April 1, 2010

I love shopping as much as the next girl but, times are tough and even though the man says things are getting better I'm just not seeing it yet. Thankfully, I am employed but, working in an office (HR at that) there is definitely a business-casual standard that I need to meet when I dress for work in the morning. At the same time, I don't want to show up everyday in the same outfit. So, what's a girl to do about it? In-debt herself further to have all the latest things, take on extra jobs to make up the gap, borrow, steal, or make do with what she has? I will take the latter!

I have a pretty large closet... and another one for shoes. Sufficed to say I have ALOT of clothes. The vast majority of them are work appropriate so, I was thinking that I should be able to come up with enough combinations of clothes to last me for at least a year or more utilizing what I have. A different outfit for work everyday, hence 260 since that's about how many work days there are in a year. It sounds very daunting but, I think I'm up for the challenge Occasionally I might get a gift certificate, go shopping with my mom (who always buys me something *love ya mom*) or buy something myself but, it would definitely be something I have a need for since I will be hyper aware of what I have in my closet. As a person who did a significant amount of research in college I feel the need to define my terms. What I mean by an outfit is a different combination of top and bottoms (ex: Day 1 Top A and Bottom A, Day 2: Top B and Bottom A). This does not include shoes, accessories, or handbags. But, I will show them to you for the fun of it!

My goal with this is not to show off how much clothes I have or even that I can put a stylish outfit together. It is simply to show myself and others that you can make great things with what you already have not just "make-do" You don't have to go to the store and buy a whole new outfit for an event (even though that is fun) you might be able to find a dress in your closet with the tags still on it (yes, that has happened to me). And for all those times that you throw up you hands and say, "I have nothing to wear!!" I want to show that you probably do have something you haven't seen all the potential in the things you already own. Another thing that I want to show myself, and I suppose everyone could learn from it, is the use-value of my clothes (ex: basic black ballet flats that cost $12.99 are much more valuable than a prom dress that costs $199.99) I can agree that there are basic pieces that should be of higher quality because you will wear them more but, the trendy stuff that you could pay a fortune store in designer boutiques is better purchased somewhere like Target because it will be out of style next season.

Now, lets get down to business.

• Top: yellow ruffle front blouse from Ann Taylor Loft
• Bottom: gray pencil skirt from New York & Company (high use-value item I bet)
• Shoes & Accessories: brown/black snake embossed ballet flats from Target and an amazing carved bone and turquoise necklace. I will also be throwing all my crap in a patent leather purple Coach purse (not pictured).

I will try to take better pictures moving forward but, day one is very rushed. Check back tomorrow as this experiment continues!!!