I never thought I’d quote Fight Club on this blog, but I love that line when Brad Pitt Tyler Durden says “The things you own end up owning you”. How perfectly minimalist.
Part of the fun of packing for me is curating the perfect capsule wardrobe for a specific situation. I love weighing factors like weather, utility, occasion, and trends to pick just the right clothing for a trip.
“The things you own end up owning you.” – Chuck Palahniuk, Fight Club
But what about all the clothing left in my closet? I pretend to embrace the minimalist lifestyle when I’m living out of my suitcase, but the truth is I have way more than anyone needs sitting in multiple closets in my house.
This week I watched Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things, available on Netflix. The directors interviewed several American authors who have tackled the topic of overconsumption and addiction to things. While I’m not entirely ready to tackle a real decluttering, one project mentioned in the film caught my attention.
“Love people, use things.” – The Minimalists
Project 333 is a fashion challenge where you can only wear 33 items for 3 months. Similar to packing for a trip, the idea of handpicking a select few items sounded fun! I decided to imagine what my own version of this capsule would include. My 33 items would have to span winter and spring seasons, so I chose my outerwear accordingly. The rules say workout wear and underwear/hosiery don’t count (phew).
Here’s what made the cut for my Project 333 capsule.
I chose lots of neutrals for this 3-month capsule. Beige, grey, navy, and black have always been my staples. I threw in lots of graphic prints for visual interest while staying within the same colour scheme.
Tops: Two printed blouses, a striped top, a checked top, a white tee, and a black cami should cover all my bases.
Sweaters: Nude knit sweater, grey sweater, a thin black cardigan, and a fun sweatshirt offer warmth and variety. All of these are easy to layer or work on their own.
Outerwear: A camel-coloured wool coat, a warm puffy coat, a leather jacket, and a raincoat will hopefully see me through the cold, rainy, and unpredictable months.
Dresses: A long winter-ready dress and a flirty printed option should be fine for the fanciest of occasions I happen to go to in that period.
Bottoms: Two trousers, a pair of jeans, and a short and long skirt should be plenty. I’ll miss my overalls though.
Bags: A backpack, a leather tote bag, and a neutral clutch are boring but super dependable. I can survive with just these options, I’m sure.
Shoes: Canvas sneakers, black boots, heeled booties, patent slides, and navy oxfords. I love shoes so I won’t skimp here. I love all these options and they go with everything.
Accessories: Earrings, a knit hat, a scarf, and sunglasses. Lucky for me, I’m not that into accessories so I can make it with one of each.
I welcomed the challenge of limiting my choices and I love everything in this capsule!
2 Replies to “Capsule Suitcase Does Project 333”
mnahun
This is such a cool idea! I think my fall/winter wardrobe is relatively minimalist as I have my core sweaters and long-sleeved shirts, along with pants and boots, that I layer and rotate throughout the season. But I’d love to try this out during the summer because I definitely have more summer clothes than I need, who knows? Maybe I might end up getting rid of all the extra clothes. Looking forward to seeing how your experience of project 333 goes.
Andrea Zoellner
Thanks for commenting! “Core sweaters”, I love that! I think the reverse is true for me… I have no clue what to wear in the summer months, so I stick to a few favourites.