typically wore the most. Basic shorts : I chose a basic air of super comfy denim shorts. They look good with the white shirts, they’re stretchy and they’re a good length for me (shot, because I’m short…but not booty-showing short.) Here are some other great examples of shorts I tried.

: I chose a basic air of super comfy denim shorts. They look good with the white shirts, they’re stretchy and they’re a good length for me (shot, because I’m short…but not booty-showing short.) Here are some other great examples of shorts I tried. Collared shirts : I have a thing for collared shirts. I just think they flatter me, and they’re professional enough for my office without me having to try too hard. I normally wear primarily dark colors, but because I wore white in my 21-day outfit and because I don’t love all-black, I knew I should include both a white AND dark collared shirt.

: I have a thing for collared shirts. I just think they flatter me, and they’re professional enough for my office without me having to try too hard. I normally wear primarily dark colors, but because I wore white in my 21-day outfit and because I don’t love all-black, I knew I should include both a white AND dark collared shirt. Black, White, Blue, Purple, Orange: The colors in my wardrobe would consist of those 5 colors in that order because 1) that’s basically what I have now and 2) everything I have that is outside that spectrum doesn’t get worn.

So, once I decided on the rules for my dress code, the items I included seemed like a no-brainer.

The images below are all things I wear all the time. And if I’m honest with myself, I’d probably wear them way more often if I thought it was socially acceptable.

I came up with about 7 pieces of clothing for my capsule wardrobe.

I bought many of these ages ago, but found alternatives on Amazon after vetting some user reviews.

How Trying A Minimal Capsule Wardrobe Changed My Mindset

The first thing about creating this dress code that I wasn’t expecting is that I don’t miss the clothes I haven’t been wearing.

The second thing I discovered is that people don’t care or notice if I wear the same thing all the time…

That was a total game changer.

It was a game changer because I didn’t realize before this experiment how much I was dressing for other people.

On the weekends, I wear the same thing all the time. I go through phases of what’s comfortable and what I’m in the mood for. I just didn’t realize I’d be able to do the same thing for work. The fact that I can totally excited me and makes me feel a lot of contentment around my wardrobe.

I’m not sure I’ll ever get rid of 75% of my wardrobe, but this experiment made it clear that I wear very few things. I love a lot of different clothing and styles, but I consistently gravitate towards the same pieces over and over again.

Feeling Contentment in the Simplicity of a Minimal Wardrobe

About a year ago, my identical twin sister decided to get rid of almost everything she owns and travel the country in a car with her partner and toddler. I felt sadness in the uncertainty of her embarking on a trip I knew nothing about, but I felt something else too…

Envy.

And I didn’t feel envy because I wanted to travel the country, I felt envy because her life had suddenly become SO SIMPLE.

I think this experiment helped me realize that I’m ready to allow myself to have a more simple life. It started as an experiment and morphed into an exercise in self-care and personal development.

Concluding My Minimal Wardrobe Trial

Overall, this experiment was a total win for me. What started out as a week-long joke, turned into a 3-week experiment…which turned into an actual life change.

My wardrobe isn’t small – I’m down from 200 to about 100 pieces. It sounds like a lot, but count the number of items in your closet. You’ll be surprised!

Choosing outfits is much more simple now. Most things match and work well together, and everything fits and flatters me. Not only that, but buying new clothes is MUCH easier (when I need something updated or new). Instead of falling victim to fast fashion, I’m able to look at something, identify whether or not it fits in my dress code, decide if I need it…and then decide whether or not to buy it. It has really simplified my life.

What do you think? Would you ever wear the same outfit for a week?

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