Ways I'm handling my shopping bug (so far)

I love shopping, and one of the biggest challenges doing Project 333 is how I'll replace my love of shopping and fashion while I'm in the project.

So far, I'm only a few days into the project, but there's already been many occasions where I've had to avoid shopping for clothing or shoes so far:

• Going to Target for health and beauty items
• Going on a day trip to a tourist area nearby my town 
• Going to the outlet mall to get shoes for his son with my S.O.
• Going to the mall to get a fish for my S.O.
• Going to an antique mall that had little clothing boutiques inside it. 

How am I avoiding shopping, with so many opportunities?

1: Mindfulness of how much I used to shop combined with the idea that I can shop anytime---I had 5 chances in as many days---there's plenty of clothing out there, it's not going anywhere!

2: Allowing myself to have small indulgences in skin care and health and beauty--instead of clothing, which I have enough of, I invested in some skin care, which is something I had felt that I was neglecting or never had enough time for.

3: I spend time and energy building outfits and "shopping" my closet---the excitement that I feel from shopping is partly from new outfits--so I can get a similar thrill from making new outfits and recombining  things creatively.

4: Posting things to sell on eBay. Sounds counter-intuitive, but making money off the clothes I don't feel are a good match anymore is like 'reverse shopping'. Plus, by the time the PayPal money comes in, it will be summer and time to make a new capsule--I can spend that  money on one great, high quality piece.

5: Telling myself that I can come back to an item when the 3 months are over, or find something  similar. I truly wear an item out from the 33, I can cycle in something else or as a last resort, buy something new and cycle one item out. It's my "break in case of emergency" technique.

6: I window shop and read fashion blogs, especially minimalism blogs. A lot of the fun of shopping is the aesthetic pleasure of the pretty things- the colors, the proportions, the fabrics, the trends! For some people it might be too tempting to shop online on another tab while you're on whowhatwear.com, but for me, it works.

7: I unsubscribed from as many online shopping deal emails as I could find. No flash sales, 40% off, free shipping---I won't make it easy for myself to shop online!

Starting Project 333

Well, it took about 4 hours of work last night but I managed to do the following: 

Take all my clothes out, sort through them and pack up two huge bags for the Goodwill

Sort through my clothes and choose 33 items for the next three months, with one extra dress and two items in the laundry

Sort through my jewelry and choose three items to wear with all my outfits

Make about a week's worth of outfits from my 33 items and hang them together

Pack up all the stuff that I want to keep but won't be in the 33 this time around

Josh helped me considerably, just by being there. He hung out on the bed and gave his opinion on what was working or not working. He also helped take pictures and gave me a general "moral support". What a champ. 

I took pictures of the 33 items for you and I'll list them here: 

Jewelry: 

1. A simple silver bar hung horizontally on neon pink chain, collarbone length 
2. A white and gold bracelet made of Asian inspired charms (like elephants, Buddha heads, koi)
3. A below collarbone chain necklace with a large octopus in weathered silver 

Shoes: 

4; Leopard print Vans
5: Hidden-wedge grey suede booties with perforated detail
6: 2 inch heel black stretch material shooties
7: Black moto boots
8: black leather flat sandals --slide style with wide crossover straps at toes

Skirts and Pants

9: Pale mouse grey stretch cigarette pants 

10: Cream cashmere ankle length straight skirt 

11: Black and white striped ankle length straight skirt 

12: Grey draped midi skirt (jersey) 

13: Boyfriend jeans, medium rinse, distressed 

14, 15: Two pairs leggings, one multi (mostly blues and purples) abstract floral, one black, white and grey splatter paint print 

Tops: 

16: White tunic shirt button down 

17: Black tee

18:Black long sleeved tee with sequin detail 

19: Teal tee with bead detail 

20: Abstract painterly print tee 

21: mixed media silk and knit abstract painterly print tee 

22: grey, black and white abstract painterly print long sleeved tee 

23: open weave cream and mouse crochet long sleeved tee with chiffon detail at hem and sleeves 

24: black fitted knit sweatshirt material shirt with denim dickey collar and dickey hem 

25:teal cami 

26: chartreuse cami

27: mouse knit shell 

28: Black, mint, mouse, and yellow geometric sleeveless blouse 

29: Black and white geometric 3/4 sleeve cardigan--knit

30: Black knit 3/4 sleeve loose mini tunic top 

31: hot shrimp pink all over lace cami 

Dresses: 

32: Hot shrimp pink, seaglass, purple, and cream snake print (sounds awful, looks great) jersey draped dress 

33: Sheer white crosses on black background print high- low tank dress in chiffon 

34: Stretch sheath in neon coral with a stretch denim detail at sleeves and yoke (sounds dreadful, is Rachel Roy and looks like 1 million tax free bucks on me)

Extra dress is a grey and yellow animal print sheath in chiffon

Scarves: 

35: Purple, green, chartreuse, and teal 

36: Black and grey ombre 

I'm three over the limit but you're allowed to "cheat" the rules a bit. (Especially since 2 are scarves) 

You can also have all the PJ's and lounge/workout wear you need. Underwear does not count (obvi!!) and I don't count socks and tights. 

I am SO EXCITED. I am excited to write about this and excited to make all my outfits!!! 

Things I learned: 

hot coral and neon shrimp / pink occur more than once in my wardrobe. Hmm. 

I wear/own TONS of black, grey, and white. 

I have a LOT more "eh" clothes than I thought, which surprised me. 

Things that were great and I loved but "eh" look much better now minus 15 pounds (that tends to change the way clothes hang quite a bit!) 

Draped sweaters are not my friend. OUT! 

Things this will help me with: 

First and foremost, budget. I have a bad habit of picking things up almost every time I get paid. For three months, no new clothes. 

Going between apartments. I can just grab one or two outfits and go. Since the items almost all work together, if I want to stay an extra day at Josh's place, I just throw the things in the wash and remix. 

I can focus on hair, skincare, and makeup, three areas I never felt I had time, money or energy for other than coloring my hair and the bare minimum of makeup/skincare. 

I will no longer save my most expensive or my coolest clothes (my cross print dress, my Rachel Roy dress) for "someday" or "occasions". To work they go!!! My new motto is "Who gives a f---? I'm wearing mixed prints, dang it!" 

The feeling that I'm challenging myself and going to the next level is GREAT!! 

Everything in my wardrobe right now is something I love and wear all the time anyway. Now I will NEVER again step out in a 'oh well' outfit. I'll be pulled together and ready for almost any occasion. 

I will be forced to try looks that I wanted to but wimped out on, like heels with boyfriend jeans, shooties or booties with bare legs and a long skirt, and more body con clothing. Whee! 

Women in the 40's really had the right idea with like, two "nice" dresses. Saves a lot of heartache and second guessing. 

Yours in minimalism. 

(YIM)