Happy DIY Day!

Just a quick post to update you on my DIY success from yesterday!

I may not be Gwyneth, Mila, or Kristen:

Capped Toe Pumps in Action

But, I’m still pretty stoked about easy it was to create my own pair or pumps:

A Black Canvas

I’ve come to the point in my challenge where I’ve worn many of the items in my closet and the majority of the ones that are left are either summer items (shorts, tank tops, and sun dresses) or more formal attire options. So, unless it warms up soon (fingers crossed!) or I start wearing cocktail dresses to work (hmm… that could be fun!), I’m going to have to start cycling through some old outfits.

With this in mind, I’m thinking this is the perfect time to introduce you to my black canvas. Just like a blank canvas, this outfit screams to be added to! It’s also a great opportunity for me to emphasize (one more time)  that you can totally transform two items that everyone owns (a black shirt and black pair of pants) into a million different outfit combinations, just by adding a few accessories. I’ll be bringing this plain black outfit back every now and then to further illustrate my point– so keep your eyes open for future posts!

Today I simply added an ombre polka-dot scarf and a pair of green sling-backs for a pop of color and ta-da: outfit bliss 🙂

The Plain Black Canvas

 

The finished product!

Outfit Inspiration and Red Wings Pride!

It’s hard to believe this week is almost over– I’ve been at a professional development conference on Advanced Qualitative Analysis (you know you are jealous!), so with only three days in the office, it feels like the days have been flying by!

On Wednesday, I decided to put one of my Pinterest Outfit Inspirations to the test:

The Original from my Pinterest Outfit Inspiration Board

April 18: Chambray Button Down (J. Crew) and Black Pencil Skirt (Anne Klein) with a skinny belt

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So, while I am not a J. Crew model (hence, the lack of a popped collar), I’m pretty happy with the results! Using my “pinned” outfits is the clothing equivalent of following a recipe when cooking– I can just scan through the pictures on my pin board and figure out what I need to make, just like flipping through a cookbook.  When I cook, sometimes I just need a jumping off point and other times I have no idea what I’m doing, so I make sure to follow every step. Getting dressed can be just like this– denim shirt, plus black skirt = success without thinking!

Today I’m sporting a little pride for my Detroit Red Wings (check that t-shirt off of the “to wear” list!). Happy Friday and Go Wings!

April 20: Red Wings Tee with Black Cardigan and Red pants (Ann Taylor Loft)

Pardon the Interruption! (Plus a Pinterest Plug)

Sorry for the brief hiatus there folks! I have a million and one excuses on why I haven’t blogged over the past two weeks: Busy with work, possibly coming down with a cold, Cubs Opening Day, yada, yada, yada…  There’s good news though! Even though I haven’t been blogging, I’ve still been thinking about the blog and ways to inspire all of you to dig deep in your closets before hitting the shopping malls this spring and summer.

First on the agenda: It’s time for spring cleaning! Just like I purged before starting this endeavor in the Fall of 2011, it’s time to clean out the closet. If I didn’t wear the sweater this past winter, then it’s time to pass it on! Even though I vowed to wear everything at least once before buying anything new, I’m not looking at this as an excuse to get to the finish line faster. Instead, I’m looking at it as an opportunity to be realistic about the amount of clothes one girl really needs. If I was “trying” to wear all of my clothes and I haven’t worn it, then I’m going to take that as a sign that I probably a few too many sweaters sitting in the pile that could be keeping someone else warm!

Second on the agenda: PINTEREST! Are you on it?!  And more importantly, are you following me?!  You can follow posts from the Wear Everything Project as well as my Outfit Inspiration Board to get ideas on outfits you can create from things you already own! So, with that in mind, it’s time I announce that each week I’ll be including at least one post that focuses on an outfit inspired by my Pinterest Outfit Inspiration Board.  Look for the first one tomorrow, but start following me on Pinterest Today!

April 12: Black Sleeveless Dress (American Apparel) and Black Cardigan (Walmart!) with brown boots and belt

 

More than Meets the Eye

Another day, another misfit clothing item to conquer! Even though I’ve owned this simple cotton dress from Old Navy since at least 2008, I can probably count on one hand the number of times I’ve actually pulled it out of my closet. I bought it thinking, “This will be a great all-around piece for my closet- I can dress it up for work, I can pair it for boots on the weekends… ”

<INSERT GAME SHOW BUZZER NOISE HERE>

How wrong I was! I don’t know if it’s the color or the cut, but something about this dress never seems quite right when I go to wear it. So, with that realization out of the way, I decided that if you can’t fix it, change it! Instead of trying to make this dress work, I covered it with a simple black turtleneck and totally changed the look  from a dress to a skirt and top combo. Brilliant!

We’ve all seen this advice in various fashion magazines, and now I know why– it totally works! The best part is that, while this works great for a dress that you don’t love anymore, it’s also a great way to stretch an outfit while traveling and totally transform a dress that you do like!

Before:Warning! This picture looks like a typical “Before” shot from an infomercial because I didn’t realize until I uploaded the picture that my eyes are half closed. Feel free to laugh 🙂

Burgundy Dress, Old Navy

 

After:

Paired with a Black Turtleneck from The Limited

It’s A Balancing Act

For many of the items in my closet, I’ve started to wonder what possessed me to buy them to begin with. Black jeans? A brown and white striped button down (so what if it is Ralph Lauren)? A green cable knit sweater? Well this is their week! I’m gathering my misfit clothes and proving there is a place for them in 2012.

To kick the week off, I started out with a pair of high-waisted, wide leg jeans. These have been popping up here and there in every brand’s line of denim lately and apparently I took the bait. I often struggle with how to wear them because one false step and they can easily make an outfit look dumpy or a little too reminiscent of the bell bottoms that made a reappearance during my middle school years. In order to make them look polished and work appropriate, I followed the basic style rule of balancing out your outfit and paired them with a sleek and simple button down. No unnecessary bulk and perfectly polished!

So tell us, are there any misfits in your closet? And how can you incorporate them into your wardrobe this week?

Emergency Outfit

Today I woke up late…eek! But never fear, I had an emergency outfit idea ready to go. Remember a few months ago when I posted about the dreaded “I have nothing to wear” syndrome? Well, I took my own advice and taped a list of ideas inside my closet door. Not only does this work great when you stare into the depths of your closet and can’t seem to find a single thing, but it’s also a lifesaver when you have exactly 2 seconds to throw on an outfit!

So, can you tell I got up late?

The Classic LBD

You know you’ve got one: A Little Black Dress (LBD) that you break out only once or twice a year. Or perhaps, like me, you got sucked into buying a dress as a part of a suit combo. You wore it to one big meeting– three years and two jobs ago.

Using the InStyle Instant Stylist Game’s “Day Dress” Round, I found the inspiration I needed to transform a sleeveless, suit-based LBD with other pieces  into a great winter work outfit.  I opted for a turtleneck and ribbed tights with chunky heels, but you can easily achieve the same look with a collared or bow blouse, or even a plain long-sleeved tee. You can also take a simple sleeveless dress and jazz it up for going out with a bright colored top or tone down a sparkly sleeveless party dress by pairing it with a plain black long-sleeved tee or turtleneck. Let me know what you come up with!

Today’s Classic Look:

January 25: Gray Turtleneck Sweater (Mossimo), Black Sheath (J. Crew)

The InStyle Inspiration:

Let’s Revisit the Classics!

I often describe my style as classic, so it’s no wonder that I jumped on the chance to re-create the “Revisit Your Classics” looks featured in the February 2012 issue of InStyle Magazine. Double Bonus: the  Instant Stylist game on the InStyle Website has a “Revisit Your Classics” Round right now!

The game challenges you to select the best item to complete their outfit and gives you tips and tricks as you play– genius! Since I’d already painstakingly studied each page of the magazine, I already knew the “answers” but make sure to check it out. There are lots of rounds and tons of outfit ideas to keep you inspired.

Today’s Classic Look: Since I don’t have a blazer in a bright color, I added a pop of color with a bright yellow sweater!

Fave Jeans: Dark Wash Straight Leg Jeans (Joe's Jeans), Yellow Sweater (H&M), Navy Blazer (Forever 21)

The InStyle Inspiration:

Flurries and Florals

Time to think Spring! Today’s forecast calls for a high of 20 degrees and flurries, so of course I busted out a short sleeve fluttery floral print dress. Even though I have plenty of unworn sweaters to get me through the next few months, it’s fun to change it up and prove that everything in my closet is there for a reason.

For all of you Top Chef fans out there, I would call today’s look  “a play” on a summer dress. I started with a short-sleeved floral print chiffon dress and paired it with a chunky zip up sweater, cozy tights, and boots.  What do you think? And do you have any tips or tricks for making different pieces work through multiple seasons? Let us know!

January 19: Floral dress (Express), Cable Knit Cardigan (Banana Republic)