Despite the fact that I don’t report in regularly on my progress, I do keep track of what I wear, and what’s getting appropriate usage, and what’s wasting closet space. As much as I always get compliments when I wear blue, I never really feel quite myself when I’m wearing it… except denim…
And, as I always have, I’m drawn to red. Always… So when I did my readjustments for Project 333 starting Monday, I added in both a red tee shirt and a red sweater. They’re from L.L.Bean (those people NEVER give me any credit for promoting their clothes, the silly louts), they’re festive, and I love them. Also, I’m replacing the non-existent blue jeans with my beloved black velvet skirt! My paisley pants are too cropped, and too cotton, to make it through the coldest weather, so I’ve pulled in my grey cashmere sweatshirt (hurrah!!!). And finally, my short-sleeved dress I bought in Paris just isn’t going to be worn in the coldest weather, as much as I keep thinking I’ll wear it with a black cardigan. It just hasn’t happened…
- My Project 333 Clothes beginning December 2014
- My Project 333 Clothes for autumn 2014
- My Project 333 Jewelry, Bag and Shoes
I have a few new pieces of jewelry, most notable my teeny star stud earrings (purchased in Amsterdam, at the same store from whom I bought my star cardigan), and the star brooch.
One thing that I always own is a pair of shoes – essentially athletic shoes – in a dark neutral color. I wear these shoes a ton, because they’re as comfortable as big puffy white marshmallow shoes, but they look much sleeker and more appropriate for a wider variety of activities. My old shoes finally wore out, and I replaced them with a pair from Munro. My 2nd pair of ankle boots are also from Munro – I’m starting to be a big fan of their shoes. They come in a variety of widths, and are comfortable right out of the box.
- My Project 333 Scarves
Maybe the thing that most convinced me that I needed to get back to red as a focal color for me was the way that I am always more interested in a red scarf than in any other color. I think it’s important for us to focus on, and learn from, our most fundamental instincts and preferences. Somewhere inside of you, you know what’s right for you – it just might take a lot of introspection and listening to figure out what’s deeply right for you.
- New Outfits that I have in my repertoire, for Project 333
Lots of possibilities, as is always true with a well-chosen Project 333!
Those starry sweaters from Amsterdam will be so perfect for the holiday season!
If it isn't too personal, I would love it if you did a post or two on garments of yours that are the most important/most used/best workhorses and the ones that you keep but find harder to integrate into your life. I'm especially wondering about your scarves. If you could only have ONE (or three, or six), what would you choose?
I am paying very close attention to your posts about your 333 Project as I wear the same color scheme.
I love your project 333 wardrobe; this could be my wardrobe, I could happily step into all or any of your items. BUT- and I hesitate to say this because I really want to be constructive here and certainly not unkind – it is unbalanced by the blue dress and blue shirt (denim? chambray?). No matter how much you love them, they are unbalancing your selection. To carry this forward to your selection of scarves, the balance is further skewed by the presence of two printed (Hermes? scarves and the plain blue long scarf. The overall impression is that you have received the two printed scarves as gifts, and to make them fit in with your wardrobe, have had to pull in the shirt and dress to justify the inclusion of blue – and because you have these bits of blue in your wardrobe, you may as well pull in the plain blue scarf.
As I said, I really am not being unkind and I love your choice of clothes. I would just ask you to consider whether this project 333 posting about your clothes is a tad confusing since it suggests that the wardrobe belongs to TWO people: the sophisticated city gal who prefers to dress in black, gray and red and her "alter ego" who wants to wear her mid-blue country clothes in the city (the same could be said about the touches of pink). That said, since your wardrobe is mainly black, gray and red, should your choice of blue be something stronger (such as cobalt?) and the pink be replaced by a touch of (possibly) emerald green?
As you yourself said, you never feel quite yourself when wearing blue.
I think you are very brave to let us into your very personal thinking about your style and your choices. I really appreciate your openness because it is so helpful to me as I continue on my style journey. I can't help thinking that beautiful red duffle coat featured a few days ago would fit with this 333. I saw and felt it in a Vancouver store this week and the fabric is divine!
Deb from Vancouver
What fun to see your progressive as the days unfold. I haven't done this 333 project, as my own wardrobe has been a minimal one for years — can't stand the mess of too many things that I keep passing over for my favourite three things. But I have been keenly interested in watching how you and those doing the 333 have culled out certain things and added others to make the wardrobe more complete and more delightful to wear.
Enjoy those reds… they are a lovely shade. I'm wearing some L.L. Bean silk under garments (in black) as it's such a frosty morning…I don't think they come in red, but wouldn't they be fun for Christmas wearing?
Enjoy your day………
Brenda
I agree that choosing an accent colour is a very personal and instinctive decision. I've wasted too much time worrying about what 'suits' me, in the sense of what get compliments, but the choice should be about self expression. I'm always drawn to green, and thanks to your lovely 'starting from scratch' navy/beige/green/yellow colour scheme, am making it a key element in my wardrobe. I enjoy wearing accents of green – and it's my wardrobe, so I'll wear what I enjoy!
The 333 posts are very helpful, so thank you for sharing your experience.
Alice
I love your 333 postings as well, and was finally inspired to begin this little adventure myself this fall. Also, my colors are incredibly similar (identical?) to yours. I do disagree, however, with the above poster who felt your denim was not a match. I think that good wardrobes contain a small number of articles that are not fluid with the rest so that when your personality or mood is different, you have things you feel like wearing. a piece for your tomboy side, a piece for your lazy-wish-I-could-wear-jammies-all-day mood, your uber dressed up mood, etc.
I also have given a bit of thought to your signature color idea ever since you introduced me to the notion in some of your Cores of 4. I am having issues narrowing mine down to just one. I've come to the conclusion that for now, my signature color is "jewel tones" — and I wonder if it will stay that way, or if I will be able to narrow it down to just 1 color family. What are your feelings on that? I also wonder about a 'signature color' also possibly being something besides one color- such as textures (tweed, bouclé) or color types (pastels, brights, muted) or prints/patterns (plaids, argyle, floral, etc).
I really relate to the signature colour being 'jewel tones'. While I say that, hands down, red is my favourite colour (have a copper-red coloured car,red purse, handbag, keyfob, spectacle arms (!) ) I can't really wear it because I get too red in my face with the cold /heat / alcohol / laughing / crying……Think I've made my point clear…. :-) Blue (esp. cobalt) is my 'best' colour, as my husband asserts. It's 'safe'!
I always love seeing the choices of "the master."
So I notice you have pink, lavender, and red in your mix. Is that okay? haha. I just am sighing a little bit in relief because I've only been doing this one cycle, and my core is navy, gray, pink, lavender, and white. But I am drawn to browns and deeper reds too. I'm not sure how to do my next 3-month cycle, but you've given me some ideas. So maybe not everything has to go with everything?
Thanks for the inspiration; I am studying your ideas.
Thanks for your post. Tomorrow I am changing my wardrobe over too. I am kind of doing a Project 333 but more of a 'Shop your wardrobe'. Since I have many clothes collected over a series of years and I am plus size (read takes a long time to find clothes I like) I'm not throwing them out. I am changing the colours that I am going to wear. In Australia we are moving into summer. So I have neutrals of white and grey. I always wear blue and the exciting thing is I am changing from blue-green and orange to purple and yellow as my accent colours. Yippee!!! Carol S
Thank you for the timely reminder to review the current "curation" (I too face summer starting in Australia tomorrow). Your approach to Project 333 has made me think much more strategically about what I wear and why. Plus it's fun after a few weeks to have a bit of a changeover, after looking through what's "on hold" outside the wardrobe and possibly planning to buy one or two items to round out the next 33. It's made my wardrobe better coordinated and it's certainly much easier to get dressed in the mornings!
I'd love to know where I can find the lace-up boots in your wardrobe. Are they Munro as well?
Oh my, they're ANCIENT (as in maybe 15 years old?) but I'm pretty sure they are Clarks. Just find really good leather, and keep them resoled, and you'll eventually forget what you paid for them, where you bought them, everything except how much you're worn them!
I think you have been very good and Santa should bring you some garnet red stud earrings.
This. Over the summer I favored rust and eschewed grey, and now I find the exact opposite. Must be seasonal? I want to lay all of my clothes out and store/donate the ones that "unbalance" my current 33. I have two scarves that almost everything goes with and plan to use those as my guide.