Spring Wardrobe Challenge Results

Spring is almost over and my results are in. So how did I do?

If you’re unfamiliar with my wardrobe challenge you can learn more about it by clicking right here. Essentially, it was a personal goal I made to wear absolutely everything in my spring wardrobe at least once to see if I actually do wear everything and what, if any, items I should donate. It was a way to test if I actually do wear all the clothes that I have and if there really is too much excess or if I do hold onto items I do not want to wear.

I wish I could say I passed this challenge with flying colors. My previous challenges, whether they are environmental or financial, have always had a high success rate. But this one was not achieved. The simple reason being that it is way too cold (and sometimes even snowy) in New England to wear “spring” styled clothing the whole season long. In fact, with spring almost over, it only started warming up less than three weeks ago enough to wear my spring tops and dresses. Some of these recent hot days I skipped right over to my summer wardrobe. I ended up wearing mostly winter clothes and my thick sweaters until a couple weeks back.

So is this really a failure? I wouldn’t word it exactly that way. It is true that I did not complete the challenge. I probably only made it 25% of the way through. However, I learned a great deal about how I really need to dress and prepare my closet for spring. I focused too much on wishful thinking for warm spring days. While the beautiful spring flowers were blooming and the sun was shining, I was still wearing my winter coat most days. This challenge taught me how effective marketing can be. Advertisers love to push spring “essentials” this time of year. And while a few key pieces are essential in a New England spring wardrobe such as rain boots and jackets for layering, most pieces such as flow thin tops are not realistic. Transition layers are essential this time of year, but do you really need “spring” clothes if you’re living in New England when your winter and summer wardrobe is enough? This challenge differs greatly based on climate. If you live in Florida where most springs resemble New England summers, this challenge would work perfectly. I have learned that I need to base my expectations more on reality than on wishful thinking.

A success of this challenge is that even though due to cold temperatures I was unable to complete it, it did give me a greater appreciation for the clothing I already have and I consider that a win. How did you do in the Spring Clothing Challenge? How did it impact the way you dress, shop, and curate your closet? I would love to hear all about it in the comments below.