Project 333: How the 33-Item Wardrobe Challenge Works

Project 333 is a minimalist fashion challenge created by Courtney Carver: wear only 33 items, including clothes, shoes, accessories and jewelry, for three months. Everything else is boxed up and put away. It's become one of the most popular ways to try a capsule wardrobe.

The rules

• 33 items for 3 months.
• Counts: clothing, outerwear, shoes, accessories, jewelry.
• Doesn't count: underwear, sleepwear, loungewear worn at home, workout clothes for working out, wedding ring or sentimental jewelry you never remove.
• Box up the rest and put it out of sight.
• If something wears out or no longer fits, replace it.

How to choose your 33

Step 1: Look at the next three months

Season, work, events, travel. Your 33 need to cover them.

Step 2: Pick a palette

Neutrals that all mix plus one or two accents. See neutral wardrobe color palettes.

Step 3: Choose by category (a sample split)

• Tops: 9
• Bottoms: 5
• Dresses: 2
• Layers and outerwear: 5
• Shoes: 5
• Accessories and jewelry: 7

Step 4: Check combinations

Every top should work with at least two bottoms. Our mix and match guide explains how to test this.

What people report

Common experiences: faster mornings, more creative outfits, realizing how little they missed the boxed clothes and buying less afterwards. Some find the first two weeks hard, especially around events.

Tips for finishing

• Count accessories honestly but choose versatile ones.
• Plan one event outfit within the 33.
• Keep a note of what you miss; it reveals real gaps.
• Rotate at the end, editing what you didn't wear.

What to do after three months

At the end of the challenge, review your 33 items: what you wore constantly, what you barely touched and what you missed from the box. Keep the hardest-working pieces, replace or remove the ones you skipped and decide whether boxed items really need to come back. Many people use this review to build their next seasonal capsule, keeping most of the core and swapping only weather-specific pieces.

Try it with your own closet

Photograph your 33 items into Wardrobely and let it generate outfits from them every day, which keeps the challenge from feeling repetitive. Ask the AI stylist to check how many combinations your 33 make. Related: minimalist wardrobe.

Frequently asked questions

What is Project 333?

A challenge to dress with only 33 items, including shoes and accessories, for three months.

What doesn't count in Project 333?

Underwear, sleepwear, at-home loungewear, workout clothes worn for exercise and sentimental jewelry you never take off.

Is Project 333 hard?

The first weeks can feel limiting, but many people find it easier than expected because the pieces are chosen to mix.