How to Live Large With Less with Simon Asp

1 — Try on more

Try it on a lot, more than you think. There’s nothing wrong with trying something on 100 times if you’re going to use it every day. I’ve started bringing my clothes to stores and trying different variations many times before deciding what to buy.

2 — Mixing and matching

When you’re reducing your wardrobe size, you need to make sure that your clothes work for all occasions. Sometimes that’s more challenging than you think! So if you need some assistance, you can go to any Houdini store or email them and ask them for advice. This goes for all shops of course: Talk to the experts so you can make informed decisions.

3 — Clothes for multiple occasions

An eye opener for me last year was that I could use the same items for multiple occasions. I got a lot of inspiration from Gustav, one of the Houdini team members, who wore the same jacket he otherwise uses for running, to dinner. I realized that some of the items I picked only felt comfortable to me when doing sports, but I wouldn’t feel comfortable wearing them in a restaurant. So that’s something I want to think about more in the future.

I want clothes that I can feel and look great in casually, while also being able to use them for my activities

4 — You don’t need to have all the specialist clothes

Most of us aren’t competing in the Olympics. Growing up during the 2000s, I feel like there’s been a lot of focus on performance when it comes to (sport) clothing. But I’ve found that for me, I want clothes that I can feel and look great in casually, while also being able to use them for my activities. Case in point: My Houdini Dock Pants, my favorites. They have the relaxed straight fit that I enjoy wearing in jeans, and I have used them so much during the year, and I use them for running, climbing, being at the office, etc. Everyday pants for real. Fit for me is important - and I’d rather opt for a larger jacket that I look cool in, even if it flaps in the wind when I’m cycling. - Tip, you can also adjust a jacket with a scrunchie or hair tie if it’s too wide when sporting for instance.

5 — Try the challenge and learn

I didn’t know what to expect, it felt like a fun challenge. But after doing it, I learned. Now I understand so much more of what clothes can do and how they fit together. Almost like getting muscle memory. You also develop a healthy bond between you and your gear, and learn that clothes shouldn’t be something you just buy and throw away when you want something new.

Now I understand so much more of what clothes can do and how they fit together

6 — Learn about the garment

When focusing on a few items, you get to know the garment, almost like a person. All Houdini staff are so passionate about the materials that go into the clothes, and learning about them is very interesting. Learning about what kind of materials work at different times and environments can help you decide what you need.

While doing this challenge, you will naturally reflect on your current situation.

7 — Getting smarter

What can your clothes teach you about you? Learning about yourself and what you’re doing - from your clothes? I used to think that I needed one jacket for running, one for skiing, one for being in the office, etc. Much because that’s how clothes are marketed. But one item doesn’t need to be for just one activity. You can find things that work for many activities and for many environments.

While doing this challenge, you will naturally reflect on your current situation. What activities do I like the most? What am I mostly doing with my time? In which situations am I usually in? Most times you could probably combine clothes for different activities. I think of it as some sort of 3-dimensional space where you can map out activities like this:

• Environment - How’s the weather? Cold? Hot? Windy?
• Body temperature - What does your clothes need to do to regulate your body temperature towards the environment?
• Occasion - Is it climbing a wall? At dinner? In water?

Can you find clothes that match several points? Sometimes you can’t, but maybe some clothes can hit the spot in multiple places. Especially when they are combined.