I would like to feel like these Expressionist paintings
Theme for January: A 33 challenge, sort of?
I don´t consider myself a rigid person. I like the freedom of changing my mind if wanted and necessary, and I appreciate when others share that trait.
I wouldn´t consider myself a rebel either. I love recipes, guidelines, advice. And I follow rules when they work, like in traffic.
Not in fashion, though. Any rule-based approach to how to dress makes me very sceptical.
I consider getting dressed as a creative act (and more and more as a practical matter).
Rules and rigidity? No bueno. But if you frame “never do this” and “only do that” to “I challenge you to try”? Muy bueno!
I think that is why The Project 333 challenge has long tickled my fancy.
A challenge of getting more and better use out of less. Questioning yourself in “what is enough”.
(But also: “no, nope, boring, limiting, not for me”. Which can be an even better reason to try something, I guess.)
As I am doing the bigger challenge of a fashion-related No Buy-year, I though I would spice it up with monthly challenges or themes.
Getting creative. Making it enjoyable.
So this month, I am creating a one-month capsule winter wardrobe with 33 items.
Doing it for the actual three months the method prescribe, would not only be boring, but also somewhat impractical, where I live.
It is dependably the rainiest city in Europe, but the weather shifts quickly, and you can have four seasons within a day between March and October. Winter can be 5 degrees Celcius (41F) and slushy sidewalks, but also minus 15 degrees and dry.
And to my despair, what is considered summer can be a very short season.
Nonetheless, I think January is a relatively safe bet as a cold-weather month lurking around 0-5 degrees Celcius, making is a good candidate for a capsule wardrobe.
And the challenge a good “palate cleanser” for a No Buy, shifting focus to what I have.
Preparing with…paintings?
I started with a list, putting the practical matters of footwear and outerwear first. I looked at my upcoming calendar and events (very few), and made room for the items on a clothing rack.
The method says “33 items including clothing, accessories, jewelry, outerwear and shoes”, not including “piece of jewelry that you never take off, underwear, sleep wear, in-home lounge wear, and workout clothing”.
Oh. Kay…
I will share the actual list at the end of this month, when I give a review of how this challenge went and how it felt.
Spoiler alert: I am one week in, and I´ve already added two items to the list, hehe.
Then I made this Pinterest-board for visual inspiration.
And as I sorted out colors and moods, I came across a painting by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner (1880-1938), the German Expressionist painter, printmaker and co-founder of Die Brücke.
It reminded me of how important it is to ask myself, when getting dress:
“How do I want to feel?”.
A bit like this, it turns out:
Calm, but also somewhat focused, maybe even tense. Not totally at ease, but ready for something?
(And this depiction of a laidback person, in a green cardigan, dark hair and red painted nails, maybe even looks a bit like me?)
The colors in this painting are a delight. The pink-red contrast to the earthy tones of her outfit is amazing. The dark purple background makes an interesting anchor.
I could spam this newsletter with Die Brücke-paintings, but will settle for one more by Karl Schmidt-Rottluff:
It is described as depicting Else Lasker-Schüler, a Jewish German poet and one of the few women affiliated with the Expressionist movement.
Her eyeshadow is on point, and the blue colors of her top and skirt makes a strong case for ton-sur-ton dressing.
And the pale yellow shirt peeping out from her collar and on her arms? It happens to be THE color I have been thinking about the most lately.
And she also embodies a feeling I would like January to bring along: Invested, concentrated. And I´ve already finished the first book of the year.
That´s what you (I) get for not spending time scrolling resale-apps for fashion purchases, maybe?