6 item challenge?

[jhschool]

Hi

I just found out about the 6 item challenge but I don't get it

and I don't understand what it is for.

So, you are supposed to wear 6 garments for 6 months (plus any

accessories, etc.) and nothing else--I think.

I think the purpose is to show support for the garment workers?

But I don't understand how wearing 6 garments only benefits them in any way?

Maybe the organizers are trying to encourage not shopping for clothes for

6 months? But then wearing 6 rather than the 30 or so people own doesn't

help them I think. If it is just raising awareness I guess I understand. But it

seems they might do "a load of laundry's worth" instead because then you could

wash them all at once instead of--I don't know, washing by hand and drip drying

overnight waiting for a thing to dry, or running the washer and drier for half a load

and wasting energy.

So, I am not being mean and I like awareness-raising. But someone explain to

me how it benefits the workers?

Or--it just occurred to me--maybe it's an exercise in frugality and simplicity and

living with less? Maybe that is it? but then they should encourage you to give

away your other clothes?

[Guest]

I don't know. I haven't heard of pick 6. I have heard of Project 333. With P333, you pick 33 items of clothing/shoes/accessories that will be your complete wardrobe for 3 months (one season). The idea behind P333 is minimalism, non-consumerism and frugality. I am participating in a version of Project 333 currently. For me, it's to learn to be content with fewer well-chosen things. Only thing I'm not doing according to P333 "guidelines" is the accessory part. I don't struggle with over-bling tendencies to begin with and wearing (say) only two pair of earrings for 3 months does seem pointless.

 

P333 does encourage donation of items at the end of a season, once you have had opportunity to recognize that they don't add much to your life.

[OrganicAnn]

They say that people wear 20% of their clothes 80% of the time and the remaining 80% they only wear 20% of the time. So often the idea is to get rid of the 80% that you don't wear. Unfortunately some of that is your christmas sweaters, your one very dressy outfit, etc.

 

I think it is a good way to reevaluate your things, but I wouldn't go crazy and get rid of everything but 6 outfits.

[SKL]

Hmm, 6 is too few, but 33 is way more than I use. Well, maybe not if you count socks and underwear, LOL.

 

I have a closet full of clothes, of which I wear maybe 20 items over the course of a year. I got rid of a lot, but I'm always reluctant to get rid of stuff I "might" wear someday. I wish I'd adopted my "less is more" philosophy at a younger age.

[regentrude]

With P333, you pick 33 items of clothing/shoes/accessories that will be your complete wardrobe for 3 months (one season). The idea behind P333 is minimalism, non-consumerism and frugality.

 

 

33 items of clothing for 3 months, not including underwear, sleepwear, in-house-lounge wear and workout clothing (which are specifically exempt in the challenge), is not minimalist.

Especially if you have another 33 items for the next 3 months.

[SKL]

33 items of clothing for 3 months, not including underwear, sleepwear, in-house-lounge wear and workout clothing (which are specifically exempt in the challenge), is not minimalist.

Especially if you have another 33 items for the next 3 months.

 

 

Ha! That excludes almost everything I wear! I would barely make it up to 12 items.

 

So no, not minimalist, at least for most of the world.

 

But 6 - now that would be a challenge. I try not to wear the same thing to the same place twice in a row. Gives the impression that I only have one outfit. So that's 4 items (2 tops, 2 bottoms) just for church. Add two pairs of jeans and I'd have to be topless 6 days of the week. Not gonna fly around here. ;)

[beaners]

Is this it?

 

http://thesixitemschallenge.wordpress.com/

 

Workout clothing is practically all I own and wear, so I could definitely do 6 items just for leaving the house once or twice a week. Without that exception, it'd be pretty tough this time of year when you have very cold and very warm weather. I could do jeans, workout pants, shorts, two shirts, and some kind of warm top. The neighbors would probably discretely leave a bag of clothes at my front door out of concern by the end of the 6 weeks.

[UrbanSue]

I might actually try to count later but I'm pretty sure I don't own 33 items of clothing (unless you combined my summer/winter wardrobes). A lot of people probably do think I only have one outfit. Heck, dh sometimes thinks I only have one outfit!

[Guest]

33 items of clothing for 3 months, not including underwear, sleepwear, in-house-lounge wear and workout clothing (which are specifically exempt in the challenge), is not minimalist.

Especially if you have another 33 items for the next 3 months.

 

Well, that is the problem with the term "minimalist." Minimalist to one is not minimalist to another. Some people who have spoken against Project 333 say it's too extreme. I think it's an ideal number. For me, it was enough "restriction" that I had to think about what outfits I would put together for different situations that might arise in 3 months, but not so much "restriction" that I can't imagine what the point would be.

 

The six item challenge makes no sense to me. Jen Hatmaker's "7" (the clothing section) led me to feel similarly. I would much rather adopt a limit that is feasible; something that can be a lifestyle change.

[Guest]

Ha! That excludes almost everything I wear! I would barely make it up to 12 items.

 

So no, not minimalist, at least for most of the world.

 

But 6 - now that would be a challenge. I try not to wear the same thing to the same place twice in a row. Gives the impression that I only have one outfit. So that's 4 items (2 tops, 2 bottoms) just for church. Add two pairs of jeans and I'd have to be topless 6 days of the week. Not gonna fly around here. ;)

 

For real??? You for real wear only about 12 items and you're not even trying to aim for some sort of discipline? What do you wear? I'm genuinely curious. Some of my friends seem to have hundreds and hundreds of items of clothing. To me, it's really costing me something (mentally) to cut down my current wardrobe to 33 items. I'm finding this topic fascinating.

[SKL]

For real??? You for real wear only about 12 items and you're not even trying to aim for some sort of discipline? What do you wear? I'm genuinely curious. Some of my friends seem to have hundreds and hundreds of items of clothing. To me, it's really costing me something (mentally) to cut down my current wardrobe to 33 items. I'm finding this topic fascinating.

 

 

I work at home for the most part. I wear jammy pants and yesterday's tee shirt, except when I have to go take my kids somewhere. Then I pull on jeans and another tee shirt. I only have 2 pairs of jeans, which is fine since I only wear them for a short period of each day. I do have probably 20 tee shirts, but since I only wear one per day and I'm not picky about which one, I could manage with maybe 5 of them.

 

I wear dress pants and a sweater / top to church. I usually switch off between a black set and a blue set.

 

I do have a few suits that I keep for the occasional business meeting, but I only need one about once every two months. I also have a couple of sweatshirts that I can pull on if it's extremely cold outside.

 

I hadn't really thought about whether coats and shoes count. Normally I wear the same shoes everywhere except for church. I have a few other pairs for special situations. I have coats depending on the season and whether my destination is business or casual.

 

ETA: I don't wear "accessories." And I don't carry a purse.

[Arcadia]

To me, it's really costing me something (mentally) to cut down my current wardrobe to 33 items. I'm finding this topic fascinating.

 

 

Excluding cold weather outerwear (five coats of varying length and formality), I have

 

Accessories - 1 pair of earrings

Pants - 2 pairs

Tops - 5 tops

Formal dress - 1

 

So I have 9 items for the whole year. I am a SAHM so no working wardrobe. Hubby wears jeans and polo shirts to work so his wardrobe is simple too.

[SKL]

I remember when I was a kid, my mom had four skirts and five blouses which she rotated each week for work. Then she had some pants and dresses for weekend stuff. Pretty sure it was way less than 33 items in total.

[Ottakee]

My clothes I would be OK with 33 or likely 12. It is the coats and boots that would get me. We have animals so we have riding coats, barn coats, carhartts, rain jackets. lightweight jackets, etc. and then the cowboy boots, dressier cowboy boots, show boots, muck boots, riding winter boots, regular winter boots, etc.....Then again none of that stuff is fit for most public viewing.

[regentrude]

 

Workout clothing is practically all I own and wear, so I could definitely do 6 items just for leaving the house once or twice a week.

 

The workout clothing exception in the challenge is only for workout clothing worn while actually working out.

[regentrude]

For real??? You for real wear only about 12 items and you're not even trying to aim for some sort of discipline? What do you wear? I'm genuinely curious. Some of my friends seem to have hundreds and hundreds of items of clothing. To me, it's really costing me something (mentally) to cut down my current wardrobe to 33 items. I'm finding this topic fascinating.

 

I work outside the house five days a week and have to dress up for my job. Still no problem.

In winter, I need:

work: 3 pairs of slacks, 6 shirts, 1 blazer, 2 pairs of dress shoes, 1 coat =13

leisure: 2 pairs of jeans, 5 sweaters/shirts, 1 pair of shoes, 1 coat =9

dress-up/special occasion: two winter dresses, 1 skirt, 1 sequinned shirt, 2 piece suit, = 6

hat and a pair of gloves =2

Purse=1

 

workout clothes (which for me is hiking) do not count. That would add boots, pants, shirt, fleece.

 

Now granted, I do have more clothes, but if I am examining what I actually wear day in-day out, that pretty much sums it up for the winter months.

 

A few years ago, the four of us moved for half a year overseas with three pieces of luggage. Entirely sufficient.

 

I could even make the 6 item challenge work for six weeks in the summer when I am off work, if I had the opportunity to do laundry:

hiking pants, shorts, 2 T-shirts, fleece, one dress.

[beaners]

The workout clothing exception in the challenge is only for workout clothing worn while actually working out.

 

Hmmm. Where do you see that? I'm only going by the link I found. It says:

 

How?… The Six Items Challenge is easy really! Just select 6 items of clothing from your wardrobe and pledge to wear only these every day for 6 weeks/ a month, depending on the Challenge. You can have unlimited access to underwear, accessories and footwear. You’re even allowed to use your sportswear or performance gear. But your main items of clothing – dresses, trousers, tops, skirts, jumpers, shirts or cardis must remain the same throughout. Get creative with your combining… Think what you really love. What defines you? You might surprise yourself with your choices but remember to be practical too!

 

Either way, being able to wear workout clothing while I'm running without that counting toward the total would make things easier. If you think about it though, having special clothes just for exercising doesn't seem to be showing much solidarity for poor, oppressed garment workers. It seems even worse when having the time or energy for exercising is a luxury these workers wouldn't have, nevermind the huge amounts of money many people spend to go places to exercise.

[regentrude]

Hmmm. Where do you see that? I'm only going by the link I found. It says:

 

 

I was talking about project 333:

http://theproject333.com/

 

http://theproject333...etting-started/

"these items are not counted as part of the 33 items – wedding ring or another sentimental piece of jewelry that you never take off, underwear, sleep wear, in-home lounge wear, and workout clothing (you can only wear your workout clothing to workout)"

 

I forgot to whom I responded; some people had moved on to talk about 333, while other were talking about 6.

 

But if workout clothing/performance wear is generally permitted, I can totally live in my hiking/climbing clothes except for work.

[regentrude]

So, you are supposed to wear 6 garments for 6 months (plus any

accessories, etc.) and nothing else--I think.

I think the purpose is to show support for the garment workers?

But I don't understand how wearing 6 garments only benefits them in any way?

...

So, I am not being mean and I like awareness-raising. But someone explain to

me how it benefits the workers?

Or--it just occurred to me--maybe it's an exercise in frugality and simplicity and

living with less? Maybe that is it? but then they should encourage you to give

away your other clothes?

 

I am puzzled by this as well. It would seem that if people were stopping wearing and buying many clothes,

the garment workers would lose their jobs entirely. I fail to see how this exercise is improving their situation.

 

Now, I don't see reducing the amount of clothing and stopping the fashion worship as a bad thing;

I just do not see what possible benefit the garment workers could reap from the customer's frugality.

[Night Elf]

For real??? You for real wear only about 12 items and you're not even trying to aim for some sort of discipline? What do you wear? I'm genuinely curious. Some of my friends seem to have hundreds and hundreds of items of clothing. To me, it's really costing me something (mentally) to cut down my current wardrobe to 33 items. I'm finding this topic fascinating.

 

 

hmm.. this seems like it could be embarrassing, but I'm positive my regular wardrobe is less than 33 items.

 

2 pairs of jeans (for going out)

3 pairs of pj pants (my daily round-the-house wear)

3 long sleeve shirts (two of them are just different colors of the same style)

4 short sleeve shirts (two sets of differently color same styles)

1 pair of shorts for exercise

 

I wear only 1 pair of earrings that I never take out, and I have 2 rings. I have no other accessories. I do own other short sleeve shirts and some ugly sweaters but I never wear them. I don't like the idea of my closet having just those few things above because it would feel weird. It's all pushed to one side that I rarely look at though. I don't mind wearing the same thing all of the time.

[Wheres Toto]

The stuff I've been wearing for the last few months would be less than 33 items, even counting that we now go to church.

 

One pair of jeans (only ones that fit)

Two pairs of cotton pants

One pair of yoga pants

4 or 5 long sleeve t-shirts

3 skirts

2 hoodies

brown uggs

gray uggs

purple snowboot uggs

nice brown boots (wear with skirts)

nice black boots (wear with skirts)

sneakers

3-4 cardigan sweaters

1 leather coat

1 parka-type coat

 

It has nothing to do with trying to be minimalist. I just hate shopping for clothes so I don't have a lot that fits comfortably.

[justasque]

 

I am puzzled by this as well. It would seem that if people were stopping wearing and buying many clothes,

the garment workers would lose their jobs entirely. I fail to see how this exercise is improving their situation.

 

Now, I don't see reducing the amount of clothing and stopping the fashion worship as a bad thing;

I just do not see what possible benefit the garment workers could reap from the customer's frugality.

 

 

If you have fewer clothes, you tend to shop more for quality, and good versatile design. And you're willing to pay more, to get pieces that are well-made and will last. You might even decide to have something custom-made. If you buy quality, then anything you end up getting rid of has a residual value, which means either you can resell it, or you can donate it and the charity can resell it (often to someone who will flip it on eBay). If the garment industry becomes more about quality than the current race-to-the-bottom on price, then they will need skilled workers, which tends to hike wages and makes for more fulfilling work.

[regentrude]

If you have fewer clothes, you tend to shop more for quality, and good versatile design. And you're willing to pay more, to get pieces that are well-made and will last. You might even decide to have something custom-made. If you buy quality, then anything you end up getting rid of has a residual value, which means either you can resell it, or you can donate it and the charity can resell it (often to someone who will flip it on eBay). If the garment industry becomes more about quality than the current race-to-the-bottom on price, then they will need skilled workers, which tends to hike wages and makes for more fulfilling work.

 

But you'd also need much fewer people to make clothes - because well-made items last very long.

To pick a few quality items from my closet:

Patagonia fleece jacket - 12 years.

North face Goretex jacket/pants - 20 years.

Little black dress - 18 years.

If all people were replacing all their clothing at this rate, we'd have millions of starving garment workers.

 

But even cheap clothing often lasts a very long time. I still have, and wear, T-shirts I bought in 1995. Really, if a cheap T-shirt lasts 18 years, what would I do with a "quality" T-shirt? Wear it for 30 years? That would be overkill.

I think most people do never wear out their clothes, they just want the change.

[Guest]

I work at home for the most part. I wear jammy pants and yesterday's tee shirt, except when I have to go take my kids somewhere. Then I pull on jeans and another tee shirt. I only have 2 pairs of jeans, which is fine since I only wear them for a short period of each day. I do have probably 20 tee shirts, but since I only wear one per day and I'm not picky about which one, I could manage with maybe 5 of them.

 

I wear dress pants and a sweater / top to church. I usually switch off between a black set and a blue set.

 

I do have a few suits that I keep for the occasional business meeting, but I only need one about once every two months. I also have a couple of sweatshirts that I can pull on if it's extremely cold outside.

 

I hadn't really thought about whether coats and shoes count. Normally I wear the same shoes everywhere except for church. I have a few other pairs for special situations. I have coats depending on the season and whether my destination is business or casual.

 

ETA: I don't wear "accessories." And I don't carry a purse.

 

 

Interesting. In Project 333, pairs of shoes count, so do coats and outwear, purses, backpacks, laptop bags, sunglasses and all jewelry that isn't sentimental in nature. In my personal "version," I don't count all of those things, but I did include two coats and four different pairs of shoes. I also counted two fleece pullovers that are something of a cross between workout wear and outwear, but I included them because I don't wear them exclusively for working out. Sometimes, they are part of my "outfit."

 

The majority of my 33 are simple tops and different jeans. But, since I was choosing 3 months' worth, I did include a dress, two skirts, and a couple dressier tops and jackets that mix and match. Two of my four pairs of shoes are boots that can dress up or down.

 

I wouldn't stay in PJ pants at gunpoint. :tongue_smilie: I'm firmly in the "get dressed" camp.

[SKL]

But you'd also need much fewer people to make clothes - because well-made items last very long.

To pick a few quality items from my closet:

Patagonia fleece jacket - 12 years.

North face Goretex jacket/pants - 20 years.

Little black dress - 18 years.

If all people were replacing all their clothing at this rate, we'd have millions of starving garment workers.

 

But even cheap clothing often lasts a very long time. I still have, and wear, T-shirts I bought in 1995. Really, if a cheap T-shirt lasts 18 years, what would I do with a "quality" T-shirt? Wear it for 30 years? That would be overkill.

I think most people do never wear out their clothes, they just want the change.

 

 

Yeah - I hardly ever buy new clothes. Most of my T-shirts are souvenirs from places I've visited over the past 20 years. I wear some of them weekly and they still last for 15+ years. Even the ones that were hand-me-downs. I even have some cotton shirts that I purchased from a second-hand store about 20 years ago. I've worn them hundreds of times to work and to church, and they are still as nice as the day I bought them (I think). If it were up to me to keep the clothing industry in business, there would be a lot more unemployment.

[SKL]

I think it's kind of silly to treat all clothes the same, though. I mean, I have a pair of heels that I must wear with a suit. Even if I only use it 1-2x per quarter, it counts the same as the shoes I wear with my jeans every day? It's not like I could wear my sneakers to a business meeting. I also have a pair of shoes that I wear only with Indian garb when I attend their holiday stuff. It's my compromise between looking halfway dressy and avoiding heels. :) I don't think it indicates that I'm a hoader. ;)

 

Same thing with coats. I live where the temparature varies a lot over a short time period, so within one quarter I might need my heavy down coat and my light sweatshirt/windbreaker. If I go to one "special event" in winter, I have to have a dress coat that isn't used everyday. (Wearing a dress coat for everyday in our winters would be idiotic.) Three coats isn't excess for a working mom. You could argue that I don't need the 4th one, a business-casual wool pants coat. I could have bought a coat that worked for both business casual and dress. However, someone gave me the dress coat and I bought the pants coat on a big sale. So I have no plans to buy a replacement.

 

I don't do boots, sunglasses, umbrellas, or usually bags. I really am a bare-basics person. Could I live with less? Sure, but why would I want to?

[Arcadia]

But even cheap clothing often lasts a very long time. I still have, and wear, T-shirts I bought in 1995. Really, if a cheap T-shirt lasts 18 years, what would I do with a "quality" T-shirt? Wear it for 30 years? That would be overkill.

I think most people do never wear out their clothes, they just want the change.

 

 

I agree.

Even my kids factory outlet tops can last more than five years. I don't know how they stretch their favorite tops until a size 4 looks same size as their size M.

My hubby still wear polo shirts from the late 80s to work as they are rather cheap. My wardrobe goes back to the 80s too.

[AdventureMoms]

 

 

For real??? You for real wear only about 12 items and you're not even trying to aim for some sort of discipline? What do you wear? I'm genuinely curious. Some of my friends seem to have hundreds and hundreds of items of clothing. To me, it's really costing me something (mentally) to cut down my current wardrobe to 33 items. I'm finding this topic fascinating.

 

 

Lets see. I own 2 pair of jeans and one pair of dress pants. ( also sweats, pjs, and paint pants but those don't count, right?). I wear maybe 1/2 dozen sweaters and another 1/2 dozen long sleeved tshirts. Plus shorts and short sleeved tshirts, but that's a whole other season. I have a coat and hat and mittens, do those count? What about shoes? I have sneakers and boots and sandals and probably a pair of black flats somewhere. I wear a watch and my wedding ring. I own 2 or 3 necklaces and a couple pair of earrings but only wear those once or twice a year.

 

And, no, I'm not trying to do anything except fit all my clothes in my itty bitty shared closet.

[LibraryLover]

Um..well I would have to go out of my way to have that many items of clothing! I guess I'm pretty boring and minimalistic when it comes to clothing.

 

 

lol Yep. I wear the same few things again and again...it's too much mental energy otherwise.

 

A black Title IX skirt

A gray smart wool Title IX skirt

 

 

[regentrude]

A black Title IX skirt

A gray smart wool Title IX skirt

 

Library Lover, are you happy with your Title IX clothes?

I always drool over their catalog, but never bought anything... it would be totally my kind of clothing though!

[LibraryLover]

Library Lover, are you happy with your Title IX clothes?

I always drool over their catalog, but never bought anything... it would be totally my kind of clothing though!

 

 

In general, yes. You can't go wrong with their tights, especially in my climate. They are the difference between misery and warmth.

 

Buying through the catalog doesn't work for me unless I know the exact fit of the item. (They have certain styles over and over, but switch out colors and patterns.)

 

The quality is decent, although not always fabulous, depending on who makes it/where it comes from. I've had a couple of items pill, and others that look great for a long time.

 

Title IX is $, but not so $ that the clothing is heirloom.

 

[Guest]

I think it's kind of silly to treat all clothes the same, though. I mean, I have a pair of heels that I must wear with a suit. Even if I only use it 1-2x per quarter, it counts the same as the shoes I wear with my jeans every day? It's not like I could wear my sneakers to a business meeting. I also have a pair of shoes that I wear only with Indian garb when I attend their holiday stuff. It's my compromise between looking halfway dressy and avoiding heels. :) I don't think it indicates that I'm a hoader. ;)

 

Same thing with coats. I live where the temparature varies a lot over a short time period, so within one quarter I might need my heavy down coat and my light sweatshirt/windbreaker. If I go to one "special event" in winter, I have to have a dress coat that isn't used everyday. (Wearing a dress coat for everyday in our winters would be idiotic.) Three coats isn't excess for a working mom. You could argue that I don't need the 4th one, a business-casual wool pants coat. I could have bought a coat that worked for both business casual and dress. However, someone gave me the dress coat and I bought the pants coat on a big sale. So I have no plans to buy a replacement.

 

I don't do boots, sunglasses, umbrellas, or usually bags. I really am a bare-basics person. Could I live with less? Sure, but why would I want to?

 

Well, I think it would be silly to let any of the "rules" of any challenge overshadow the point of why you're doing it, kwim? It doesn't sound like you have an attachment to clothing or any tendencies towards clothing excesses. A personal challenge like Project 333 probably would not have a point for you.

 

It does have a point for me, even though I do alter some of the "rules" to suit my purposes. I do have clothing lust. I love to feel nicely dressed. I love to wear something new or in a novel combination that hasn't been seen by anyone before. I felt deprived of clothing during my growing-up years and I do believe that informs some of my desire to buy clothing when I like it or want it. Project 333 is a *great* idea for me. If nothing else, it helped me realize there were *many* possibilities of different outfits that I had never put together because I was using such a variety of clothing, I didn't think about new combinations that were already there. It's also helping me realize that - they're just clothes. Most people aren't paying two seconds' worth of attention to what I'm wearing and will neither notice nor care if they've seen this shirt before. Sounds stupid saying it out loud, but that really is a concern I harbor.

[regentrude]

Most people aren't paying two seconds' worth of attention to what I'm wearing and will neither notice nor care if they've seen this shirt before.

 

This, exactly.