I have to say, this was a fun experiment, but I'm glad that starting tomorrow I don't have to take a picture of every outfit I wear :)
By the middle of the month, I had used a total of 30 articles of clothing, and I decided I was going to stick with those 30 and not add any more! Well, I mostly succeeded - I had one dress that I decided to wear, so I ended up with 31 total pieces and 31 different outfits. Here's what I wore:
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| Day 12 |
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| Day 31! All done! |
Okay, somehow I ended up with two #18's here and no #24... Well, you can probably figure it out!!
Since I realized today is also Five Favorites day over at Hallie's, I'll go ahead and share my 5 favorite outfits - 2, 5, 8, 18 (the first one), and 25. And I'm really glad I tried harder to mix and match - otherwise I probably would just have worn outfit #8 every week and not branched out a whole lot! I definitely have a better sense of what works with what, and now I REALLY know that I don't need to buy more clothes for this season. I need to do a better job of buying things that work with what I already have. While I don't know that I could ever go as minimalist as Laura, I think that I'm doing a better job of weeding out my closet and using what I already have.
Kelly is awesome and helped me sort through some of the logistics/practicality of implementing this on a long-term basis, especially with the kiddos. I'm still praying about whether I'm giving up pants altogether, particularly since come winter I don't know how I'll feel about it! But I'm definitely ready to give my shorts and most of my jeans up. The month-long trial worked - I'm absolutely more comfortable in skirts, I feel more ready to face anything, I feel more willing to leave the house because I look cute, and I feel more confident going out with "all these kids" because hey, who can fault me for having so many when I still look decent?
I have decided that my above-knee skirts aren't very practical for getting much of anything done that involves moving - they get hiked up WAY too high when I crouch down to play with the kids! So I'm on the lookout for a new denim skirt.
How about you? What worked? What didn't? Are there any permanent changes you're making based on how you've experimented this month? Leave a link or discuss in the comments! The link-up is open until August 14, so you've got plenty of time - I'd love to see what you came up with!
Your posts have got me thinking about wearing dresses and skirts more! Most of mine were purchased for work, and now that I'm not going to an office every day, they get ignored. But like you, I feel so much more put together if I'm wearing a skirt or a dress (plus I think they do a better job of hiding my problem areas!).
ReplyDeleteThanks for the idea - it's been fun reading!
I ignore a lot of my "work" dresses and skirts even during the school year when I'm working! I think a lot of my outfits this month are work appropriate for me (I'm a middle school teacher), which will make the work-to-home transition easier in the fall, since I won't have to change my clothes or have two separate wardrobes!
DeleteI apologize for nothing to link-up; soloing this week cut into posting more than anticipated. I have really enjoyed all your posting and outfit ideas. I am wearing skirts more often, though not everyday and agree come winter I would find it very tough.
ReplyDeleteWell done!
Random, but do you remember where your dress is from in picture 26? So cute!
ReplyDeleteI have loved following this pants-less journey of yours and definitely feel inspired to wear skirts more often! I refused to wear pants until about the 3rd grade, so maybe I should go back to that frame of mind! My favorite outfit is #2 and I just think that skirt is the bee's knees
ReplyDeleteMy favorites are the outfits with the longer skirts. All the outfits were cute, but those were just my favorites.
ReplyDeleteI went this whole month only wearing skirts and dresses too, just didn't get to take any pictures. I've found I feel more comfortable with the longer skirts because I can get up and down from the floor with the kids easily and without worry, and I've found for me at least it gives a little bit of a slimmer appearance, especially with so many of my clothes not fitting too well being 10 weeks postpartum. I've also been able to see that the skirts and dresses really do help me feel more feminine and happy throughout the day and my husband loves the look so that's a big plus!
I wear the same stuff over and over again. I just don't have the patience to mix and match or try new things. But I sure like seeing how you all do it!
ReplyDeleteYour outfits are just adorable! I love the skirt from #4 and #28. I've worn skirts and dress exclusively all my life, first by my parents command and now by my own choice. I love looking and feeling so feminine! In the winter I wear leggings under my skirts. They're warmer and more comfortable than tights, and don't add much bulk at all. I will also sometimes wear a short dress or tunic over a pair of nice blue jeans or courderoys.
ReplyDeleteThanks, and good tips! I'll definitely need to find some good leggings and thick tights. My one pair of leggings ended up getting a hole in the knee, so I'll definitely be on the lookout come fall :)
DeleteI love all your skirt outfits! The colors in #28 are so lovely; I love that combination.
ReplyDeleteI can't help but weigh in... For the winter, my single favorite type of tights are Hue sweater tights (I think the list price is $20/pair, but Nordstrom Rack carries them for ~$10). They're constructed more like leggings than pantyhose, and you can put them in the wash with everything else and they hold up really well. Mine tend to last two years, although some pairs are more "seconds" than others and wear out more quickly. Also I tend to wear the holey ones on non-class days which helps extend their life. :) Socks + leggings + boots are a solution as well. For fall/early winter I buy these ridiculous super-long socks and wear them with garters which I concede is weirdo territory.
The downsides to winter skirt-wearing start with the investment in wool skirts, tights, and boots, all of which tend to be on the expensive side. Skirts have to be lined or worn with a slip, and when the tights get old and start to lose their elastic you have to adjust them more which I imagine might get annoying for a mom actively caring for a bunch of little kids! Plus people sometimes feel compelled to comment on how cold you must be; this is part of why I make sure I have lots of wooly skirts: if nothing else they *look* warm.
(PS I am feeling major deja vu on this, so apologies if I've spilled my guts on this before...)
DeleteI feel like we've talked about it in passing but I'm glad to have it in writing! AND GARTERS! BRILLIANT!!! I have a pair of adorable thigh-high socks but they fall down and it's so awkward... I love love LOVE sweater tights but mine always end up pilling - do you think it's the way I wash them or am I just getting junky pairs? I'm just worried about them being too slippery on our hardwood floors, since I rarely wear shoes. Leggings might be easier, but I loooove tights so much...
DeleteDo you have any sources you like for wool/wool-ish skirts? I've mostly just layered my same summer skirts for winter but I think it might be smart to have more of a seasonal wardrobe!
Sock garters are the best! I bought mine here, which is also where I get the socks: http://www.sockdreams.com/products/accessories/sock-garters/simply-adjustable-sock-garters:7259 I don't wear them when I'm bumming around the house but they're comfortable enough to wear for a workday.
DeleteI get a little pilling on my smooth-knit ones which might be part of why I have the impression that the cable-knits hold up better. I'm a little inattentive when it comes to care issues though. I don't wear shoes inside and I don't think I slip around much, although I don't make many sudden movements either!
Two words for wool skirts: Lands End. They're not afraid to mark their stuff waaaaaay down, it's good quality, generally consistent sizing, and they usually do multiple A-line styles each year. (Be wary, though: they also sell actual school uniforms including adult sizes, but there's nothing written on the website to indicate that you're looking at a uniform piece.) A lot of mine come from thrift stores but you know about that! Thrift stores are actually one of the best ways to get them because most brands put out one winter style in a year maximum, so it's necessarily a collecting process.
I need to shop more at Lands End, for Cecilia and for me. Must stop being addicted to Forever 21... And I really need to start thrifting - I never had good luck
Deleteaaand finishing that thought... I never had good luck in the past and it's teeeerrifying with all the kids, so I need to get out without them and try again!
DeleteI've enjoyed reading about your experiment. And I _Love_ this:
ReplyDelete"I feel more ready to face anything, I feel more willing to leave the house because I look cute, and I feel more confident going out with "all these kids" because hey, who can fault me for having so many when I still look decent?"
And thanks for the shout-out, Rosie!
BTW, I don't think anyone should fault you for having "so many," no matter what you wear. BUT it's a great witness when you all go out looking cute as buttons On another note, what you're doing reminds me of the "333 Project" http://theproject333.com/getting-started/. Basically, wearing 33 items for 3 months.
Delete5, 12, 20, and 222 are my favorites!
ReplyDeleteI love that you did a recap of the outfit pictures. And props to you for doing pants-free for a whole month!
ReplyDeleteI've been wearing skirts a lot this summer as well...not every day, but more days than not. I just feel better in skirts and more feminine and I feel like it's easier to look "nice". I don't have any winter tips really, other than leggins and boots. I think you should do one of these again in January...and we can see all your winter outfits. :)
ReplyDeleteThis is awesome!! I have actually been without trousers for almost six years now. I wear dresses everyday, and the only pair of trousers I own is a pair of sweatpants for when I'm being really lazy and just want to lounge in the house!
ReplyDeleteI think number 18 is my favourite outfit! And also, where did you get that gorgeous turquoise scarf you're wearing throughout - including day 31 - it's beautiful!
Forever 21! They've got some real winners sometimes :)
DeleteYou are amazing, as usual. I thought this was a spectacular exercise and was so impressed with your analysis of it, kudos.
ReplyDeleteOk. I have a photo I need to link up as soon as my life stops spinning. Soon, I think. Anyway, I have been rocking a skort lately, and I am in love! Also, 30 articles of clothing? I am really jealous! I have a butt ton. (standard measurement)
ReplyDeleteThis is fantastic. I'm pretty sure I could never be this creative. I AM planning on linking up though since I really have been wearing the maxis to death this summer...glad to see I still have 9 days hahaha :)
ReplyDeleteI couldn't make it all 31 days! I broke down. Oh well. I still enjoyed the challenge!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite outfits of yours are 2, 3, 5, 16, 21, and 26. But they all look great!
I highly recommend LL Bean's linen skirts for summer. They are plenty long (but not ankle-length), easy to care for, breezy/cool, and they come in lots of different colors!
ReplyDeleteRosie--where do you find most of your cute skirts? I have the hardest time finding cute skirts that are affordable! Thanks in advance~ Rebekah
ReplyDelete