30 in 30 Challenge: Day 25

Took me a couple of tries to get the tripod and camera coordinated yesterday morning. First I chopped off the top of my head:



Then I cut off my feet:



Finally I tightened the connecting screw on the attachment piece and got it just right.



I was feeling very inspired and colorful yesterday, and there was just something about matching the purple with the green-teal that spoke to me. And really, the polka-dot blouse needs a dash of whimsy with it; it DEMANDS whimsy, don't you think?

(Although in the sad news department, I fear the blouse is soon to join the melon sweater in the trash heap. The ruffles continue to shred on the right side despite my best effort. They are beginning to look like a Lola Falana showgirl look, all feathers and ruffles and fringe. I wore my 30 pieces to pieces, it appears!)

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Splash0306 asked yesterday how I had time to blog and take photos in the morning. To start with, I am a super-early riser, and I like to spend a couple of hours playing around on the computer; I check FB, my emails, play some Mafia Wars, etc. But for blogging, I take my photos at the end of the morning, just as I am heading out the door. At night I download them to my computer and tweak them in iPhoto, and think about what I want to say in their accompanying post. I don't write it at night, as I am generally too wiped from the day; I go through my Google Reader and collect which posts from other bloggers that I want to reply to. Sometimes I reply that day but most of the time I collect them for about a week and go on a comment-spree on the weekends.

In the morning, I do my usual web-surfing and then write my post about yesterday's outfits and whatever else is sparking my interest. Then I shut off the computer, get ready for work, and let the cycle begin again. :)

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Confession time: I did break one of the rules of the challenge. I bought something. I'm not going to try to justify it; it had to happen, and I couldn't make it another 5 more days before I got it. I bought a winter wool coat. The pounds just didn't drop as fast as the temperatures did, alas! It's just a cheapie black wool coat from Target, but it will fill the temporary need. I am hoping I will be able to zip my white puffer before we reach the arctic temps; I am awful close! But the wool coats are all way far off in fitting.

That said, I am still restraining myself from random impulsive purchases until the end of the challenge. It's been a nice break, and a lot easier to do than I thought it would be. I am sure I will be a shopping fool in Vegas, and likely January as well; my style has changed from the dress/cardigan flop-proof outfits of last year to pants/cardigans this year, and that requires different length tops, cardigans, etc. I would also like to start incorporating more skirts back into the mix. But for now like I said on YLF last week, just the idea of being allowed to shop the rest of my current closet feels like a luxury. I can't wait to be able to dive back in!

Shoe Inventory, Fall/Winter Edition

Kayla over on Internal Sequin Issues did a brave, brave thing a couple weeks ago: she counted all the shoes in her closet. Now that I've finished out the final round of new footwear purchases for the season, I thought I would take an inventory myself. It's quite a lot.



There are 36 pairs in the photo, PLUS:
2 more pairs of heavy snow boots downstairs.
1 pair of running shoes
1 pair of aqua socks
2 pairs of flip-flops (for manicure days)
4 pairs of dressy party heels in boxes at the top of my closet

PLUS two containers of summer/spring shoes under the bed (uncounted)

So, 46 pairs so far. I'll do another compilation in the spring; in putting this together I did retire two pairs that I never wear and are not comfortable, and I imagine I will do the same then.

I even organized them by frequency of wear, style, and heel height. Doing so made me realize a very important fact:

I DO NOT NEED ANY MORE SHOES FOR THE NEXT TWO SEASONS.

In fact, I will even declare a shopping ban on shoes for the fall and winter. (I know, Shopping Friend!) I love shoes, and I love shoe shopping, but...I have all the shoes I need for my wardrobe right now. I've actually done a good job getting the right variety and comfort for my needs. So -- and I can't believe I'm saying this -- but I don't need any more shoes.

Let's look at what I have, and let me savor the moment.

The Heels



Comfort is key for me with my heels, and I prefer spending the money on a good pair that will last. I like proven brands, and I loooooooove the oxford bootie look.


-Black oxford brogues with chunky heel, Naturalizer
-Red patent heels, Franco Sarto
-Grey fabric bow booties, Naturalizer
-Blue suede booties with front cutout, Sofft


-Black/grey croc and patent buckled kitten heels, Franco Sarto (these are for pants so they're not getting worn much these days)
-grey patent oxford brogues, Franco Sarto
-same fabulous pair in burgundy
-brown suede oxfords, BCBG (probably my least favorite of all the heeled oxfords)


-brown Mary Janes, Naturalizer (may get donated after this year if they don't get worn; I've evolved beyond this style now)
-black square-toed shoes, Franco Sarto (everyone needs a pair like this that go with everything)
-tan perforated stiletto heels, BCBG (more of a spring/summer shoe, but I keep it out just in case I need a good nude)
-black leather pumps, Lifestyle


-plaid fabric peeptoe heels, Bandolino (summer shoes I kept out in case I wanted to try the peeptoe-with-tights look)
-black suede pointy pumps, Bandolino
-black leather pointy kitten-heel pumps, Circa Joan & David (sentimental favorites: they are the first really nice and pretty shoes I bought with Shopping Friend, and the ones that started me on the road to moving from ugly chunky shoes to my current shoes)
-tan-and-black kitten-heel patent brogues, Naturalizer

That whole row could be donated, I rarely wear any of them. We shall see where they stand at the end of the season.

Flats and Boots


I am cheaper about my flats, and I think I need to become more discerning. The ones I wear the least are the ones I've gotten at outlets or from Target. The comfort is just not there!


-black leather pointy flats with ribbon detail, DSW
-bronze jeweled pointy flats, Audrey Brooke at DSW
-brown patent croc ballet flats, Me Too
-black ballet flats, Me Too

That row is all my go-to flats. I wear those constantly.


-red Converse, Converse Outlet
-grey Converse, Converse Outlet
-grey tweed pointy flats, Ann Taylor Factory
-red patent bowed flats, Target
-brown croc patent pointy flats, Ann Taylor LOFT

I will probably donate the last 3 flats if I don't wear them this year, since I rarely wore them last year either.


-black faux Doc Martens, Grinder (not worn in almost 10 years. Hmm.)
-black leather ankle boots, Nine West
-toro-colored fitted heeled boots, Franco Sarto
-black fitted heeled boots, Franco Sarto

The Grinders should be donated, the ankle boots are new for this season, and the fitted boots are starting to show a lot of wear at the toes and are pretty loose on me now. Not sure if they'll make it the whole season, but I have other boots so they wouldn't be my first choice anyway.


-black leather cowboy-ish boots with brogue detailing, Vince Camuto
-plum patent lined weatherproof boots, La Canadienne
-brown riding boots with zipper in back, Franco Sarto
-patterned galoshes, Target

You all know how much wear the first 3 pairs are getting. :)

Do you see why a ban is in order? I love so many of these and I need to wear them as much as possible, and not allowing myself to buy more will definitely keep me rotating through what I have. So barring any major issues (like I hurt myself and have to wear flats every day) my no-shoe ban has begun.

Until the spring. Then it's every man for himself. ;-D

Stuff I Want: colored shoes, jersey dresses, and Target tops

I'm trying to stick to my shopping ban (and certainly my last credit card bill has encouraged me to stay the course), but wow, there are some great pieces I would love to add to my wardrobe. They're not quite fall pieces yet, but just all-around wants.

Like some shoes. I've realized I have almost all black or neutral/nudes. I need some colors!

I torn between these two red heels: these Chinese Laundry pumps recommended by Kari...



...or these Franco Sarto's over on Piperlime.



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I'm also considering a new pair of Converse: either red (hmm, is that a theme?), or these from my alma mater. Heheheheh, those just make me laugh!

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This easy breezy summer look has me wishing I had a full skirt because I would love to try it. I did just buy a giraffe print full skirt for $5 from Cute on the Cheap (okay, maybe my shopping ban isn't ironclad), but it might end up being too big.



Maybe these eyelet skirts on sale at ON would be better. I love the tahiti blue one!



As long as I am confessing my purchases, I also bought this one from Cute on the Cheap for $10. If it fits, I can add a camisole and it'll be a great weekend dress. I think the color will be very flattering.



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Back to shoe lust. These Frye boots are pretty great, right? Ridiculously out of my price range, of course.



These Seychelle ankle-strap flats are also too rich for my blood, but I just love the color and design!



Sadly, I do need a plain pair of black pumps too. These BR stacked heels are probably the ones I should order, especially since they are ridiculously marked down.



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There are still a couple of summer/casual items I'm wanting. These ON dresses keep hanging out in my shopping basket.







(For Fall)


I love dresses like those because you can do so much with them. Add leggings, tights, sweaters, boots, sandals, scarves, etc. I have one in black like this -- where it takes on the personality of the accessories I wear with it -- and I would love to get some others in colors.

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Lastly, there are a couple of tops I have my eye on, even though I really, REALLY do not need any new tops. I have plenty. I have plenty. Stop looking at them!

But this Gap one could be a great replacement for my other banded top, which is way way too big. Not sure about the beige base color, though...




I'd like to find a tie-neck vee blouse, and this Target one has a good price and a pretty color and pattern.



I find the pattern on this Target tank fascinating; it's small enough not to take over an outfit, but interesting enough that I keep coming back to it. Would be great as a layering piece, don't you think?



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If I had to narrow it down, I really want:
-one of the red heels
-red Converse
-purple Seychelles
-the 2 Target tops
-all the ON and BR stuff

Actually, Gap/BR/ON is starting its Friends & Family 30% off sale tomorrow. I could get the skirt, dresses, and BR shoes...

...

Shopping bans suck. Just sayin'.

Wednesday: Where's the color?

I know, right? No color at ALL!

No remixed items either, but I just could not put off wearing my Michelle Obama dress any longer. I love it so much; the knit bottom is as soft as pajamas, and the top pattern is so striking on the silky fabric. I would have gone without a sweater, but I knew I was going to be in a cold training room all day and I needed something on my arms. Next time!

Dress: Ann Taylor, on mega sale ($160 down to $59)
Shoes: nude pumps, 3 years old
Sweater: black bolero, ATF

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Ohhhhh, my shopping ban is killing me. There are so many items online that I want to get! I don't even dare go into a store; I would never make it. I think I'll do another post tonight of all the items tempting me...maybe it'll help.

Tuesday: Remix dress

If I could draw big sparkly hearts around this dress, I would. I am completely in love with the colors -- the purples aren't coming out as much in this shot, but they go so perfectly with the teals and blues it makes me grin every time I look at it. It fits like a dream, it's pretty and professional and the knit drapes well and doesn't cling.

I've worn it more than any other piece of clothing I've bought since losing weight, and I am so delighted that it still fits. Today was the first time I've been able to wear it without a cardigan over it, and I discovered that the sleeves have adorable little gathers in the middle. I never knew that!

Dress: AB Studio, Kohls
Shoes: black peeptoe cloth wedges with ankle straps, ATL
Camisole: blue Caslon, Nordstroms

Also, why am I am on a shopping ban right now? Why, why, why? Waaaaaaant.

The Remix Challenge

Funny thing happened as I was picking out my outfit for dinner last night; as I went to grab that brown banded sweater, I thought, "Gosh, I bought this almost a month ago, I hope it still fits!"

Because that's what my closet has been like since January; things never lasted more than a month, sometimes even less, because I shrunk out of it. So to have stabilized is still something of a shock. I eye things I bought in May with suspicion; how could it possibly still look good?

In some cases, I am right; the fabulous black ruched dress is sagging on me everywhere. I can spin my hips around in it, and the dress stays put while I move. The pale green open cardigan from ATL has long been packed away. Yet a few items have stayed, either due to alterations (I took in the straps of the polka-dot dress) or by sheer dint of its flexibility (I think this black shapeless BR dress will survive a holocaust, at this rate).

But for the most part, when I grab a piece of clothing out of my closet, I am pretty much guaranteed that it will still fit. It's taking some getting used to, but I am enjoying the change. Now the fun lies in mixing up what I have, learning how to rotate pieces so they can be repeated without fanfare or guilt, putting together new combos of old favorites.

Wow, I get to HAVE "old favorites" again!

Hopefully, this enjoyment will slow down the buying spree I have been on; I'm at the point where I don't really need anything else, at least not until it gets much, much colder. So I can take this time while I am on a shopping ban (a real one now, LOL) and learn to appreciate what's already in my closet.

To that end, I'm issuing myself a challenge: this week's (and next, since I will be off work on Thursday and Friday) outfits will all include "remix" items. That will be the theme of the outfit, to incorporate an old favorite in a new way, or to make it the centerpiece of the outfit. I will even post a link to the original time I wore it, so I can see the difference.

Yeah, I like this idea. I know just the outfit I want to wear to kick it off!

Anyone want to join the challenge with me?

Weekly Goals: Diet, Exercise, and Fashion

Yesterday was a strange day, eating-wise. I started off just fine, grabbing a bar on my way to my WW meeting (down 3 pounds from the last weigh-in!), and then I was off to the farmer's market and grocery store where I stocked up on all kinds of good stuff for the week. I had a second bar on my travels, which kept me from buying any of the tempting baked goods at the farmer's market. I was being proactive!

Then I got home at lunchtime, and everything went downhill. I ate at Chipotle, drank beer all afternoon, ordered pizza for dinner, heck I even had ice cream before the day was through. Not one "real" piece of food crossed my lips all day. I'm not even sure why -- of course the alcohol turning off all my inhibitors and sense of responsibility was a huge factor -- but I don't know what prompted me to have the beer in the first place. Boredom maybe, or the freedom of having a day with no responsibilities, or...who knows? I don't particularly feel guilty about it; there was an impact on the scale of course, but nothing's permanent. I don't want to repeat it, though.

Anyway, it got me to look back at my Food Tracker (yay for journaling my food!), and I did notice that the days where I went more off the rails than others are usually the day that I start off with a MF bar instead of oatmeal or yogurt&berries. So this week's Diet Goal is to save the MF bars for mid-day meals, not as the first one of the morning.

I don't think the bar is to blame for my issues, but it's like I commented at my WW meeting yesterday: when I go on vacation, I make it a point to utilize the hotel gym or pool first thing in the morning. Even though I may have a walking-filled day ahead of me, getting in some serious exercise right at the start stimulates and motivates me to make better choices throughout the day. So if I start the day with a healthy, filling, WW-style breakfast, I will be more likely to think about the rest of my food through the day that way. Whereas eating a MF bar is just "2 points of fuel" for me, and the candy-like flavors tend to trigger junk food cravings in my lizard brain. They're great for a 3pm meal, but not in the morning, at least not for me right now. I've got to remember that.

My Exercise Goal is to again get in 5 days. I managed to up it by one more day this week, and I'm still frustrated by the cool weather keeping me from the pool, but I want to make this happen. I am loving running, and today I will be going on a long hike with friends. So that will be 4 days = 1 hiking, 3 of the Couch-to-5K program. What will be my 5th exercise? Hmmmm...ooooh, my niece is visiting this week, and I've been talking to Hubby about renting a kayak for myself while the two of them go fishing on his new boat. If we can't get to the pool, then kayaking it will be!

My Fashion Goal is three-fold:
1. I need to sort through my boxes of clothes in the basement, and rearrange them by size. I have a couple of friends who are looking for some particular sizes and I want to share what I have. Shopping Friend suggested a clothing swap with our friends; now I have to figure out who to invite!
2. Want to continue to rotate all the new summer pieces I've added lately, and continue to cull out anything that is just too big, or new and needs to be returned.
3. Now that I am out of the shoe department LOL, the shopping ban is back in place!

That's the plan for this week. I think I can stick to it.

Shoe Money To-night!

Reasons I Broke My Shopping Ban 24 Hours After I Created It:

1. I lost 3 pounds this week.
2. Shopping Friend enticed me, mainly by waving a pretty shoe in my face and then telling me it looked cute. She claims she was not encouraging me, but let's be real. :)
3. The salesman told me it was the last in my size (and it was at NAS, so I believed him).
4.
5.

Come ON. I am only so strong, people!!

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But here's the question: do I keep them?

The bronze Michael Kors Websters are pretty much guaranteed a 'yes'. I've been really wanting a uber-trendy pair of shoes, and these totally fit the bill. They're metallic, open-faced, peeptoe, platforms, and I think with a great pair of tights they can continue to be worn through the fall and winter. They look killer without hose too.





The only hesitation will be the comfort. I've learned I can do a 4" heel, even all day, but it's got to be a particular kind of heel for it to work. I'll definitely wear these around the house before I make a final decision; they were fine in the store, but they were starting to tire me out just during the poses. Hrm.

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The other pair is a gorgeous Chinese Laundry neutral cage heel called Love Me. They weren't on sale but they were reasonably priced and just stunning. They also came in black, which we didn't try. But the thing is, I can't quite figure out where I would wear them, and I think I need to have a place to wear them to justify keeping them. We do have a wedding to attend in September, and I'd like to wear one of the two pretty new dressy dresses I've already bought.

The question is, do the nude cage heels work with either one, or should I stick with the black platform heels I already have? I need to keep both dress options open because who knows what the weather will be like by then. (Keep in mind, I will still have to buy a clutch, and possibly a wrap.)

Nude cage heels with black ATL dress:


Black platform heels with black ATL dress:


Nude cage heels with "Michelle Obama" AT sheath dress:


Black platform heels with "Michelle Obama" AT sheath dress:


What's the verdict? I'm genuinely undecided.



P.S. Bonus points to anyone who recognizes where the blog subject line came from!

Tuesday: Shopping Ban Announcement

Looking at today's outfit, it's hard to believe it's the middle of July! Where the heck is summer? Sheesh.

Top: White crochet-neck ATL cotton top, purple AT boyfriend sweater
Scarf: from the Brookfield Zoo (!!)
Bottom: navy BR stretch pants
Shoes: brown croc patent Me Too flats

I bought this scarf a couple of years ago on a random trip to the local zoo. I have no idea what possessed me to buy it, and I think I've maybe only worn it once. But I love the colors and it finally came in handy on yet another cool summer day.



So pretty! Now if only that loose mesh knit wasn't already falling apart...

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I picked up all my new items from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, including the taupe leather trench. I know that I need everything for the upcoming season, and everything I bought is gorgeous and definitely all statement pieces that I will use to death, but...the amount I just dropped is giving me heart palpitations. Like I always do, I will do a fashion show for Hubby tomorrow, and will definitely keep the tags on everything until I decide for sure to keep it, but I think something stronger needs to take place as well.

I need to go on a shopping ban.

Now, in general shopping bans haven't been a good idea for me, particularly the last six months; it was foolish to not allow myself to buy clothes when my size was changing so drastically. But it's not really doing that now, and in order to really appreciate all the NAS fall clothes I just bought -- and to really utilize all the still-new summer clothes I have -- I think a shopping ban might be a very beneficial experience for me.

Better still, I know the perfect incentive and time frame: I will be on a shopping ban until I reach my goal weight.

If that doesn't spur me on to finishing off the end of the diet phase, honey, nothing will.

The only rule about the ban will be if I return something I can purchase something else of similar or lesser value. I was sneaky tonight -- I made sure I returned everything I already knew I was returning *before* I instituted the ban; so if I really want to buy something new, I have to return something I haven't worn yet and have the tags still on. (Which is a lot more clothes than you would think.)

There you have it. I am now officially on a shopping ban.

Wish me luck!