Transformation Tuesday #31: Fall Capsule Wardrobe

I didn't get around to building my fall capsule wardrobe until a week and a half into October - yikes! I felt a bit off because the weather was changing and I felt like I had nothing to wear (really, I hadn't scheduled time to empty out my closet ...). When I first started Project 333, I wanted to overcome decision fatigue when it came to my wardrobe. I liked having guidelines and structure to follow, and actually found that this discipline helped me get more creative with what I chose for each season's micro wardrobe.

This summer, I met Courtney Carver, the founder of Project 333, when she stopped in Seattle for her Tiny Wardrobe Tour. This made my fangirl heart flutter! She talked about why she started dressing with a smaller wardrobe and then opened it up for questions. I noticed a theme among several of the attendees' questions - many of them fixated on the rules (such as including jewelry as part of the wardrobe or limiting the wardrobe to 33 items).

Courtney encouraged people to modify as needed to find what worked for them. This was hard for several people to wrap their minds around. Weren't there rules with this project? What happens if you don't follow them exactly? I loved her message and am learning that structure works well for me when trying something new, but that once I have the hang of it, that I'm ready to modify and adjust as needed. 

Going into fall, I had a different mindset as I started this seasonal ritual - break the rules! Now that I'm on my fourth capsule, I know what works for me and I actually have 41 items (gasp!) in this season's capsule. I don't feel bad or like I'm "cheating" - I have some new pieces that I want to wear and get some use out of this fall so I added them. When we start stressing or obsessing over simple guidelines, it's important to go back to why we started the process or project to begin with. When I thought about my "why," I realized I needed to customize this process for myself because otherwise, I was creating more work and stress for myself.

What are some of the rules you have broken or modified? Would love to hear what others are doing to make things work!