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Sunday 7 December 2014

December Skirt Challenge - Week 1

Week 1 of the December skirt challenge has been quite challenging indeed. I am realizing that I really don't have much in the way of tops to wear with my various skirts, especially since the majority of the skirts I have are patterned and so are my tops & blouses! I have a plain black sweater on the way from ASOS which should work with almost all of my skirts. But that would be quite boring, wouldn't it? I would really like to figure out some variations on these outfits.

For now, here is what I came up with during Week 1 of the challenge: 

OUTFIT 1
Skirt - The Gap, T-Shirt - Sky Ferreira concert shirt, Cardigan - Old Navy, 
Knee-High Boots - Forever 21

I recently bought this skirt from The Gap and I absolutely love it! I had been looking for a plaid skirt for quite awhile, and this one has structure as well as cool zippered pockets, so I bought it right away. I'm not a huge fan of this outfit overall; I think the skirt could look good with a t-shirt but I don't know that this is it. I would like to find a blouse or something more dressy to put it together with.

OUTFIT 2
Skirt - Zara, T-Shirt - American Apparel, Cardigan - Old Navy, Scarf - Ebay, Belt - ?, Booties - H&M

This skirt is also another recent buy from Zara, and I have to say it is my favorite skirt in my wardrobe now. I never thought I could wear cute, flippy skirts like this but I was wrong! I think it looks pretty good on me and I like the outfit I put together as well.

Monday 1 December 2014

December Challenge: Skirts

Throughout 2014 I have been contemplating The Perfect Skirt, what style would work best for my body, and how it would fit into my wardrobe. After focusing my shopping efforts I've managed to procure a few great skirts that I love. The only problem I'm having now is figuring out what to wear them with- that's been the reason I have gravitated towards skinny jeans over the past couple years; it's just so much easier to put outfits together with jeans. Skirts for me tend to be so fussy and I spend most of the time making sure a) My butt isn't showing, or b) The skirt hasn't turned around backwards while I'm walking (so annoying!). But this month, I am challenging myself to create eight original outfits with a skirt as the focus. In doing this I think I'll be able to see any holes in my wardrobe that need to be filled, and hopefully create a few new outfit combinations I never thought of before.

Wish me luck!

Saturday 15 November 2014

What's goin' on?

Well, the beginning of November came and went and I didn't do my usual posts on what I bought or my outfits of the month. I actually completely forgot, as I was so busy with my new job (yay!) that it slipped my mind. I've also been thinking a lot about it and I'm not sure that I'm going to continue with the blog the way it is going right now. I feel like there is something different I can do to make it truly worthwhile for me, where now it just feels like going through the motions.

I've still been culling my wardrobe regularly and plan to do a count sometime before years end, hopefully.

I've been thinking about what I want this blog to be in the next year, and there are a few things I want to focus on:
  1. Doing less online shopping and taking a few 'shopping field trips' throughout the year where I focus on fabric & quality garments
  2. Developing my sense of style
  3. Continuing to minimize my wardrobe
I'm looking forward to what the future will bring!

Thursday 2 October 2014

September Purchases

I almost went the entire month without making any purchases. The great part was that I really didn't feel compelled to go out shopping- I spend a lot of time going through my wardrobe, purging things and reorganizing. Two of my purchases were made at a clothing market where I was a vendor, so I was in a situation where there was clothing all around me and it was hard to resist, although I'm very happy with my purchases. The third was when I decided that I needed a statement necklace to liven up some of my outfits (I bought it online so there was less temptation).

  • Forever 21 Draped Statement Necklace - I wanted to get a statement necklace and I really liked grey shades of this one and think it will fit in really well with my black & white clothing.
  • Born A Bad Seed Vintage T-Shirt - This label is from my city and I've always found it to be really cool. I'll admit I don't NEED anymore graphic T's, but I just love the easygoing/edgyness of this one. I've already gotten rid of a handful of graphic-t's that I own to make way for this one.
  • Leopard Print Button Down Tunic - this tunic just spoke to me and told me 'I'm perfect for fall!'. & with boots and tights it will be perfect! I have a slightly similar top that I haven't worn in a long time that I will be purging to make room for this tunic.

Wednesday 1 October 2014

September Outfits

WOW, September went by fast! In a way it felt very much like an extension of summer, because the weather stayed so nice out here on the West Coast for the most part. Because of that I ended up re-wearing many of the outfits I wore during July and August and don't have too many outfit photos to share.

Top: Target, Leather Jacket: Viparo, Jeans: Urban Planet, Booties: H&M
Was I comfortable wearing it? ★★★★☆
Does this outfit have multiple occasion potential? ★★★★★
Would I wear this outfit again? ★★★★★
How much do I feel like 'me' in this outfit?
★★★★☆

 Denim Jacket: Thrifted, Dress: H&M, 'What Ever' Loafers: Forever 21
I call this my 'Norm Core' outfit...
Was I comfortable wearing it? ★★★★☆
Does this outfit have multiple occasion potential? ★★★☆☆
Would I wear this outfit again? ★★★★☆
How much do I feel like 'me' in this outfit?
★★★☆☆

Leather Jacket: Viparo, Black & White Top: Target, Purse: Winners
Was I comfortable wearing it? ★★★★☆
Does this outfit have multiple occasion potential? ★★★★☆
Would I wear this outfit again? ★★★★★
How much do I feel like 'me' in this outfit?
★★★★☆

Monday 15 September 2014

September, so far

We are halfway into September and I have yet to make a purchase. I have done a bit of online shopping browsing, I even went into a thrift store and tried on a bunch of things I really liked before deciding to leave without anything (do I need another $12 Forever 21 dress that's too short or a cute top with unraveling seams? no).

My closet doors have been open for the past 2 weeks and I've been slowly taking things out to put in the donation bin, and mulling over other items. I even took an hour to completely rearrange by chests of drawers to make them more organized.

I kind of feel like building my wardrobe over the past 8 months has been very 'forced'. I've really been pressuring myself to find things that fit exactly into my color scheme, finding the right patterns and types of clothes, and it has made it much less fun. Meanwhile the 'perfect dress' or 'perfect boots' seem to allude me even though I'm looking so hard. Before I began this process I was much more of an impulse shopper; but I found my wardrobe purchases to be much more organic as well. I look into my growing black & white wardrobe now and am unsure if I'm going in the right direction. When I go out I see women who look so put together yet laid back and I envy them, but after all this work on my own wardrobe I wonder why I'm not there yet? What am I doing wrong? I feel like I know my style, yet I can't quite seem to make that show in my wardrobe and my outfits. That could possibly mean that there are still quite a few items in my closet that shouldn't be there and should be purged.

I'm going to continue rearranging, organizing and culling things from my wardrobe, and hopefully some clarity will come to me.

Thursday 4 September 2014

August Outfits

I can't believe it is September already. On one hand I already miss those hot summer days; on the other I am looking forward to warm, layered autumn outfits.

I'm very happy with last months purchase of the white leather crossover sandals from ASOS, I'm finding with my black and white wardrobe they really make small white details & patterns POP! The button down blouse I bought from H&M in early August became a fast favorite and I can see it becoming a staple in many of my fall outfits. I'm also very surprised that the brown Levi's leggings jeans (purchased in July) were worn so often- their cropped style made them work really well in the slightly cooler summer days. I can see them becoming a regular wear on warm fall and spring days.

Cardigan - Old Navy, Tank Top - Sirens, Jeans - Levi's, Sandals - Mudd
Was I comfortable wearing it? ★★★★☆
Does this outfit have multiple occasion potential? ★★★☆☆
Would I wear this outfit again? ★★★★★

How much do I feel like 'me' in this outfit? ★★★★☆

Leopard Print Dress - ASOS, Sandals - ASOS, Watch - Fossil, Purse - Winners
Was I comfortable wearing it? ★★★☆☆
Does this outfit have multiple occasion potential? ★★★★☆
Would I wear this outfit again? ★★★★★

How much do I feel like 'me' in this outfit? ★★★★☆

Tank Top - Joe Fresh, Shorts - White House Black Market, Sandals - ASOS
Was I comfortable wearing it? ★★★★★
Does this outfit have multiple occasion potential? ★★★☆☆
Would I wear this outfit again? ★★★★★

How much do I feel like 'me' in this outfit? ★★★★★

Cardigan - Old Navy, Button Down Blouse - H&M, Jeans - Levi's,
Leopard Print Shoes - Steve Madden
Was I comfortable wearing it? ★★★★★
Does this outfit have multiple occasion potential? ★★★★☆
Would I wear this outfit again? ★★★★★

How much do I feel like 'me' in this outfit? ★★★★☆

Cardigan - Old Navy, Floral Blouse - Forever 21, Jeans - Levi's, Sandals - Mudd
Was I comfortable wearing it? ★★★★★
Does this outfit have multiple occasion potential? ★★★☆☆
Would I wear this outfit again? ★★★★☆

How much do I feel like 'me' in this outfit? ★★★★☆

Button Down Blouse - H&M, Cropped Dress Pants - Joe Fresh, Sandals - ASOS, Watch - Fossil
Was I comfortable wearing it? ★★★☆☆
Does this outfit have multiple occasion potential? ★★★★☆
Would I wear this outfit again? ★★★★☆

How much do I feel like 'me' in this outfit? ★★★★☆
































Skull Print Dress - H&M, Grey Cardigan - H&M, Sandals - Mudd
Was I comfortable wearing it? ★☆☆☆☆ I love this dress but it's so short :/
Does this outfit have multiple occasion potential? ★★★☆☆
Would I wear this outfit again? ★★★☆☆
How much do I feel like 'me' in this outfit? ★★★☆☆

Floral Racerback Dress - H&M, Sandals - ASOS
Was I comfortable wearing it? ★★★★★
Does this outfit have multiple occasion potential? ★★★★★
Would I wear this outfit again? ★★★★★

How much do I feel like 'me' in this outfit? ★★★★★

Cardigan - Old Navy, Button Down Blouse - H&M, Jeans - Urban Planet, Moto Chain Boots - H&M
Was I comfortable wearing it? ★★★★★
Does this outfit have multiple occasion potential? ★★★★☆
Would I wear this outfit again? ★★★★★

How much do I feel like 'me' in this outfit?★★★★★

Tuesday 2 September 2014

August Purchases

After the amount of money I spent in July I'm disappointed I didn't spend less in August. I made the mistake of going to 'browse' in a few stores and falling in love with some things i shouldn't have.

Originally my plan for August involved doing another closet inventory and re-counting everything I own; I found the idea of doing that made me feel really anxious and I had zero desire to count my wardrobe again. My new plan is to go ahead with my super-wardrobe-purge and then do a closet recount near the end of the year. I can compare it to my original count I did in April. This seems like I'm giving myself a lot of time to do so but I feel like that's the amount of time I need to get it done. It's very possible I might do the count a lot sooner than that. Something I did do that I felt helped a lot was move a large part of my wardrobe into the front hall closet where I didn't see it all summer; all in all I grabbed about three things back out and I am pretty sure most of the remainder will be donated to a thrift store.

August Clothing Purchases:

August Purchases
  • H&M Button Down Blouse - The above photo isn't the exact same print but it is the same cut. I love this blouse, the cut and the simple detail it adds to my outfits. It's one of the first garments in awhile I've owned that I can visualize wearing in a variety of outfits.
  • ASOS Cami in Black and Blush - I wanted to add a couple of loose camis to my wardrobe to wear under sweaters. These ones get the job done.
  • ASOS Wrap Dress with Bird Print - I had been watching this dress for a few months when it finally went on sale, it looks really great on me! The only problem I have with it is that it gets wrinkled really easily!
  • H&M Metallic Skirt - I know that the holiday season is a ways away but I couldn't resist picking up this skirt; I've been dying to own a sparkly/glittery skirt to wear with simple blouses to holiday parties so I had to buy this skirt as soon as I saw it.
  • Forever 21 Pleated Booties - These booties look so expensive but they were only about $45! I feel like they are going to add a lot to my fall outfits.
  • Faux Leather Zippered A-Line Skirt - In earlier posts i mentioned wanting to add some a-line skirts to my wardrobe and I thought this one worked great, plus it has a little bit of edge with the zippers.

Friday 8 August 2014

Decluttering & Minimizing


One of the best things I did in July was take a large chunk of cardigans, dresses and tops out of my wardrobe, and stick them into the back of my front hall closet where I couldn't see them. It has been weeks and aside from grabbing one top back out, I haven't thought about the stuff at all.

I think later this year some of the cardigans may come back into play, but honestly I'm not very happy with them and even through the past few winters I haven't worn them, but have kept finding excuses to be able to keep them hanging in my closet. Maybe the best course of action is to get rid of them and find one cardigan/sweater to replace them all.

I also went through my basic t-shirts and separated the 'fashion' shirts; any t-shirt that I will wear on a day to day basis and enjoy wearing, from 'work' shirts; any shirt that only gets worn if I may be getting dirty that day, or if I just need something to throw on without worrying how I look (I have a lot of work gigs where I need shirts like this). Now, my main shirts drawer has been cut in half, and my 'work' shirts are on a back shelf in my closet where I can specifically go when I need one. I'm loving the less 'cluttered' feel, and not having to search through a bunch of 'meh' shirts I would never wear on my day off to find my cute t's.

A few months ago in April I did my first closet inventory and came up at a whopping 354 items (that's not including accessories)! Since then I've bought some new things, and I've tossed a few things; and I'm not totally sure if my count was completely accurate the first time since I have clothing items floating around the house in different places. I've set my mind to it that I need to downsize. I figured removing 20% of my wardrobe would be a good start; but I did the math and that's 71 items! What I would need to do first is a completely new closet inventory and count every last thing before I begin purging. Here's hoping for success!

Sunday 3 August 2014

July Outfits

July was a really fun month (I can't believe it is August already!!). There were some HOT days, and there were a few chilly days.

 Pink Suede Moto Jacket - Bershka, Top - H&M, Jeans - Urban Planet, Ballet Flats - WalMart
Was I comfortable wearing it? ★★★★☆
Does this outfit have multiple occasion potential? ★★★★☆
Would I wear this outfit again? ★★★★☆
How much do I feel like 'me' in this outfit?★★★★☆

Sweater - Zara, Jeans - Urban Planet, Ballet Flats - WalMart
Was I comfortable wearing it? ★★★★☆
Does this outfit have multiple occasion potential? ★☆☆☆☆
Would I wear this outfit again? ★★★★★
How much do I feel like 'me' in this outfit? ★★★★☆


Sweater - clothes swap, Tank Top - H&M, Shorts - Joe Fresh, Ballet Flats - random mall store
Was I comfortable wearing it? ★★★★☆
Does this outfit have multiple occasion potential? ★★☆☆☆
Would I wear this outfit again? ★★★★☆
How much do I feel like 'me' in this outfit? ★★★☆☆


Dress - Thrifted H&M, Shoes - random mall store
Was I comfortable wearing it? ★★★★☆
Does this outfit have multiple occasion potential? ★★★★☆
Would I wear this outfit again? ★★★★★
How much do I feel like 'me' in this outfit? ★★★★☆

Tank Top - Joe Fresh, Denim Jacket - Forever 21, Skirt - Joe Fresh, Sandals - Joe Fresh
Was I comfortable wearing it? ★★★★☆
Does this outfit have multiple occasion potential? ★★★★☆
Would I wear this outfit again? ★★★★★
How much do I feel like 'me' in this outfit?
★★★★☆

Dress - C. Wonder, Bracelet - H&M, Sandals - Joe Fresh
Was I comfortable wearing it? ★★★★★
Does this outfit have multiple occasion potential? ★★★★★
Would I wear this outfit again? ★★★★★
How much do I feel like 'me' in this outfit? ★★★★★


Tank Top - Sirens, Jeans - Urban Planet, Leopard Slip-Ons - Steve Madden, Purse - Winners
Was I comfortable wearing it? ★★★★★
Does this outfit have multiple occasion potential?
★★☆☆☆
Would I wear this outfit again?★★★★☆
How much do I feel like 'me' in this outfit? ★★★★☆


Leather Jacket - Viparo, Shirt - Costa Blanca, Jeans - Levis, Leopard Slip-Ons - Steve Madden
Was I comfortable wearing it? ★★★★★
Does this outfit have multiple occasion potential? ★★★★☆
Would I wear this outfit again? ★★★★★
How much do I feel like 'me' in this outfit? ★★★★☆


Leather Jacket - Viparo, Long Sleeved Top - Forever 21, Jeans - Urban Planet, Leopard Slip-Ons - Steve Madden
Was I comfortable wearing it? ★★★★★
Does this outfit have multiple occasion potential? ★★★★☆
Would I wear this outfit again? ★★★★☆
How much do I feel like 'me' in this outfit?
★★★★★

Saturday 2 August 2014

July Purchases

Well, July was definitely a bit of a backslide; the main detriment was taking a trip to the States to shop at the Outlet mall. I'll be honest and say a large portion of what I purchased this month were things on my 'to buy' list, a handful were things I really didn't need but loved and decided to buy anyway. Even if everything was on my 'to buy' list, it does make me a bit nervous making so many purchases in one month, because usually that doesn't usually mean that I hold off on shopping a bit more the next month, I just continue shopping as usual. So for August, I'm going to have a bit of a conundrum.

I'll start with what I tossed in July:

Skirt
Denim Shorts
2x t-shirts
Ankle Boots
Sweater
2x pj shirts

In August I plan on going through all of my Fall clothing and evaluating every piece, deciding what to keep and toss. Hopefully the tossed list will be a lot bigger.

Now the 'fun' part. My purchases for July:

July Purchases part 1

  • C Wonder Black and White Dress - THIS DRESS. I posted it awhile back as inspiration; I remember thinking at the time 'I would love to have a dress like this!'; but alas, at around $168 dollars it was a bit out of my price range. I happened to randomly check the website earlier this month and it had been knocked down to $83. This is still a bit pricey for me, but I decided to give in and make the purchase. I am so glad I did! A dress like this replaces five $20 dresses hanging in my closet, any day. It's a dream to wear and it will be hanging in my closet for years to come.
  • Target Houndstooth Button Shirt - this seemed like a great casual shirt, but also very work appropriate when needed. And it's black and white!
  • Levi's Skinny Jeans in Black & Brown - I wrote recently about how I constantly wear skinny jeans, and that I should add a few good quality pairs to my closet. These 2 are just that; plus I got a great deal at the outlet mall, 2 pairs for $40 each instead of the usual $60 each.
  • White House Black Market Geometric Shorts - a pair of black and white patterned shorts were on my to-buy list for the summer and these fit the bill! I really love the cut.
  • Kenneth Cole Faux-Suede Pink Perforated Bomber Jacket - this was an impulse buy, I admit. But it looks so great on me and fits in perfectly with my wardrobe. In turn I am now selling another pink bomber jacket I've owned for years and wore constantly years ago, but haven't really worn in the past year or two.
  • Mudd Slip-On 'Birkenstocks' - a pair of sandals were on my list, and I couldn't go wrong with these ones for about $20.
  • ASOS White Sandals - Once I bought the above Mudd sandals I was done buying shoes for the summer, alas my beige Joe Fresh sandals that I love bit the dust shortly after my outlet mall trip; I ended up buying these similar sandals online to replace them.
  • Forever 21 Black & White Culottes - adding another cute pair of shorts to my wardrobe sounded like a good idea to me, and I used a gift certificate to buy this pair. It's really easy for me to see the difference in quality between some of my slightly pricier summer clothes and these shorts, but I don't mind having a few cute things from Forever 21 as long as my wardrobe doesn't become overrun by the store as it has in the past.

Tuesday 22 July 2014

The Perfect Skirt

One of the big challenges for me over the past year and a bit has been wearing skirts on a regular basis. I remember when I was younger, wearing skirts fairly regularly; but over the past few years dresses, and mostly jeans have been my go-to item. I think with all of my over-shopping I found the various skirt styles, fits, & trying to pair them with the random assortment of tops I had very overwhelming.

Now that I have been focusing my shopping and mindfully adding pieces to my wardrobe, I want to tackle the issue of skirt wearing. I have quite a few skirts hanging in my closet that don't get regularly worn; now is the time to make a choice: wear, or toss? If you look back at some of my older posts you'll see that I have gotten rid of some skirts already, but I've kept hanging on to some of them, not knowing if I will wear them again. They are really bugging me, and taking up valuable closet real estate to boot.

My aim now is to figure out what kind of skirt suits me best? What kind of skirt will go with the tops and blouses I already have in my wardrobe? What basic skirt can I build a multitude of outfits around? I honestly think if I can pare my skirts down to around a handful, I will have more success at wearing skirts on a regular basis. The thought of just having one or two great, reliable skirts in my wardrobe makes me feel very happy. Right now, other than that work skirt I bought from Smart Set last month, I don't feel like I have any skirts that match those qualifications.

Certain qualities I like in a skirt are: something with structure. something a little edgy or with a few simple details. a-line. between mini and midi. Now all I need to do is find it...

THE PERFECT SKIRT

Thursday 10 July 2014

June Outfits

The sun finally emerged in June and I found myself throwing on shorts and dresses on a regular basis. I have been narrowing my focus in terms of colors and items of clothing I'm wearing, and it has made me happier because of it! It is so much easier to get dressed this way. I don't even mind wearing the same things over and over (of which I did a lot in June, which is why there aren't very many outfits...). I think my faves are the outfit with my new Joe Fresh crochet skirt & pink suede moto jacket, and the H&M leopard sweater outfit. I will be wearing that one all the time come fall.

I have also decided to add a rating system to my outfits. The questions are rated on a scale of 1 to 5 stars, and are:

Was I comfortable wearing it? Was I tugging and pulling at hems, or could I let go and not think about what I was wearing the entire time I had it on?
Does this outfit have multiple occasion potential? Can it be worn to work, hanging out with friends, to a dressy affair? Having a low rating on this scale isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I would like to know what outfits can be more than one thing.
Would I wear this outfit again? If I wouldn't wear it again, why do I own it? Should I remix the garments into other outfits? Should I donate them?
How much do I feel like 'me' in this outfit? If it doesn't feel like me, stop wearing it.

I'm hoping these questions can help me figure out a bit more about my style, why I wear things, and find the best outfits for me.

 
Denim Jacket: Thrifted, Skull Tank: Aritzia, Shorts: Joe Fresh, Ballet Flats: Wal-Mart

Was I comfortable wearing it? ★★★★☆
Does this outfit have multiple occasion potential? ★★☆☆☆
Would I wear this outfit again? ★★★★☆
How much do I feel like 'me' in this outfit? ★★★☆☆


Polka-Dot Dress: H&M, Purse: Winners, Ballet Flats: Wal-Mart

Was I comfortable wearing it? ★★★★★
Does this outfit have multiple occasion potential? ★★★★☆
Would I wear this outfit again? ★★★★★
How much do I feel like 'me' in this outfit? ★★★★☆

Plaid Shirt: stolen from the boyfriend, Heart Tank Top: gift from Forever 21, Pink Jeans: Thrifted Dollhouse, Ballet Flats: Madden Girl

Was I comfortable wearing it? ★★★★★
Does this outfit have multiple occasion potential? ★☆☆☆☆
Would I wear this outfit again? ★★☆☆☆
How much do I feel like 'me' in this outfit? ★★★☆☆


Pink Sweater: H&M, Striped Tank: Joe Fresh, Black Jeans: Urban Planet, 
Leopard Print Shoes: Steve Madden, Purse: ?? 

Was I comfortable wearing it? ★★★★★
Does this outfit have multiple occasion potential? ★★☆☆☆
Would I wear this outfit again? ★★★★☆
How much do I feel like 'me' in this outfit? ★★★★★


Pink Suede Moto Jacket: Bershka from Ebay, Black Tank: Joe Fresh, Cream Crochet Skirt: Joe Fresh, Tan Sandals: Joe Fresh, Necklace: H&M

Was I comfortable wearing it? ★★★☆☆
Does this outfit have multiple occasion potential? ★★★☆☆
Would I wear this outfit again? ★★★★☆
How much do I feel like 'me' in this outfit?★★★★☆

Pink Burnout Baseball-T: ASOS, Skinny Jeans: Urban Planet, Leopard Print Shoes: Steve Madden

Was I comfortable wearing it? ★★★★★
Does this outfit have multiple occasion potential? ★☆☆☆☆
Would I wear this outfit again? ★★★★★
How much do I feel like 'me' in this outfit? ★★★★★

Leopard Print Sweater: H&M, Black Jeans: Urban Planet, Moto Boots: H&M

Was I comfortable wearing it? ★★★★★
Does this outfit have multiple occasion potential? ★★★★☆
Would I wear this outfit again? ★★★★★
How much do I feel like 'me' in this outfit? ★★★★★

Friday 4 July 2014

June Purchases

This was a very busy month for me, with my birthday and an internship. I had quite an urge to go shopping, and I did go to the mall one day this month with my mom to do some birthday shopping- I have to admit it felt really good to spend money, it felt cathartic to pull my debit card out and buy a few things. This has always been one of my main reasons for shopping, that it felt relaxing and fun. I'm not sure what to do about that except maybe find something else to replace it that doesn't involve spending money.

THIS MONTH I TOSSED: 
2x sweaters
2x button up shirts
2x shirts
1 pair of shoes

One of the only reasons I haven't gotten rid of more this month was just because of how busy I was. The month of July looks like there will be a lot of wardrobe-related tackling issues happening, including tossing some stuff and (hopefully) creating a capsule wardrobe.

Here are my purchases for the month of June:

June Purchases

  • ZARA Leopard Attitude Sweater - I saw this sweater on the website back in January and it sold out almost immediately. I searched in every store, on Ebay, and couldn't find it. Last week when I saw it on the rack in the store I almost screamed! plus, it was marked down from $50 to $20 AND I used a birthday gift card to pay for it! I know that it isn't really something I 'need', but I know I will love it.
  •  
  • H&M Grey Slouchy Leopard Sweater - I absolutely love this sweater and I've already worn it twice since I bought it last week. I know for a fact it will be a favorite this fall when the weather cools down.

  • ASOS Pink Burnout Baseball T-Shirt - I had been searching for a slouchy soft baseball t-shirt for awhile and found this one on ASOS on sale. It's super cute and really easy to just throw on with some jeans.


  • Smart Set Black & White Skirt - This is a amazing work appropriate skirt and I found it at Smart Set on sale for only $14.99, quite a steal if I must say. I think my goal at the moment in terms of work clothing is just to add a few very basic pieces to my wardrobe; as right now I don't have a job to wear it to but they are great to have on hand for interviews or anything that comes up.

  • ASOS Leather Chelsea Boots - I have been wanting some flat chelsea boots for awhile, and these ones from ASOS were $120 marked down to $75 so I'm happy with that deal. I'm going to have to wait until it gets a bit cooler to wear them but I think they will become a staple for sure.
I'm happy that everything I bought this month was on sale (not included the H&M sweater, which was only $25). I think my focus for July is going to be working on maintaining & improving the wardrobe I currently have, as well as checking out a few thrift/vintage stores to see if I can find some good deals on a cute dress or two. I also really want to list a bunch of clothes on Ebay to sell; I have been meaning to do that for awhile.





For my birthday my mom bought me this cute skull necklace from Blue Ruby and earrings from The Bay; I love them both! They are so me.

Monday 16 June 2014

Halfway Point

It has been 6 months since I began my journey of moving away from fast fashion, curating my closet and enjoying the clothing that I have, so I thought it would be a good time to post a bit of a reflection on how it's gone so far.


I feel like I've finally hit on a bit of a turning point; the past few months I have been saying NO to clothes and I haven't been impulse shopping like I used to. When I've gone into H&M I've picked things up and put them away after really considering them- I think about how I'm going to feel adding them into my already full closet, and it doesn't make me feel good. I have been passing over garments that were almost what I wanted, but not quite. Old me would have bought them anyway and then bought the actual perfect item later on, had it come up. I feel that I must have a fear of missing out in terms of clothing- I'm afraid of letting that just okay item get away in case I never find the really amazing piece that I want. And I'm becoming okay with that- if it isn't perfect, why add it to my wardrobe?

When I look at my clothes I'm slowly seeing a cohesive LOOK emerge; I'm itching to go through and get rid of pieces that don't fit the image I want to project. In keeping with this I plan to go through my wardrobe and pull out the things that don't fit with 'THAT GIRL' I want to be- I'm considering doing the 333 challenge, but for now I just want to really focus on those pieces of clothing that scream "ME", and see where that takes me. Basically I will be re-doing Step 2 of A Pair and a Spare's post "Wardrobe Rehab"; 'Define Your Style' which I did in an earlier post about, using photos from Pinterest as examples.

I also plan on going through all of my purchases for the first half of the year (as a few other bloggers have done) and rating them based on how many wears they have gotten and if they were a good purchase. I haven't kept track of specific wears, but I have a general idea about how much I've worn something and how into it I've been.

I am excited to see how the rest of the year goes!

Tuesday 3 June 2014

What I Wore in May

This month I decided to get back into the habit of regularly snapping photos of my outfits before I head out- I think I was annoyed at having to post them every few days, but compiling them by the month is much more manageable!

You can see below I definitely have a uniform- skinny jeans, skinny jeans, skinny jeans all the way! I really tried to make an effort to wear skirts & dresses a bit this month as the weather was getting warmer. When I showed up to my boyfriends house in my floral F21 dress he mentioned that I was 'all dressed up'; this was dismaying as I used to dress like this quite often in the past, but since I've gotten lazy and have been wearing jeans more often than not, even casual skirts and dresses are looking 'dressy' on me! This really tells me I need to make skirts and dresses a more regular part of my wardrobe again.

Striped Shirt: Max Studio from Marshalls, Black Skinny Jeans: Urban Planet, Leopard Print Slip-Ons: Steve Madden, Grey Scarf: random mall store

 Leather Jacket: Viparo, Dress: H&M, Pink Flats: Madden Girl from Marshalls
Leather Jacket: Viparo, Striped Top: Max Studio from Marshalls, Pink Skinny Jeans: Dollhouse from Value Village, Leopard Print Slip-ons: Steve Madden

Leather Jacket: Viparo, Leopard Print Sweater: F21 from the men's section, Jeans: Urban Planet, Knee High Boots: F21

 Leather Jacket: Viparo, Leopard Print Blouse: Vintage from a Flea Market Sale, Jeans: Urban Planet, Ballet Flats: Wal-Mart

  
Sheer Floral Blouse: Value Village, Jeans: Urban Planet, Shoes: Wal-Mart
Floral Dress: Forever 21, Cardigan: H&M, Boots: Forever 21, Tights: Target

Cropped Denim Jacket: Forever 21, Fit n' Flare Dress: Old Navy, Ballet Flats: Madden Girl from Marshalls, Purse: Sole Society
 
Fuchsia Cardigan: H&M, Striped Tank: Joe Fresh, Skirt: H&M, Tights: Target, Ballet Flats: Wal-Mart

Suede Moto Jacket: Bershka from Ebay, T-shirt: Cheap Monday, Skirt: H&M, Ballet Flats: Wal-Mart
 
Suede Moto Jacket: Bershka from Ebay, T-shirt: Max Studio from Marshalls, Shorts: Joe Fresh, Purse: Sole Society, Flats: Wal-Mart