100 Day Style Challenge
Rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated, although I have NOT, in fact, published a post since April, so you’d hardly be blamed from fearing the worst…May had bled into June with a hundred seasonal tasks filling the space I had used for blogging in other months. I’ve discovered that time is like money – like seeing what you have left at the end of the month to save towards whatever goal you have, and there’s NEVER any left over! I have to schedule time to blog, just like I schedule time for exercise, grocery shopping, etc. I also ran into a technical problem that my IT expert (Jodie’s awesome husband Rob) fixed for me – so grateful!
What I actually want to write about is a project I’m a little over half-way through – Imogen Lamport’s 100 Day Style Challenge. Imogen is a professional stylist in Australia, and I really enjoy her blog, podcasts and IG posts. She and I have similar body shapes, but she has great advice for others as well. Imogen has a lot of free resources, and I’ve bought some e-books from her too that were well worth what I paid. The idea is that for 100 consecutive days, you do not wear the same exact outfit twice. You can wear the same garment, just not in the same combination, AND you don’t buy (or at least WEAR) anything new in the meantime. (The reasons WHY you’d do this are in that blog post of hers) I also don’t think it’s fair just to swap out a piece of jewelry to make it “different”. I call the project Mining My Closet!
I started this the first day of June, and the 100 days will take me into September – so I’m squeezing every drop out of my summer wardrobe. Now, maybe this isn’t much of a challenge for someone who has WAY too many clothes like I do. Many seasons, I struggle to get all my favorites worn before the next season rolls in. But I also have favorites I put on repeat every couple of weeks. Because really, NOBODY cares what I wear, except ME!
I have taken a photo every weekday and posted on Instagram, and THAT has been the most revealing thing. (Don’t worry – I won’t make you look at all 55 so far). I do get in a rut and tend to wear BLUE 75% of the time! I’m really trying to break that up. I also admire folks who take great outfit photos, because I give myself about 7 minutes every morning before I get in the car, and they get to be very much the same! I’m trying to avoid anywhere I’ll get dirty, or get shoes wet in the dew – sometimes a challenge on the farm…and if it’s raining, it’s the porch or wherever my husband is NOT…
My Fairy Blogmother Jodie says to take a photo of your outfit every day and that you’ll learn a lot. How right she is! Like: 1) how much I wear blue 2) you can tell by my expression either how much I liked the outfit, or how much of a hurry I was in, 3) there are about 5 locations in my garden in the morning where you can take a photo and stay clean with dry feet. I also love my mirrored sunglasses, which cover a multitude of sins and stupid facial expressions.
I also discovered when I REALLY like a print, I REALLY like it! See below for proof:
When I went to beach for a week with my girlfriends, I had a whole new segment to choose from!
My favorite thing of ALL is that beach coverup – it gets more laughs on the beach than you can imagine! It was given to me by my awesome mother-in-law, who wore it well into her eighties…
While it feels really vain to take photos of yourself every day, (I’m too self-conscious to let my husband watch and make him stay inside, away from the windows…) seeing that many photos of yourself does teach you what looks better and looks worse – like how to avoid double-chins and keep your eyes open. People who hate having thier photo taken do all the things that make them hate how they look in the photos, and so the cycle continues. Not looking pissed off is a good place to start, I find…
Genuinely being happy, or loving what you’re wearing, has the best chance of producing a good outcome, methinks.
I would encourage anyone to give this challenge a try (and check out Imogen as well)! You don’t have to show or tell anyone else, much less post to IG every day, but take photos for yourself. I bet you learn a LOT, and I’d love to hear about it.
Cheers, y’all! – MK
10 Comments
Connie Wright Stanley
I enjoy seeing your creative looks and I spotted how wonderful red looks on new clothes and lipstick. I wear exercise shorts and vneck tees daily swimsuits afternoons. I think I will try taking photos when I go out and then review those. I get something I love an wear it too often. Other problem lots of patterned skorts an pants but struggle with finding solid well fitting tops that work in year round warm weather. Closet is super thin gave away things that are too big or just don’t fit right. I have a new talbots blue jean jacket but it’s been too warm. Not really sure how to work it wanting a dressier look I rarely wear jeans and then black or white so any advice hit me with it.
mkmiller
Connie – my go-to for solid tops is Chico’s and Talbots, favorites of yours which have high-enough quality fabric not to lose their shape too soon – also Soft Surroundings. My suggestion for dressier looks for your FL weather would be dresses that you can dress up with accessories, or down with sandals and tennis shoes. I love linen and linen blends for hot humid weather as they don’t cling, especially once you embrace the wrinkles as part of the look. Finally, find someone there who does alterations, and get stuff altered to fit right!
jodie filogomo
Oh, there’s so much to comment on, but I’ll try to keep it short.
1- Sunglasses are a savior for so many reasons. Especially for a blog diva who shall remain nameless but she loves blue almost as much as you and is NOT related to me, haha!!
2-Isn’t it amazing how a photo a day can keep the frumpy away? I will be the first to admit though that photos are still not 100% accurate since we are 3-D and a photo is only 2-D. However, it’s still very telling.
3-I have found that it’s nice to look elsewhere for some photos too!!
4-This challenge is basically my mantra all year, LOL!! For some reason, I don’t like to repeat the exact outfit!!
5-With all of those fabulous prints in your closet, now I need to twist your arm to mix them all in one outfit. AT least once in your life, LOL!!!
OXOX
Jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
mkmiller
OK – I have a goal of print mixing now! I also plan to go a whole week without wearing blue, too….
Susan
I have enjoyed watching your journey mining your closet. One thing I noticed when I started IG is that I wear a lot of black, trying to fix that.
mkmiller
Thanks so much, Susan! Ditto about the black before IG – trying to add more color, and I enjoy it more too!
Gail
It’s great that you’re back – though have seen you on IG of course. I’m fascinated (and terrified) by your challenge. I find I rotate the same outfits all the time, whereas others don’t get a look in. You have a great range of expressions in your pictures – they don’t look posed. You look such fun and so joyful! Thanks for linking
mkmiller
Thanks so much, Gail! Your compliments mean a lot as I admire your blog. How about trying this challenge for 30 days and see if you can push the envelope?!?!?
mireille
Imogen always has some great tips! I loved seeing this variety in your outfits! I have been working on not shopping till the end of August and apart from a pair of pants I had been looking for on 2nd hand websites, I have kept it up. I am working on choosing some of the items I wear less since I still like them. It helps with creating variety and it is helping me make a list of what I may want to add later on. I do love shopping and it has been hard when going in a store like Tjmaxx or Target for something else to not look at the clothes!
http://www.chezmireillefashiontravelmom.com
mkmiller
I’ve had to stay away from the Talbots catalogs when they come in the mail, Mireille!