A maxi skirt...and a dress...in one!

Don't you just love it when you find a single item that is multipurpose?  Today's post is about an inexpensive maxi skirt I bought recently from one of my frequent shopping stops:  Ross Dress for Less.  Discount stores like Ross and TJMaxx are great places to find bargains but some shopping trips can be a "hit" while others can be total "miss".  Talk to the sales associates to find out what days and times the new weekly deliveries come in and when the new items will be put out on the floor to get the best selection at your local stores.

I spent a whole, whopping $10 on this black and white striped maxi skirt a few weeks ago at Ross! 

 

I bought this skirt thinking that I would just wear it as a casual, everyday kind of skirt but I later figured out a way to style it as a dress for more dressy occasions as well.  I like it when my money spent does double duty!



OUTFIT #1:  Maxi Skirt, Casual

 

Skirt:  Ross ($10)

Cami:  Target ($6)

Cardigan:  Forever 21 ($18)

Belt:  Ross ($6)

Sandals:  Anne Klein via Ross (old, < $20)

OUTFIT #2:  Skirt as Dress, Casual

 

Skirt: Ross ($10)

Cardigan: Forever 21 ($18)

Belt: Ross ($6)

Wedges: Aerosoles via Ross (old, < $25)

 



OUTFIT #3:  Skirt as Dress, Special Occasion

 

Skirt: Ross, $10

Cardigan:  TJMaxx, (old, < $15)

Belt: Ross, $6

Wedges: Aerosoles via Ross (old, < $25)

I know its nothing new, but I really like the idea of remixing or repurposing items in your wardrobe.  You save money because you're not shopping for new items as much, and what money you do spend is well spent because you get more wear out of the item.  However, shopping for items that can be repurposed and styled multiple ways is key!  Don't get me wrong, I definitely believe that you should have some unique, stand-out items in your wardrobe but don't forget the basics.  This used to be a major problem for me:  a closet full of nothing to wear!  I would have the hardest time trying to put outfits together because I never thought about how I could integrate an item into my existing wardrobe before I bought it.  I just bought it because I thought it was cute.  And because nothing in my closet went well together, I would often have to go out shopping again, spending more money, to put an outfit together!  My closet was a frustrating, money pit.  NO MORE!  I'm older, wiser, and a much better steward of my money.  Now when I'm shopping and I see something I really like, I force myself to STOP and THINK: 

1. Do I need this item for a particular purpose (ie. job interview, work, special occasion, good foundation wardrobe item like blazer or pencil skirt, etc) or do I just want it because it's cute or trendy? 
2. How can I style this item with pieces in my current wardrobe to create multiple outfits?  How much "wear" will I get out of this item?
3. Is the item really worth the price or can I find the same item or something similar for a better price elsewhere?  Does the price match the quality of the material and craftsmanship of the item?

If I don't have a good argument for these questions, then I have to leave the item in the store.  It's not always easy but with time it becomes easier to walk away.  The money I save makes me feel better!  Not to mention the time I save when getting dressed in the morning because my closet is more cohesive now, not a bunch of random, hodge-podge.  Along with having the closet organized and color coded, it's much easier to pull an outfit together.

 

Well, that's all I have for today.  Thanks for stopping by!

Wardrobe Do-Over

I have been busy taking inventory of my closet and I've decided its time to do a wardrobe do-over.  As I'm nearing the end of my grad school career, I need to starting building a more grown-up wardrobe.  I'm gaining some fashion confidence and discovering my own personal style so I'm breaking out of my plain-jane rut to include more stylish things in my closet.  My sense of style is changing but my closet does not fully reflect that.  But there is one small problem....I'm a graduate student!  I don't have the money to buy a completely new wardrobe so this will be process.  In the meantime, I'll continue to edit my closet, make lists of what I need and want to add, develop a clothing budget, and collect inspiration for more creative outfits using what I already have.  Take for instance, this outfit inspired by January Jones (via Polyvore):

Celebrity Inspiration: January Jones by connie-nicole featuring side zip boots

Nothing special about this outfit but I'm trying to do better about putting all of the items in my closet into a regular wear rotation.  I have a similar paisley burnout shirt from TJMaxx that I purchased months ago that still has the price tag on it, never worn....SHAME!  This is a bad habit of mine that I desperately need to break. 

The 30 for 30 Remix Challenge by Kendi, of Kendi Everyday blog fame, is a great idea.  I'm not currently participating in the challenge but it is inspiring me to put what I already have to better use.  Her blog has been a great source of inspiration for me; I love her style! 

Kendi of Kendi Everday (kendieverydayblogspot.com)

Kendi also did a series (Creating a Working Closet) on her blog that addressed assessing your closet, taking out the junk, and remixing to make the most out of your wardrobe.  This 5-step series (Purge, Assess, Organize, Shopping, and Remixing) has been very helpful to me.  After going through my closet, I realized I had alot of junk to purge (things I had not worn in forever, things that I should have let go years ago but didn't because I'm a pack-rat, things that I no longer want or can't remember why in the world I spent money on in the first place!).  To Goodwill they went!  Clearing out the junk and having the closet (somewhat) organized has made putting outfits together easier.  I started color coding my closet about a year ago but I still have a probelm with having clothes sitting and hanging in areas around my bedroom other than the closet.  And my shoes and accessories are not organized all that well but I'm working on it! 

After clearing the clutter, I started assessing the pros and cons of my wardrobe.  What are my good goes-with-just-about-everything pieces?, what is my wardrobe lacking?  Does my wardrobe reflect my current style and wardrobe needs? etc.  As I mentioned earlier, I don't feel that my wardrobe fully reflects my current style.  I also noticed that accessories and tops with brighter colors and patterns is what I am especially lacking in.  I have done some shopping but I have been much more mindful of:   how will the new item fit into my current wardrobe, is it one of the items that my wardrobe is lacking and that I need (not just something I want because its cute and on sale!), do I already have something similar in my closet, on what occasion will I wear it, how well does it fit (will alterations be needed & is it worth the cost of alterations), the quality, how much wear will I get for the price? 

Next, I started thinking about what items in my wardrobe have I not used to its full potential?  Can I put together 3 or more outfits/looks with each item in my closet?  I'm currently looking to celebrities, fashion magazines, fashion blogs, and Polyvore to get inspiration for remixing and including more color & accessories in my outfits.

This has all been such a fun process and recommend everyone do this - even if you're not looking to do a wardrobe overhaul like me but just for the sake of making your wardrobe as stylish and efficient as you can!