Toward the end of the Uncluttered Course, I challenge each participant to try an abbreviated version of Project 333.
Project 333, the fashion challenge started by Courtney Carver, invites people to dress with 33 items or less for 3 months— underwear and workout clothes don’t count, but everything else does: jewelry, shoes, outerwear, tops, bottoms, etc. You can find more details on the Project 333 website or read here how it changed my life years ago.
I encourage people to try the experiment because, as Maya Angelou once said, “We need much less than we think we need.” The project helps people realize that truth. Besides, 33 articles of clothing in a closet is more than most people think.
Pamela Mullins is a teacher and piano instructor in North Carolina. Recently, she accepted the Project 333 Fashion Challenge and emailed me a list of her 33 items.
Her son, Eric, is a principal software architect with a mind for mathematics. Pamela decided to include him in the challenge by sending over her list of 33 items and a specific breakdown mentioning which items could be worn together. Based on that information, Eric created a mathematical model to determine how many unique outfits she could wear with the 33 articles of minimalist clothing.
His conclusion? 25,176 unique combinations.
That is 25,176 different outfits from only 33 articles of clothing. To put that into perspective, Pamela could wear a different outfit every day for the next 69 years without ever repeating the exact same combination of clothes.
I found the number almost too unbelievable to be true. So I asked Eric to share how he reached that conclusion. The math looks like this:
First, here is Pamela’s list of 33 items for Project 333:
1. Jean Jacket
2. Black Boyfriend Jacket
3. Long Black Pants
4. Black Capris
5. Jean Pants
6. Dress
7. Black Skirt
8. Pink Print Skirt
9. Denim Shirt
10. Checked Shirt
11. Elephant Shirt
12. White Shirt
13. Cream/Black Print T-shirt
14. Black 3/4 Sleeve Slight V T-Shirt
15. Paisley Blouse
16. Polka Dot Blouse
17. Blue Sweater
18. Black Scarf
19. Floral Scarf in blues, reds, etc.
20. Black and White Scarf
21. Long Necklace
22. Bicycle Necklace
23. Flower Necklace
24. Fake Diamond Earrings (but you would never know the difference)
25. Silver drop Earrings
26. Red music note Earrings
27. Silver Bracelet
28. Silver Bracelet
29. Black Wedges
30. Black Sandals
31. Black Flip-flops
32. Black Close Toe Shoes
33. Purse
Second, Pamela included detailed information about each piece. Here are a few of the examples she provided:
- Four pairs of black shoes, various styles, go with all outfits.
- One dress (#6) can be worn alone, or with the black jacket (#2), and with all jewelry combinations.
- Two black pants (#3 & #4), one black skirt (#7), and one jean pants (#5) can be worn with every piece.
- Jean shirt (#9) can layer with black camisole or t-shirts.
- Jean jacket (#1) cannot be worn with sweater (#17) or dress (#6).
Third, with the information for each item of clothing, Eric built models “for each terminal condition and added them together, approaching the most restrictive terminal models first, broadening the baseline for subsequent models.”
In other words, he took every article of clothing, multiplied out the number of outfit configurations for each, and added them together :
*Never changes: 1 purse, 2 silver bracelets – only one configuration.
*Can go with every configuration: 4 shoes – top level (baseline).
Model Dress: 4 (baseline) x 2 (black jacket or no jacket) x 3 (earrings or none) x 3 (necklaces or none) = 72
Model Pink Floral Skirt: 4 (baseline) x 3 (jacket + sweater + none) x 1 (camisole) x 3 (earrings + none) x 4 (necklace + none) = 144
*Can go with every other configuration: 4 bottoms x 4 shoes x 4 (2 jackets, sweater, none) = 64 new baseline
Model Jean Shirt: 64 (baseline) x 5 (shirt + t-shirts + camisole) x 4 (earrings or none) x 4 (necklaces or none) x 3 (scarves or none) = 15,360
Model White Shirt: 64 (baseline) x 4 (earrings or none) x 3 (2 necklaces or none) x 3 (scarves or none) = 2,304
Model Elephant Shirt: 64 (baseline) x 4 (earrings or none) x 2 (1 necklace or none) = 512
Model Black Checked Shirt: 64 (baseline) x 4 (earrings or none) x 2 (1 necklace or none) = 512
Model Blouses: 64 (baseline) x 2 (blouses) x 4 (earrings or none) x 4 (necklaces or none) = 2,048
Model Black Knit Shirt: 64 (baseline) x 4 (earrings or none) x 3 (scarves or none)= 768
Model Cream Knit Shirt: 64 (baseline) x 3 (2 earrings or none) x 2 (1 necklace or none) x 3 (scarves or none) = 1,152
Model Striped Knit Shirt: 64 (baseline) x 3 (2 earrings or none) x 4 (3 necklace or none) x 3 (scarves or none) = 2,304
72 + 144 + 15,360 + 2,304 + 512 + 512 + 2,048 + 768 + 1,152 + 2,304 = 25,176 Outfit Combinations.
It should be noted that some of the configurations contain very minor changes (with earrings or without earrings, for example). But still, a different outfit combination every day for the next 69 years is pretty unbelievable—and accomplished with only 33 different articles of clothing.
There is a reason Project 333 is such a popular experiment in owning less. Most people who try it discover there are numerous benefits to owning fewer articles of clothing and creating a capsule wardrobe. And many people discover 33 is more than enough—including Pamela who recently wrote this about her experience, “I actually love the simplicity and feel I have more than enough to wear.”
Dolores says
How does the capsule work for formal business attire at work (board meetings, conferences, presentations), casual at home? Half the options (let’s say 15) for work and half the options for home (another 15)?
Kate says
I live in the mid-Atlantic area. Although we have four seasons, I can get by with 2 wardrobes, one for spring/summer (very humid), and one for fall/winter (ranging from mildly cold to short blizzards once or twice a year). These wardrobes overlap some. For example, I can wear my jeans and tee-shirts year-round. When I retired I 333’d my closet, gave away 15 work blouses and some trousers, but kept three of each for going to church, a lawyer, etc. I do not count two dresses and accompanying stockings and heels, one for weddings, the other for funerals. I also do not count four coats with matching scarves and a pair of boots because in this climate we need light-, medium- and heavy-weight coats, plus a raincoat. The dresses and coats last a decade (classic styles for the win!) The out-of-season clothes go in a bin, after being purged for items not worn. In reality, I wear about 20 items on rotation, plus whatever coat fits the weather, so 33 items is more than enough. This has simplified laundry day as well as decision-making, and brings me peace.
Jennifer says
Where I live, the clothes needed for each season are COMPLETELY different – winter it’s heavy sweaters, fleece trousers, fleece lined boots etc. Summer it’s the lightest floatest clothes you can get your hands on, sandals, etc. So… the clothes and shoes in the list just won’t cut it across the seasons! OK, the jewelry might! Would a “workaround” be to have, say, 25 items per season – that’s taking out the jewelry? I’m thinking 25 for summer, 25 for winter and 25 for spring/fall? I’ll be interested in other’s thoughts on this
Charleen Baker says
That sounds like a good plan. Your situation is better than mine. In spring and autumn our weather is so changeable that you need winter clothes one day and summer clothes the next.
Jennifr says
Yeah – that happens here too… I’m thinking that if I have fewer clothes for each season – then I can fit them all in my wardrobe at the same time and don’t have to do the change of season, “pack away and get out” that I am currently doing – which wastes so much time!
Kaamini Patel says
Agreed completely. To add on we also have weddings and other social celebrations in India. And picnics, not to forget. Office wear and casuals are 2 different categories. And night wear also. So will need 25 more for each.
Victor Lombardi says
Cognitively, the potential for thousands of combinations gives me some anxiety. I just wanna get dressed.
Pam says
I am very impressed. I match turtlenecks and down vests mostly with different jeans for my office work. I have some 3/4 length cardigan sweaters too to mix with the turtlenecks. My problem is I have beautiful cardigans that I did not wear at all last year – guess they will be a donation item. Our office has team day so we are allowed to wear logo wear on days they are playing and Friday is team day typically – Seattle Seahawks, Seattle Mariners, and Seattle Kraken so I don’t need all my sweaters 😟 just hard to part with them. Some are Irish wool – all beautiful 🤩
Dana says
What if you packed some away to bring out when other clothing are getting old?
Tana V says
I have gone through my clothes numerous times but still have plenty. My issue with the thought of having so little if I continue purging is that we are headed into retirement which means having less money.
I also live in a state where it can be snowing in day, and the next sunny and in the 60’s. Why should I have 33 items only for them to eventually wear out and then have to spend money to replace items?
My thoughts are to scale down, but have back up which I can store in airtight container that will allow 2 containers of 33 items. Not including thermal wear, underclothing, socks, winter boots, parka, hats, gloves.
I don’t buy expensive designer clothing, but I do buy good comfortable natural materials. I think everyone in this journey has to look at the big picture of the future and do what works based on their own individual needs and situation.
Angelie says
I have a similar strategy. I live in a warm climate, but we still do have cold winters and I work in a cold environment. Also, people in the South LOVE their A/C. It could be 100 degrees outside, but 60 degrees in a theatre, or restaurant. It’s impossible to fully change out wardrobes due to seasons. Having been nearly the same size all of my life, I have scaled down my wardrobe and placed those items into airtight bins. When I need clothes, I don’t buy anything new but I grab from the bins. Those “older” clothes will be “new” again since I haven’t worn them in so long. I only allow myself to buy essential clothing items, like socks and underwear, and only if those items cannot be found by looking in the bin first.
My conflict with downsizing/minimizing is cost. I’m 48, and want to cut down to PT work ASAP until I gradually ease into full retirement. I’m very resourceful and don’t want to buy anything I know I can use later. Ugh!
Natalia D says
I admire your goals and approach to “shopping” your store (bins) when the need arises. Very smart!👏😊
Tricia P says
I’ve come to conclusion that having three capsules is necessary. One for the seven months of really hot summer to for those transitional seasons like spring and fall when it’s cool enough to wear a jacket and three a small amount of strictly winter items. The largest capsule can have 33 items the transitional fall and spring capsule can have 20+ and then winter 10. Making a system that works for an individuals lifestyle is really important.
Peggy says
Changing earrings or a necklace does not make another outfit. Delete all references to jewelry. I notice no mention is made with regard to weather. What about a winter coat, snow boots, etc. Warmer clothes are needed even indoors. While flip flops and a tank top and shorts will work for July, completely different clothes are needed for October, January and April.
Antoinette Panico says
The 333 project changes those 33 pieces every quarter. 33 pieces for 3 months, hence 333.