2010 ultimate wardrobe challenge

Here’s the crazy challenge I mentioned in my last post. The 2010 ULTIMATE WARDROBE CHALLENGE!!!

The rules:

• For 6 months, I do not spend money on ANYTHING fashion-related at retail. Any new items can only be hand-made, thrifted, or gifted. Or borrowed if I get totally desperate. If I’m knocking at your door, sobbing about how I NNNEEEEEEEDDDD cuuuuuuteeeeee jaaaaaaaaaaaccccckkkkkkkkkeettttt plllleeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaase… you’ve been warned at least. Jonathan’s closet is fair game, too, so long as I don’t take scissors to any of it. Accessories, shoes, jewelry, outerwear… all count. No new stuff. Even if I don’t have a thrift substitute.
• I have exceptions. My approved list of purchases: socks/tights/undergarments, super basics limited to white and black tees and tanks because they need replaced frequently.
• Wear everything I own at least once. If I hate it, I have the option to remodel it. Dye, chop, shorten, whatever. But I have to wear it. Even jewelry. That’ll teach me not to purchase something just cuz it’s $2.
• Post my outfits weekly here on the blog. Or daily? What do you think? I am thinking a weekly round-up might be fun, especially if they get kind of whacktastic, like the day I have to wear my poncho. Just kidding. I totally don’t own a poncho.
• Write down my covet/want/lust for stuff. If I still want it when the year is up, I earned it. Also, sometimes I have a sneaking suspicion my closet is only lacking like 5 crucial items, and if I knew what they were and owned those 5 items, life would be complete and every outfit would be perfect. And maybe I’ll find out.
• I get 2 free passes to purchase. An event like a tropical vacation, wedding, or the heel breaks on my only pair of brown boots means I get to purchase something. I will try to stick to used, but I get 2 guilt-free passes if I don’t.

Now, for the WHY of it.

• Saves money. Turns out I spend a lot of dough on clothes/junk jewelry. It’ll be an easy way to cut expenses, which is one of my resolutions in 2010.
• Makes me more creative. Some of my best outfits are constructed when I’m out of clean clothes {or, more accurately, I’m down to only really random items} yet I still have to look presentable at work. People are all like “duuuuude, pin stripe pencil skirt and hello kitty tee shirt- GENIUS!” And I’m secretly relieved people “get it” and when they don’t at least they are like “you’re young, you can get away with anything. So pretty much I have only a few more years to pull this off without looking like a douche. Or, I might, but after 30 I’m a douche that should know better. Boring.
• I get dressed every single day. And it can be totally fun. I genuinely like the daily challenge. Saving money can be kind of a game.

Anyone want to join in? I start TODAY. I will evaluate at 6 months and decide if I can press on. Here we go with 6 months of shopping in my own closet!*

*yep, those are pictures inside my closet. Looks so much neater in person.

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