Day 76: Black and green

This is about as close to camouflage as I will ever wear. No camo capris for me! Like I've said before, I really only know how to wear black shirts with jeans, but I mixed it up a little bit today for your sake.  When I checked the weather this morning, it said it was 63 and sunny, when in fact it is warmer and rainier than that.  So this outfit was poorly planned for the weather, but I threw on a leafy velour jacket that got me through some similar weather in England and Ireland in 2007.

Top: Express

Skirt: Anthropologie

Shoes: Banana Republic Outlet

Bag: Target

Scarf and earrings: From Mom

Day 69: Still Summer

Before dinner at 10 Arts last night, Dave and I popped into Gap to find a pair of sunglasses for him. Instead, we left with pants, shorts, and a top for me. I can't help it; the sales were great! And they were all on the list of items that I actually really need. Take these pants, for instance. Won't they be perfect for our travels to warmer climes next month? I probably settled on this outfit because I have been thinking about our hotel in Santa Monica, which I found out about on Cup of Jo.  I have a business trip to Los Angeles planned for next month, and since it overlaps with our birthdays, Dave is coming with me and we're turning it into a fun mini-vacation. 

I don't usually feel very feminine in a polo, but this scarf saves the day!

Top: Target

Pants: Gap

Shoes: Payless

Scarf: From Mom

Bag: Banana Republic

Anchor Earrings: Forever21

Ring: J. Karma

Day 65: Red tunic and thoughts of summer

This weekend, I am going to try to take pictures of what I've worn and what I have yet to wear to give you a status update.  I am making progress, but I do get in my own way when I go out and buy new shirts like this one.

I got a little nervous on Labor Day because I still have a few pieces that are very summery.  I wasn't sure when I would be able to wear my flamingo dress or white top that doesn't layer well, but then it came to me! I have already started packing for Jamaica in my mind.  Alicia and Tommy are getting married there in October, and I am prepared.  I also have a few pieces in mind for my trip to Los Angeles later next month.  Hopefully I'll look as chic as I will try to be.

What should my donation policy be? If there is an item I don't want to wear, do I have to wear it anyway, or can I donate it to Philly Aids Thrift so it doesn't really count as a part of my wardrobe? Old Hanson t-shirt, I'm looking at you.

Top and jeans: TJ Maxx

Shoes: Crocs from Laura

Scarf: Heirloom from Mom

Bracelet: Betsy's

Day 62: Blue Dress, Dreary Day

Dave's mom gave us some heirloom tomatoes this weekend, and my mom gave me some heirloom scarves and earrings.  There is a lot of potential in these scarves!

Um, how are we going to take these pictures when the weather gets colder? In a few months, the walk to work will surely not be so lovely.

Dress: Target

Scarf and earrings: From Mom

Shoes: Payless

Bag: From Betsy

Umbrella: Nicole Miller

ps. To compensate for this frizzy hair day, the scarf did double duty and acted as a headband shortly after this photo was taken.

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 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 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 29: Politician in Pink

One of the best perks of this project is that since I put effort into each outfit, I always feel presentable. There used to be times when I would hide in my cubicle all day because I felt frumpy, but I think I'm turning that around. I never claimed that I am fashion-forward or incredibly styled--I am simply wearing all of my clothes. When every outfit is photographed, though, and I am trying to put outfits together to make use of everything, I do get inspired to look pulled together.  Last night, Dave, Steph and I went out for happy hour, and even though we went to Jennifer Carroll's 10 Arts at the Ritz Carlton, I didn't feel compelled to change into something nicer first.  Their food is an incredible deal at happy hour, and it was fun to enjoy an upscale evening. We kept the ritz factor going all night by snagging a table at Village Whiskey and sharing some more drinks and bites there.  I highly recommend their cocktails, burgers, and milkshakes!

Cardigan: Target

Camisole: Kohl's

Pants: Sears

Shoes: Payless

Scarf, Watch, and probably Bag: Gifts from Mom

Bracelet: I really think I got this from a shop at a rest stop

Necklace: No idea

Day 26: The Baltimore Blues

I have a new favorite museum: the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore. None of their artists have received formal training, so their works are all over the map. For the most part, though, they are humorous, glittery, interactive, and whimsical, so I love them all.
For a trip to the museum and lunch with Dave's sister Rebecca and her husband Dan, I wore this blue dress and a scarf as a belt. A good day!

Dress: Gap

Scarf: J. Karma

Necklace: Goodwill

Sunglasses: Who knows?

Dave also looked good; here he is looking casual and playful in a Twins shirt from Champs at the Mall of America and plaid shorts from Target.

Day 22: Basic is the new boring

 When I woke up this morning, I was very chilly. That was a function of the air conditioning more than the Minneapolis temperatures, but it still made me want to bundle up for the day. 

What do you do when you think your hair looks bad, but you want it to get longer? Should I get a haircut anyway? I also want to find a new skincare/makeup regimen.  And my other new goal will be to stop wearing hair ties* on my wrist. I'm not sure what the alternative is, though.  Maybe I can hide it under my watch.

 I would also like to provide you with a close-up of my new scarf. I'm really looking forward to pairing it with fresh, white outfits.

Shirt: Merona, via Goodwill from my mom. It's one of those shirts that hardly seems worth getting rid of, but it doesn't contribute significantly to my wardrobe

Pants: Gap.  Today's pictures are making me think they're getting a little baggy. Seriously??

Wedges: Payless

Scarf: Club Monaco from the Mall of America

Earrings: j. karma boutique in Old City, Phila.

Ring: Gift from Steph

Watch: Gift from Mom, probably

*I grew up calling them ponytails.  I now understand that the ponytail usually only refers to the actual hairstyle, and not the item that secures the hairstyle, and that most people get confused when I call it a ponytail.  This causes a fair amount of hesitation in my conversations that involve these essential stretchy things.

PS: For my evening of shopping/wandering/dining, I changed into these khaki J. Crew shorts and whale flip flops from a store on Nantucket's Straight Wharf