Day 56: Florals and Reasons

Some friends have recently asked why I started this challenge.  Mostly it's because when I dropped a few sizes and got rid of a good portion of my old clothes, I just started buying a whole bunch of new stuff.  I didn't know whether I was buying too much, and I didn't know if I was buying what I needed.  So I decided to take a step back and evaluate what I do have to determine if I am justified in continuing to buy a whole lot more stuff.  That original big closet cleanout probably makes this task easier for me than it is for a lot of other people. 

I also heard about Kendi's 30 for 30 challenge when Kimberly participated in it.  The concept behind that project is to start with 30 items from your wardrobe and mix and match them with each other and with accessories to come up with a month full of outfits.  It looked like a lot of fun, and Kim's outfits were great, but I thought, "Why would I try to wear a limited number of outfits when I should really be trying to wear the things I normally don't?" So I decided to wear everything.

 Are these pant legs different lengths or am I just standing crookedly?

Shirt: LOFT

Pants: Sears

Shoes: Payless

Scarf: ???

Bag: Target

Bracelet on left wrist: Was Aga's

Ring: J. Karma

Day 55: Mulberry Macropods

Who's excited for September?

Dress: Betsy's, from Old Navy

Scarf: Gift from Mom

Belt: Francesca's

Shoes: Nine & Company, and surprisingly very uncomfortable

Bag: Target

Day 54: Red skirt

 Dinner at the Twisted Tail called for wearing something I can't wear to work: a skirt that might be a bit too short. Maybe you'll see it again in a few months with tights and boots.

Shirt: Gap

Skirt: Forever21

Earrings: Gift from Betsy, H&M

Bag: Liz Claiborne (TJ Maxx?)

Day 54: I'll still wear white pants after this weekend

It's fall weather out there this morning, and I love it.  The new plan is that as long as the weather is lovely, I'm going to wake up early and enjoy mornings more.  This will make time for pumpkin pancakes, extra walks, or early gym (and free time in the evening), and I am committed to this idea.  With my pared-down pants selection, though, this white jeans will be sticking around for a while.

Here's a close-up of the print on the shirt:

Cardigan: From Gap, from Mom

Shirt: Target

Jeans: J. Crew

Earrings: Gift from Betsy, from H&M

Shoes: Kohl's

Bracelet: Don't know

Day 53: My Sunshine

My neighborhood in Philadelphia was completely fine when I woke up on Sunday morning, but I did not abandon my plans to hang out at home all day.  Sunday mainly consisted of a run at the gym, Arrested Development, finishing a puzzle and starting a new one, Bill Bryson's A Short History of Nearly Everything, a walk around the Queen Village area, hot dogs wrapped in croissants for dinner, and listening to (and occasionally watching) the wedding in the backyard of the historic home across the street.  I wore this shirt and pajama shorts printed with whales wearing Christmas wreaths, but decided on jeans for the walk. 

These shoes are getting beat up, but they were essential in Costa Rica. They let me zipline, put mud all over my body, climb through waterfalls, and go for hikes.  I don't have any other shoes that could do that!

Since I bought this shirt in 2004, we took these pictures at one of the places I loved most when I was 18: the Theater of the Living Arts.  I've seen a decent number of shows there, but now I recognize about 1 band name out of the 10 listed on the marquee every time I walk by.

Shirt: Urban Outfitters

Jeans: Gap

Shoes: Sperry

Day 52: Bucknell Blue & Orange

Through the Bucknell alumni club, we had tickets to attend an Orioles game in Baltimore on Saturday.  With the imminent approach of Hurricane Irene, though, we had a feeling the game would be cancelled. By Friday afternoon, the game was supposedly still on, so Dave, Steph and I headed to Maryland to spend quality time with Emily and Ajmer, regardless of whether we could make it to the game. We stayed up late and had fun on Friday, and then I woke up and made my favorite zucchini chocolate chip pancakes for everyone on Saturday morning. Dave drove us home safely to Philadelphia in light-moderate rain, we dropped Steph off at home, and we settled in for a nice, cozy weekend of avoiding rain and being thankful that the hurricane largely missed us.  It's a shame we missed the game, since they beat the Yankees in the make-up game on Sunday.  How were you affected by Hurricane Irene?

Shirt & Jeans: Old Navy

Hat and flip flops: Bucknell University

Day 51: How do you wear black shirts?

When I wear black tops with black pants or skirts, I feel a little more high school stage crew member and a little less Victoria Beckham.  I'm sure it has to do with the fit, and since I don't get my clothes tailored, I end up wearing black shirts with jeans when I can.  This outfit is so comfy. I don't know yet if I'm going to be wearing this to Baltimore tonight or if it would be better to stay off the roads and avoid Hurricane Irene.

Top: Betsy's

Jeans: Laura's, from Gap

Shoes: Banana Republic Outlet

Bag: Goodwill

Green Earrings: Gift from Lauren

Gem Stone Bracelet: Gift from Aga? (That means it's at least 16 years old)

Day 50: 2 Shirts at a Time

The only way I'm going to get through all of my shirts is to wear them two at a time. It's certainly a challenge, since as I work through them, it is harder to find items that match perfectly. But this is what I signed up for! The striped shirt is no longer just to wear with jeans, and the cardigan isn't just for black pants. I don't think I've ever worn this skirt before, so I am definitely making progress.

Cardigan: Gift from Mom, Old Navy

Shirt: Betsy's, H&M

Skirt and shoes: Old Navy

Earrings: Gift from Ali

Bracelets: Forever21

Day 49: Back to School

Late August and early September used to make me so nervous! Even though I did fine in school, thinking about going back would make me so stressed out. Since I will never be a teacher, and my student days are officially behind me, I have no reason to fear September anymore. I did think this outfit was a tribute to those Bucknell students who are starting classes today, but Dave pointed out that these wedges are not wholly appropriate for class.

Long-sleeve shirt: Goodwill

Short-sleeve shirt: LOFT

Skirt: J. Crew

Shoes: Banana Republic Outlet

Bag: Target

Necklace: Antique store in Lewisburg

Earrings: Shiny studs, probably from Claire's 15 years ago

Day 48: At Least I Didn't Wear Heels with This

Some might argue that this dress is too short. It's also kind of baggy when I don't belt it. That does make it a good candidate for something to swap at my end-of-the project clothing swap.  But it was only $4.99! I can also say crazy things like "It won't look too short if I wear it with dark tights when it's cold out!" to try to rationalize it.

If I had to guess, I would estimate that the project might end around December 15. At that point, I'll start getting some nice winter clothes, and the project will continue forever!

Dress: Gap

Shoes: Banana Republic Outlet

Belt: J. Crew and I wear this one and the black one every day so I will stop acknowledging their existence. These belts are the best because they have notches the whole way around so I can wear them on my waist and my hips!

Bag: Target

PS. Has this been showing up on Google Reader for those of you who use it?

Day 47: I Always Dress up to go to South St.

So you're telling me we didn't have to drive all the way to Pittsburgh and back two weekends ago? Our favorite future Germans were back in town for a few hours during a layover between Pittsburgh and Frankfurt, so we met up for lunch at Brauhaus Schmitz! The lighting in there is not perfect for pictures, but the food and company are excellent!

 Dress: Banana Republic

Jacket: Marshalls

Belt: J. Crew

Heels: Nine West

Necklace: Margaret's

Also wearing (probably fake) pearl earrings from an unknown source

Days 45 & 46: Weekend Wear

While Dave was away in Sweden, I actually had more of a social life than usual, thanks to all of my fun friends who kept me company! On Saturday, Jen and I went shopping at the misleadingly named Philadelphia Outlets, and I had lots of luck. Get excited to see my new purchases in future posts! The blog does help me identify holes in my wardrobe and lets me know what I think I need, but of course this means I am prolonging my project. I think these items are totally worth the extra blogging.

For shopping, I wore a variation of this outfit with an ivory Anthro bow top and Bucknell flip flops. Here I am at David and Claire's housewarming party!

Top: LOFT outlet
Shorts: J. Crew
Sandals: Banana Republic Outlet

I wore a ton of outfits on Sunday because I had separate ones for swimming, brunch with Jan, walking around downtown/meeting Dave!, and for dinner at the Khyber, which was apparently what Dave missed while he was in Stockholm.

 This is what I wore for dinner.

 Top: Betsy's, from Gap

Skirt: Old Navy

Wedges: Banana Republic Outlet

Fleur de lis necklace: Gift from Dave
Bag: Target

Day 44: Skirting Around the Issue

This skirt has been at the back of my closet for the past month, and I missed it, so I brought it back with a shirt I've never thought about before. The shirt has always been a lounging with jeans around the house kind of shirt, but it's showing me today that it could probably be incorporated into a regular business casual workplace. I am glad that I have been following some style blogs now, because they taught me that you can type "business casz" and it's the most accurate representation of how to pronounce the shortened form of my work attire.

Watch me fiddle with my rings. I am wearing two engagement rings today; one is from Dave, and one is from Kelly Bates. It was very useful at fending off some (but not all) creeps when I was in Morocco.

It's a little bulky. I think I will just stick with the diamonds that are real after this.  It has been fun to wear all of my jewelry; I've realized that I wore the tiniest fraction of it before The Everything Project.

Thanks to my trusty friend (and coworker only for the next 5 hours!) Jan for taking these pictures for me while Dave was away! I will treasure the moments she made me stand on desks, even if I did not post them on here.

Shirt: Kohls? That's my guess for many older, nondescript shirts

Skirt and belt: J. Crew

Sandals: Old Navy

Opal earrings: Gift from Grandma

Heart opal necklace: I've had it for a really long time (13ish years?), but I am thinking it's a gift from Mom, though for some reason I feel like it could be from Aunt Lucy

Ring: Gift from Kelly

Day 43: Frills and Bows

Before today, I hadn't noticed how deep the scoop is on this dress, but I like it. That's why I went for earrings but no necklace.

Sadly, this belt might be one of the next things to go as I clear out my clothes that are too big. It's supposedly one-size-fits-all, but it's been failing to provide any of the benefit of a belt these days. I realized I will also have to go through my coats and jackets, since my baggy raincoat proves that while I have been good at clearing out my clothes that don't fit, I ignored my coat closet.  I wonder what else is hiding in there.

That's why I think this project will be easier for me than it would be for some people; I did give away a good portion of my wardrobe after losing 15 pounds. As I think about restocking, I want to take a good inventory of what remains and what replacements I've already bought.

I always thought I liked thunderstorms, but I do think I am feeling and showing the effects of being kept awake by thunder and lightning all night.  The night before, it was a big, loud, agressive fight in front of the house that work everyone up at 3:47 am.

Dress: Gap

Belt: Modcloth, from Mom

Boots: Kohl's?

Flats: Payless

Earrings: Three Sirens Boutique

Day 42: Photogenic Conference Room

My black pants must be feeling hugely neglected right about now. It would have been so easy to just throw on this solid shirt with a pair of pants.  But that's not how this project works!

Looks like this skirt needs to come with me on a business trip so it can get ironed!

Shirt: Banana Republic

Skirt: J. Crew

Shoes: Payless, purchased for Denise's wedding!

Earrings and bracelet are about 15 years old and from an unknown source. I will be lucky if the bracelet doesn't break before work lets out.

Day 41: Let's Go Eat

I took a coffee break with Jan this morning, and I am glad I did. I didn't actually want to buy anything, but Fork, Etc. was giving away banana bread pudding, and it was scrumptious.

And then, sitting outside at Mrs. K's, the crappy unassuming little diner right next to my office, was Hunter Pence, the exciting new player for the Phillies, and his parents.  This is the outfit I wore when I made eye contact with Hunter Pence.

The dress and the shoes were both Laura's, but the bag is new. All of these items kind of surprised me, so I'd like to see if you can guess where they are from.

The red earrings, which you can't see, are a gift from Tracy during high school.

PS. Go to The Fightins to check out Hunter's fashion statement!

Day 40: Icy hot

Most bloggers have access to internet in their homes, and if they post pictures of themselves to their blog, they probably use photo-altering programs to fix things up a bit. They also probably use cameras that aren't their phone. But this blogger has limitations, so you get the real me. Today, though, you get a little bit extra, courtesy of Paint, the computer program that hasn't been updated since 1995.

Day 39: Rainy Sunday

Now it is Dave's turn to take a business trip: he's heading to Stockholm right now. I dropped him off at his office so he could catch a shuttle to the airport with coworkers, but we started our day with zucchini chocolate chip pancakes! So delicious, and very easy. The best part is that I don't have to share the leftovers. Then I spent a quality afternoon with my family, and the rain stopped long enough for us to go to a used bookstore and Percy St. bbq.

Shirt: Was Laura's, from Ann Taylor LOFT
Shorts: J. Crew
Boots: Gift from Alicia
Necklace: Was Margaret's
Bracelet: Gift from a friend in high school
Umbrella: New Bucknell bookstore!
Monet tote: Gift from Mom?

Day 38: Stripes on stripes

Surprise! This post is coming to you from Pittsburgh. Dave and I successfully surprised our friend Zack before he and his girlfriend Laura embark on a 2-year teaching experience in Germany. Now yesterday's shirt makes sense, right? We visited for less than 24 hours, but were so happy to spend that time with two dear friends. As a bonus, you will soon be seeing some of the clothes Laura is not bringing with her to Deutschland. Lucky me!

Shirt: don't know!
Shorts: J. Crew outlet
Long-sleeved shirt: Betsy's
Shoes: J. Crew

Day 37: Guten Tag it's Friday

Man, there are a lot of brick walls in this city. Even when I try to mix up the scenery in these photos, we always come back to different brick walls.  In honor of my good friends Zack and Laura, who are moving to Germany this month, I wore my Germany shirt. It's my dad's, it's from the 70s, and I love it. I was proudest of this shirt when I was reading Tina Fey's Bossypants, which included the sentence, "The shirts allowed me to express myself with cool sayings like 'There's No Crying in Baseball' and 'Universität Heidelberg'.” If I recall correctly, she is not complimenting such shirts, but that doesn't matter to me.  Did young Tina Fey have the same shirt I do?

Can you tell what I did with this scarf today?

I am also wearing flamingo socks.

Shirt: Dad's, from Universitat Heidelberg

Pants: Banana Republic

Shoes: Converse

Scarf: J. Karma

Earrings: Gift

Bag: Vera Bradley (Gift)

Day 36: Cosmetics Query

I would like to take this opportunity to solicit makeup advice. What works for you? I bought a new eye shadow, mascara, and foundation at CVS yesterday, but I am always overwhelmed because I don't have favorites.  I want my makeup to start looking interesting, and I want to have fun with it, but there has to be something between my usual subtlety and the beautiful and bold look of Keiko.  Places like Sephora are so appealing, but once I get in there and everything is expensive, I don't know where to start.

Shirt: Banana Republic

Camisole: Ann Taylor Loft Outlet

Skirt: Sears (never shopping there again--I just noticed the bottom layer peeking out of this skirt)

Shoes: Nine West

Necklace: Betsy's, from American Eagle

Earrings: Gift from Mom