At war with your wardrobe? Try the 75 Hard Style Challenge

No running involved.

As far as lofty New Year’s resolutions go, the 75 Hard Challenge has to be one of the most punishing. Going by the number of TikToks posted recently with the hashtag #75Hard, tens of thousands of people around the world started the famously strict wellness programme on January 1, embarking on daily runs, anti-sugar propaganda and militant reading of self-help books.

Thankfully I’ll not be joining them. This year, I don’t need to attempt 75 consecutive days of toxic diet culture to “Win the War Against Myself”. What I do need to address head on, in an equally unforgiving manner, is the war against my wardrobe.

For more on slow fashion, head to our Pre-Loved section.

As much as I try to avoid impulse purchases, I’m surrounded by temptation in my line of work and as a result, I ended 2025 feeling burnt out (and broke) from running on the hamster wheel of consumption. I was a walking magazine girl cliché with “a wardrobe full of clothes and nothing to wear”. Discovering the 75 Hard Style Challenge was just what the doctor ordered.

Coined by US-based fashion and trend analyst Mandy Lee (AKA @oldloserinbrooklyn) in 2024, the 75 Hard Style Challenge is similar to the wellness version, but only involves your personal style and shopping habits. The aim of the challenge is to get to know your own closet and test your creativity with what you already have.

The concept has some strict rules (you can’t buy anything new) as well as some loose ones, set by the individual depending on your desired outcomes. As Mandy puts it: “It’s a no buy challenge, it’s a style challenge, it’s a discipline challenge – it’s what you make it!” If you’re also looking for closet clarity this year, here’s what it involves.

What are the 75 Hard Style Challenge rules?

First, the basic challenge guidelines:

1. For 75 consecutive days, you must get dressed everyday and document your daily outfits.

2. You’re not allowed to buy anything new (clothing or accessories) for the 75 days.

3. Organise and clean out your closet.

4. Get creative and rely on your own brain for inspiration (not Pinterest or TikTok).

The other part of the challenge involves setting your own goals and intentions. This could be anything from trying a new silhouette (like putting the skirt on over the pants) to wearing more orange (I hear it’s the colour of the year…). It’s entirely up to you!

Think about your getting-dressed pain points (knowing what to wear for the office on above 35 degree days is on my list) and write down your goals, setting rules for yourself from there.

How can you start the 75 Hard Style Challenge?

You don’t need to buy a book or get anyone’s permission to start the style challenge. You will, however, need the mental strength to tackle cleaning out your closet, so I’d suggest grabbing a trusted friend (maybe one who’s willing to do the challenge with you?) and create four piles: ‘keep’, ‘sell’, ‘mend’ and ‘donate’. For motivation, revisit our handy wardrobe-culling guide here or read about fashion writer Cait Emma Burke’s year of no new clothes.

You can also start the challenge anytime. The beauty is it’s evergreen, “there’s no pressure to start on January 1st, 2nd or 3rd. Start when you’re ready but also… just start,” Mandy writes.

To hold yourself accountable, you could keep a calendar in your wardrobe and mark off each day with a satisfying ‘X’ until you reach day 75. If you’re feeling crafty, you could go full Cher Horowitz and take polaroids instead of iPhone photos of your outfits, pinning them on a cork board. Alternatively, keep track of the data in your Notes app or try a digital wardrobe app like Whering, which Mandy recommends. Importantly, you don’t have to share them on social media!

What happens when the challenge ends?

A key part of the challenge is data collection. By the end of it, you should have 75 photos of outfits you’ve worn and put together yourself. Make sure you analyse this to make the most of your efforts! Lots of people who’ve tried the 75 Hard Style Challenge report that the biggest benefit is having a realistic representation of what they’re really wearing on a day to day basis – which will (hopefully) make you a more discerning shopper once the challenge ends.

For more on the style challenge, try this.