1-Week Sweater Challenge: 1 Sweater For Any Wardrobe Capsule

Putting my OC sweater to the test for a week of work and adventure.

The Clothes We Wear And Why They Matter

Introducing a four-part blog series about how consumers, producers, and technology advancements can reduce the environmental impact that fast fashion produces.

• Don’t Be An Outfit Tracker
• Fast Fashion And Its Downfall
• 3D-Knitting for a Sustainable Future
• 1 Sweater For Any Wardrobe Capsule

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I have never worn a piece of clothing seven days in a row.

I have had my fair share of repeated clothing especially when camping or doing big outdoor trips, however, it seems to feel much more widely accepted when being outdoors.

The idea that we can wear the same clothes multiple days in a row doesn’t seem that outrageous but many people would frown at the thought.

When my khullu and merino wool crew neck sweater arrived in the mail, I felt giddy at the thought of:

1) Getting to open a package (because who doesn’t love that feeling) and...

2) Putting the sweater that I have heard so much about to the test.

Upon first impressions, the sweater was extremely soft, and when I put it on it took some adjusting to fall into its place.

With the sweater freshly out of its packaging and fit to my torso, I could tell it was going to be my new go-to sweater.

Wardrobe Essential For Any Occasion

The high quality khullu 3D-knit fabric and its simplicity made it wardrobe essential for any occasion.

The excitement of adding a new, high quality piece of sustainable clothing to my closet made me rethink some of the other pieces I have.

I was imagining different ways I could style it, and I was thinking about how a more minimalist capsule wardrobe would change how I felt through stressful weeks.

I had 7 more days of the Challenge and a lot to find out!

Lightweight, Highly Breathable Sweater

Days 1-3: For the first three days, it was HOT in Boulder. Hitting highs of 95 degrees isn’t exactly what you call sweater weather. However, it was still perfect for mornings, afternoons, and being around the house.

The different ventilated knit in the armpits made the sweater incredibly breathable throughout the day as well.

I wore it in the mornings for my 15 minute bike to class and it was perfectly light and cool.

World's Best Wool Lived Up To Its Name

On my way home from class, it was creeping into the 80-85 degree range, and it still wasn’t too hot yet.

It's a testament to the yak wool's (AKA khullu) active fiber properties, which regulate body temperature like no other fiber. That's why khullu is often called the worlds best wool.

It was nice to put it to the test of being active and it held up well.

While biking, I had my backpack on a lot and the sweater showed no signs of pilling or wear.

Throughout the day it did become too hot to wear and I would say it reached its peak wearability around 80 degrees.

It was able to fold down to a small size to fit in my bag or tie it around my shoulders.

That being said, it was nice to bring the sweater with me wherever I went so I could use it when it was too cool. I wanted to play around with how I could style it so I decided to add a fun collared shirt underneath.

I ended up getting plenty of compliments while out getting drinks! 

Wardrobe Staple I Always Wished I Had!

Days 4-5: Finally some cooler weather! For the next two days I wore the sweater throughout the whole day and really experience the comfort of it.

It started to mold to my body better and instead of feeling like a brand new sweater, it grew to feel like the type of wardrobe staple I always wished I had!

With the cloud coverage moving in over these two days, Fall was in the air.

My Oliver Charles sweater was the perfect piece to make me feel the comfort and style that I desired.

Whether it was for my morning walks, midday work sessions, or afternoon sunset adventures, it met all of my expectations of comfort, warmth, and style.

The Sleeves Held Up And Kept Their Shape

Days 6-7: The last few days were ones of leisure. I spent a lot of time around the house cooking and cleaning.

It was a sleeves rolled up kind of day. As I’m sure many of you have experienced, when you roll up your sleeves it can cause them to lose their elasticity. Not with these sweaters!

The sleeves were able to retain their shape even after a whole day of having them bunched up.

On the final day, I put it to the test by washing it. I washed it with cool water and the rest of my clothes. I laid it flat to dry and it came out perfect!

There was no pilling, color loss, or change in shape. I can’t stress enough how excited I am to have a sweater like this that doesn’t need to be dry cleaned.

With the antimicrobial wool, it hardly ever needs to be cleaned anyway!

I Have to Say, I Love My Sweater So Much!

My Oliver Charles sweater is great for any activity and I love its temperature regulating qualities.

Truthfully, I ended up wearing this sweater for more than a week.

It became a sort of morning ritual and I ended up wearing it to class two weeks in a row.

I loved throwing it on during the cool mornings and it was a great test to see if anyone would comment on me wearing the same piece of clothing two weeks in a row.

I had a professor my freshman year of college and he wore the same thing every day. Every. Day. The only thing that would change were his pants; shorts in the summer, pants in the winter.

He knows how to rock a minimalist wardrobe.

I don’t think I could pull that off just for my own sake and love of clothing. However, in my journey to cut down on the number of items in my closet, the Oliver Charles sweater has made me realize how I can most accurately curate a wardrobe that I love and can last a lifetime.

After the 1-Week Challenge I was inspired. I got rid of so many pieces of clothing and I think I’m ready for another purge.

If you believe that every good wardrobe starts with owning less and owning better, consider buying yourself an OLIVER CHARLES sweater.