Project 333 for July & 5x5 French Minimalist Wardrobe Challenge~!!! :D

Hi all!!!

July is here~~!!!

OK. So, this time round, I was a little bit more proactive about pre-selecting my 33 for month of July. Last month, I was a day or two late, which made keeping tally more difficult...

I realized it takes me 2 nights to do this with 'ease' and less stress...
After all, with my ENTPness, I like to keep my options open, and 'selecting' and 'narrowing down' my choices is a real challenge for me.

Having said that...
This month, I've decided to tackle a secondary challenge WITHIN my personalized Project 333 (which is choosing 33 items to wear for 1 month, maybe I should start calling this Project 331!)... just to keep things even more interesting!

So...

For those of you who haven't read my 5x5 French Minimalist Wardrobe Challenge, basically, since I'm just needing a clear set of 'work clothes' I thought with the number of work days in a month, I might be able to 'pull it off' - 5 well chosen tops, 5 well matched and mixable bottoms gives you total of 25 outfits. I work 20~22 days in a month. I should be fine for the month! :D

And...
Since I'm hoping to reduce my total number of items for the month, I've decided that I'll try my best to limit my total to something less than 33.

I did that for 3 months, and I feel I can live with 'less' now!!

* * *

Image: My 5 work tops, 5 work bottoms, and 2 bags, for July 2014!

Initially, or should I say, last night...

I did a whole load of laundry, finished working on a lot of exercises in Bobbie  Thomas's book...

And I began the 'selection' process...

Now, sharing this part of me, REALLY makes me happy...

Because back in my mid 20s, I was a 'shopaholic' and I had to get a loan with the amount of stuff I was charging on my credit card. I was so clueless about managing my money, and I really had a thing for buying luxury designer goods, that eventually my shopping addiction led to a complete 'Life Makeover' for me, down the road!

So, well, HERE I AM!

Enjoying my 'fashion addiction' in a MOST HEALTHY and SOLVENT manner!!!

Back to the selection process...

In the past 3 months, it HAS BEEN tough, having to choose my 33 items...

But because I was doing it for 1 month, it was a lot easier to 'fudge' things a lil bit...

In other words, if I liked 2 jackets and 11 tops, I could fit all of them into my 33!

Well.

Last night, I was able to decide that regarding jewelry, I would only wear silver, since it is July after all... and I don't usually do silver in other months of the year. 

A lot of the items from last month were laid out for drying on the balcony, so it made the selection process more difficult.

Also, learning about my body shape (I just discovered this last night, that I'm a Pear shape!!! For years, I thought I was either a neat hourglass or an Inverted Triangle) made me question a lot of the items sitting in my wardrobe. 

Fast forward to tonight, 

I had to finalize my 'Curated Collection' for July!

(SUPER EXCITING & FUN!!!)

I must tell you though, how for about 30~40 minutes, I struggled making my decision. Now that I had to be REALLY PICKY about my 5 tops and 5 bottoms, my usual thinking pattern made me wonder if I should keep 2 jackets, 1 cardigan, 1 blouse, and 1 tshirt? But that was already 6. Which ONE should I take out? Also, the jacket and cardigan need tank tops otherwise they can't be worn. Should the tank tops be counted as 1 item or not? @_@!! See, how maddening this gets?!!!

I really had to mull over this, and then, the same PROBLEM came up again, regarding WHERE to place the 'patterned' garments. 

I have a nice blue short skirt with a little ethnic pattern from last summer, but I also wanted to keep a fun tank top with colorful typography for my jacket...

God. Save me.

I felt that terrible knot in my stomach, having to choose...

(I know that Courtney Carver actually states that you can exchange items or replace items within your 33, but when I do that, it's hard for me to stick to the initial motivation... and I usually fall off the wagon when I start doing that!)

Anywho.

So...

I kind of kept going back and forth on the blue skirt, and the number of tank tees I could have... 

But my brain kept URGING me...

To remember how in order to make this 5x5 thing work, I just CAN'T have prints for  top and bottom, especially if the two cannot be worn together.

* * *

In the end, I decided to ditch having all these options. :P

Let's keep this simple. 

And I chose 5 blouses instead.

So, no tshirt, no tank tees, no jackets, no cardigan.

Problem solved!

Also, I decided I'll follow the advice of Bobbie Thomas and My Private Stylist recommendations (which is another blog post for another time!!) and keep visual interest on the top. And keep my bottoms mostly darker colors! 

If my black denim skirt were available, I would have probably chosen the black skirt over my white denim skirt... But for now I'm just keeping the white denim skirt, as there is no other option.

* * *

Here are my 4 lovely shoes... for July.

I was going to put away my red slippers for a pair of Aldos sandals from last year... orange and brown leather straps, with a beige sole, and gold buckles.

But it was wedge heeled and a bit high for work, and the gold buckle wasn't going to work with my silver jewelry nor my 2 work bags.

I've streamlined my jewelry also!

Since I have a love for earrings first and foremost, and bracelets second... and not much of a thing for necklaces (too much work to put them on and take them off; if I had eyes on the back of my head or something I'd wear them more often!!) I decided to do away with necklaces this month! So, I can *indulge* myself on earrings this month! Five earrings to choose from!!! 

This feels even MORE great, cuz, now I feel like I'm beginning to 'define' my 'cohesive' style! That will eventually LEAD TO my 'personal style' and 'signature style' :D Yayyyyy!!!!

I mean, I'd already noticed this, while I worked on my 'Color Compass' this weekend... And also noticed this when I was switching out my shoes... 

I had 'declared' myself to be a 'Flat-shoe-nista' and I got rid of my killer heels back in the earlier stage of Project 333. Now, I notice that I still have some mid-heels, that I had 'saved up' but I just don't ever wear those either. My feet need COMFORT.

My ADD needs comfort!

And counter intuitive to my 'Pness' that likes to believe that having MORE is what gives me more options in clothing and personal style, I'm LEARNING that it is in fact, THE DIRECT OPPOSITE, that gives me my 'Fashion-style Edge.'

This really is the most EXTRAORDINARY process... And I'm just taking steps at a time, weaning myself off from bad habits. And it feels like I've come a LONG way... to doing all this! And it's been a really significant journey for me too, as what my Mom always feared was that me spending too much attention on this stuff would make me VAIN and Superficial or something. But you know, the heart wants what it wants. And this is such a big part of who I am as a person. So... Well. That's what this is all about for me! :)

* * *

Finally, for those of you, wondering what my finalized list looks like...

My total came to 27! Hoorah!!! ^________^ VVV

Doing away with jackets/cardigans/tshirt, and only wearing blouses (I'm not counting the tank tees here because some of my blouses are sheer and can't be worn without them!) helped me keep my numbers down by a lot!

And this month, I will feel like I have even MORE choices... 

Because ALL my tops go well with ALL my bottoms...

My two work bags are both 'big sized' proper work bags...

And I could keep a lot of options open for my shoes and earrings!

* * *

It just feels really AMAZING now...

And having fewer but better matched outfit combinations means I am getting real mileage out of my clothes...

Actually, with my wardrobe looking more and more minimal, I kind of want to create my 'Look Book' with these 27 items... 

Because now, I can also focus more on other things like hair, makeup, and nail/pedicure.

* * *

In closing ladies, fashion friends and my style tribes... :) 

I leave you with my favorite maxims from Courtney Carver of Project 333...

I feel so blessed to share my journey with you!

And a huge thanks to so many fashion gurus and teachers...

I've learnt so much and been inspired so much in the past decade or so...

Regarding *fashion-style-identity-beliefs-managing money-wardrobe planning*...

Especially on that money note, Courtney Carver and Jill Chivers have inspired and taught me so much...

Back in January 2014, I began a small group on Facebook, and we have been working in 6 week increments to support one another to NOT SHOP. And we've managed to make it work!! A lot of us have spent zero to very little for the past 6 months! All the while, patiently and steadily working on decluttering our closets and houses!

So, thank you dear readers!

I appreciate you being here~*

Love,

From Seoul,

xoxo

Jessica Flatshoenista