The hospital II (zero glamour!)

Tomorrow is the kick-off of the very first Shop My Closet 365-mini challenge. I'm looking forward to sharing this experience with you, and for those of you who are not quite ready to start yet, there will be another mini-challenge next month.

Day 21 - Outfit 21

Day 2 in the hospital was even less glamorous than day 1...but seriously, who dresses up for a day surrounded by illness and pain. I guess a true fashionista would look fashionable for any occasion...well, then it is confirmed, I'm not a fashionista...yet.

Beaver Creek sweatshirt (maybe not the best choice since it is a ski resort and my husband got hurt in a skiing accident), jeans (that have seen better days) and funky sneakers (at least something is funky). Oh, and by the way...I am as tired as I look. I have not slept much since the whole ordeal started. Luckily, there is always tomorrow.

The hospital

Today there will not be much of a blog, since it has been a real doozie!

Day 20 - Outfit 20

This outfit screams: I found out my husband broke his leg, threw on anything I could, drove to the hospital, then rushed to check-out of the hotel in the ski resort, drove 2 hours to Longmont United Hospital (where he was transported by ambulance and underwent an almost 4 hr operation), and just got home at 12:45. All in all, not a very pleasant day. (the photo is of me in the waiting room while Iwan is being operated on - no glamour whatsoever)

The "IT" bag - regular shops

After falling in love with a few designer bags, but forcing myself to quickly fall out of love when I saw the prices, I realized I had to be more realistic and go visit a few regular "high street" shops. Below are some of their offerings: 

Banana Republic - $250



Forever 21 - $25

Guess - $95



J Crew - $228




Ann Taylor - $148



I found a few good bags, but the prices are still not where I want them to be (to fit in my teeny budget), so I might have to make alternative arrangements. Outlets, Sales, TJ Max and Marshalls, here I come! (The Forever 21 bag is cheap, but it looks cheap too - not exactly the look I'm going for)

Day 18 - Outfit 18

Snuggly ski resort outfit. Sweater, jeans and Uggs. 

Trend - The "IT" bag - designers' examples

I've been drooling over the designers' offerings and now I will share some with you.

All of the pictures below are courtesy of the Bergdorf Goodman website: http://www.bergdorfgoodman.com/

Chloe



Fendi



Lanvin



Marc Jacobs



Prada

Valentino

Gucci



Dior



Day 17 - Outfit 17

This outfit should not really appear on the same page as any of the bags above.

This outfit does not scream or whisper stylish, but we had to get up early and drive to Keystone for a weekend in the mountains and the only thing I could think of was to be as warm as possible. Pringle scarf, BCBG sweater, jeans and black leather booties.

 

Trend: The "IT" handbag

The handbag of the season, seen on runways during NY and London Fashion Week is the flap/flap-over bag (preferably with a longer strap) reminiscent of 70's. This is proving to be slightly problematic for me because I do not own a bag like that and I'm not sure if my strict shopping budget will allow me to go out and get one (well, definitely not designer). I guess the only thing I can do is to put my bargainista hat on and search for one in my price range that looks good, is good quality and will hold everything that I need in my handbag.

Which brings me to my second problem with the "it" bag of the season. Is it big enough? Well, I'll find out soon enough when I'm standing in the middle of a shop, packing all my necessities into my potential purchase. To function I need: wallet (its pretty big), make-up bag (full of lipstick and any kind of pill or plaster I might need), cell phone, pen and sunglass case. Not a crazy amount of things, but still, it takes some space.

Let's hope it works. I'll blog a pic of my finds.

Day 17 - Outfit 17

 

Grey sweater, bright pink Ralph Lauren top, crystal ball necklace, jeans and sneakers

Spring Trend 2011: Bold Colours

One of the exciting trends for Spring, is the amazing bold and vibrant colour that you see everywhere. When I look at my winter wardrobe, I am so bored with all the dark and gloomy colours, so I am really looking forward to Spring and wearing more happy colours like, bright pinks, orange, greens, yellow (well, maybe not yellow, since it doesn't look very good on me), coral and bright blues. 

On my shopping spree in NYC, I purchased some items in beautiful bright colours and I must say, they really made me feel slightly perky. Just trying them on made me feel good. Don't get me wrong, I will never give up my blacks, greys and browns, but every now and then, "one does need a hint of colour" (as Nathan Lane said in "The Birdcage").

When Spring comes, you can expect to see me follow this colorful trend in a lot brighter outfits...come-on Spring!

Day 16 - Outfit 16

Cobalt blue sweater, skinny jeans and leather boots.

The Challenge

Announcing the 365 Mini Challenge!

Who would like to take part in the March 2011 Shop-my-closet-365-mini-challenge? I believe my friend Fashionista might be interested. Anyone else?

Rules:

1. You can only spend $_ on clothes this month (you decide on an amount that will be challenging)

2. Take a photo every day and send it to me at shopmycloset365@gmail.com. I will post a weekly collage.

3. Wear a different outfit each day of the month

4. The challenge takes 31 days

5. Write a list of your top 5-10 challenges in taking part in the challenge

6. Write a list of your top 5-10 successes

Any takers? Let me know. I can't wait to share this experience with you.

Day 15 - Outfit 15

Grey Calvin Klein sweater, Jeans and blinky ballet flats

NYC - Day 13 & 14

Being a tourist is really hard work. You wake up early, spend the entire day walking/shopping/sightseeing/discovering then return to your hotel, fall into bed and start all over the next day.

For that reason, and the fact that I was not only mentally tired, but also physically, I had no strength to post a blog last night. In fact, I’m pretty chuffed with myself for even succeeding in doing so on Saturday.

Yesterday, I succeeded in achieving one of my shopping goals. I managed to get to H&M. Unfortunately, a visit to Zara is still just a great dream and not a reality at all. As us girls went into H&M, we were happy because the guys went to do their own thing so we thought we would be able to spend loads of time in there. Hmmm….not so much. After 30 minutes, they came to get us. I, armed with numerous items of clothes would have none of it, so we continued to shop. In the dressing room, I received a call. Him: “Where are you?” Me: “in the dressing room. I’ll call you when we are done”. Which was true, but I may have neglected to mention that I had 23 items to try on, so it would not be very soon. (I know it was 23 items, because they only allow 7 in the dressing room at any time, so I had to go back and forth with armfuls of clothes 4 times.).

I finally narrowed the 23 items down to 7, when I remembered my new $200 minimum per month, so some serious editing was in order. Nadia helped me.

We narrowed it down (about an hour and a half and another phone call into the experience) to 3 items that I could not live without:

1. A fabulous little dress that had 3 fashion trends in one: Colour blocking, Bright, bold colours for Spring (coral and pink) and 60-70’s cut. (more on those trends soon).

2. A bright multi coloured top with a bright fun print.

3. A mocha/terracotta/caramel colored dress.

Total spent: $130

Total left for Feb: $70 (eeeeekkkkk!!!!!)

Day 13 - Outfit 13

Yesterday was so freaking cold, and I was silly enough to think that this outfit would keep me warm. When you are walking downtown and the icy wind is blowing through your scarf, gloves, jeans and thick down coat, you know its not your usual fun touristy weather. Luckily the sun came out later and my feet stopped burning (from the cold).

Day 14 - Outfit 14

 

This morning we woke up to a very white NYC. I needed an outfit that would be comfortable to travel in (leggings), keep me warm (thick sweater dress) and keep my feet dry (leather boots). Note to self: if you immerse your foot in a ankle high puddle, some water will seep through the zipper area and no leather on this planet will be 100% waterproof. Brrrrr!!!

NYC

We are up early today and ready to take NYC by storm. Once again I'll be visiting this great city as a tourist and doing all the typical touristy things. The closest that I will come to Fashion Week, was last night when we drove past Bryant Park, just one day after it ended - the empty tent. I let out a very unhappy cry...who knows, maybe next season?

Being in New York has reminded me that I miss seeing so many stylish people everywhere. If you stop looking at the sites, and just look at everyone around you, it's enough to give you some serious fashion envy.

On my list of places to visit today (except for all the usual touristy things): H&M and Zara - whoohoo. Let's go, I still have my $200 clothing allowance for February left to burn... (Don' worry - I'll share all my purchases)

Day 12 - Outfit 12



Sales - yay!

It’s that time again…long-weekend. Monday is President’s day and in honour of this public holiday (not for everyone, since not all companies give people off on this day), loads of shops are having sales – yay!

The following places have sales till Monday Feb 21^st:

J Crew:

20% Off if you spend over $150 – online only – use code: FABFEB

http://www.jcrew.com/index.jsp

Timberland:

20% Off & free shipping if you spend over $100 – stores and online – use code: PRES11

Loft by Ann Taylor:

25% off full price purchase - online and in store – use code: PRESIDENT

http://www.anntaylorloft.com/catalog/category.jsp?pCategoryId=3359&categoryId=1720&Ns=CATEGORY_SEQ_1720&No=0&gridSize=sm&N=1200003&cid=E0003505

The Limited:

30% off Cardigans

40% off select shirt styles

http://www.thelimited.com/category/whats-new/special-offers/300?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=promo_offer&utm_source=body&utm_content=021711

Forever 21:

President’s day 2-fer sale (not sure what this entails yet)

http://www.forever21.com/category.asp?catalog_name=FOREVER21&category_name=Promo_PresDayDeals&Page=all&PromoType=2

Calvin Klein:

30% Off

http://www.calvinklein.com/home/index.jsp?camp=em_presiday_021711_img

Yay for the SALES – just a pity I’ll be missing them since I’ll be in NYC. (not that I’m complaining!)

Day 11 - Outfit 11

Military style Loft cardigan, black wide-legged capris, black leather boots

Cobalt Blue Two

In honour of the colour of the season, I've decided to take a photo of some of the cobalt blue in my closet...I really love that colour.

Looks like I'm going to have a really great time wearing this trend.

A few more designers who had Cobalt Blue ensembles in their collections at NY Fashion Week - Fall 2011 are: Anna Sui, BCBG Max Azria, L'Wren Scott, Isaac Mizrahi, Halston and Tommy Hilfiger.

Day 10 - Outfit 10

I decided to wear my all-the-shades-of-blue scarf to celebrate Cobalt Blue. 

Trends: Cobalt Blue

A trend at this year’s NY Fashion Week Fall, 2011 is: Cobalt Blue!!! Yay! I love that colour and I’m so glad its playing such a huge roll on the runway this year. The collections of Dianne von Furstenburg (love!), Farah Angsana, Derek Lam, Nicole Miller, Lela Rose and Adam Lippes (and a few more) all include one or more outfits that feature this colour in all its brilliant dark-bright-bluey-ness.

This would be a great trend to follow – not only do a own a few cobalt blue/partially cobalt blue pieces, but I also love wearing that colour and I happen to get compliments when I wear it, so all in all – a very welcome trend indeed!

Yay Cobalt!

Day 9 – Outfit 9

Cashmere twin set, Simply Vera Wang skirt & leather boots (not any cobalt blue in sight - oops)



Prices??

Amidst all the loveliness of NY Fashion week, the ugly truth of inflation and underperforming crops rear its ugly head. It is reported that cotton prices, labour costs and real estate in China is climbing at a fast pace which means that US (and other) retailers now have to pay China about 30% more for clothing. The cotton price is at a 150 year high!

In a climate where customers want/need to pay less for clothes, more so than ever before (off course with the exception of the Great Depression), this is going to cause a raise in the price of clothes by about 10%, starting as early as next month.

10%!!!! Now I ask you with tears in my usually-blue eyes…how can one become a bargainista when all the prices are going up? (especially since I’m used to falling prices) I mean really…the economy is recovering, but not at such a pace. Companies are doing better, but they aren’t hiring new people now, so most people can only purchase clothes if they stay cheap or become cheaper.

Well, I guess that will make my job to stay within my $200 budget per month just a bit tougher…10% tougher. The only thing I can do is to become the bargain shopper that I know I can be and prove that you don’t have to spend thousands to look good. I’m going to have to spend a lot more time than usual in the shops, I’ll hunt down those bargains and if I get good ones, I’ll share them with you all. For those of you in England or South Africa, if you see any sales near you and you think it might be worth sharing with others, let me know – I’ll happily post some of them. Shopmycloset365@gmail.com.

Day 8 – Outfit 8

Hair: Au natural – yes, my hair is curly, something that I didn’t find out until 2002/3 when I was for once in my life too lazy to blow-dry my hair straight (I knew there was an annoying “Splash” mermaid-like wave in my hair, but I didn’t know that it was just plain curly).

 Sweater: Grey and navy from Simply Vera Wang (looks a bit boring, but it’s cuter in person)

T-shirt: who knows?

Jeans: Tommy Hilfiger

Shoes: Sparkly silver Kenneth Cole
Mmmm...this outfit looks really boring on the photo - at least cute little Bewley is making it a bit more interesting. I promise, it really doesn't look that bad in real life.

Trends - The Maxi dress

There are so many fabulous trends this year, but one of my favourites is the maxi dresses. I can usually not be credited with the term “trendsetter” (except when I started wearing ballet flats before they were in – I bought some bronze flat Jimmy Choos – they were awesome and I wore them before the trend, so it does happen on the very-very-odd occasion).

Anyway, one of my favourite things to wear in Spring and Summer over the past 3-4 years is maxi dresses and slowly but surely, they became more and more trendy, and they are still here during NY Fashion Week 2011. I say “Yay, maxi-dresses”! They can hide a multitude of sins (unless they are too clingy off course), like belly fat, saggy butts and cankles  (I do not admit to having of those, by the way).

Fall 2011 is full of long flowy dresses and skirts teamed up with loose chunky sweaters & boots, funky jackets or just great accessories, mixing hard and soft and adding great texture to your outfit.

This spring, I’ll continue wearing my maxi dresses and not feel “so last season” and then in Fall/Autumn, I’ll do the same. Wait a minute…it is still Winter, so watch this space, I’ll start wearing the long dress/skirt & chunky sweater look earlier than September. Yay for Fall/Autumn Fashion week coming to a magazine/website/youtube video near you in February. It gives you a chance to feel like a trendsetter!

 Day 7 - Outfit 7

Today was supposted to be a great day (weather wise), so I got dressed in a cashmere cardigan, flowery-printed skirt with peek-a-boo lace trimming (another trend in 2011) and blingy ballet-flats. Unfortunately the weather was not that great - in a state where you have 300 days of sunshine, an unexpected cloudy day can be a real bummer. Luckily I had pink and purple flowers to make me feel like Spring is on its way! (and to say Happy Valentines Day)



Sunday Blues

Its Sunday.

I've got the Blues.

Not even blogging about Fashion Week will help right now, so I'll continue tomorrow. 

The End

Day 6 - Outfit 6

Chunky Calvin Klein Grandpa Sweater, plaid shirt, skinny jeans and Uggs. (I think Bewley approves) Comphy outfit for some last minute shopping before our guests arrive...one can't have guests without plug-in air freshners from Bath and Body Works.  

Stuff you, recession!

Today I went shopping with my friend Lesleigh - shockingly, we bought nothing, but that's a-whole-nother blog post.  As we walked around in the Cherry Creek Mall's Saks Fifth Avenue, I started feeling a bit sad. This 20 year old store is closing its doors - according to a sales person, it's the 7th Saks store in the country that is shutting down and there are more still to close.

This recession is bad, its really bad - I know it's bad everywhere, but I don't think that people know exactly how hard America is being it by this.  Last weekend I went to another mall - Flatirons - and what I saw there was even worse. There were a few empty stores in Cherry Creek, but in Flatirons I was surprized by the shops that were either shut down in January or are in the process of throwing their final close-down sale: Guess, Abercrombie & Fitch (what???) Restoration Hardward, Fossil, Ultimate Electronics...to name a few. Not even Christmas could save these huge stores from closing their doors.

If I have to look at the bright side (and I do), I'm thinking that maybe H&M will finally come to Colorado, or how about Zara? I really miss you guys, please come, we'll be happy to have you. My monthly spending on clothes and shoes  will go down drastically this year, but that doesn't mean that I should stay out of the shops. Oh no, I'm ready to go out and find me some bargains. I might not turn into a fashionista, but in this day and age, I'll settle for a bargainista!

Day 5 - Outfit 5

Colouful Vera Wang dress, black long/loose cardigan, leather boots and Mulberry bag.

The clothes make the woman?

For years I was always a bit of a snappy dresser. I remember in University always getting compliments about my clothes and my friends tell me that they thought I was always so well dressed for a student. Then work life came and I embraced getting dressed in office wear and killer heels, in fact, I loved it. Things changed a bit when I moved to London, not only because the budget was a bit tighter than before (or rather, my mom didn't contribute to my wardrobe anymore), the cobblestone streets messed up  my killer heels and taking the London Underground to work and back really took its toll on my clothes. You are probably wondering how the tube can affect your clothes, but really, it does, you sit on dirty seats, the same seat on which some yob stuck their gum to, or the guy who still smelled like last night clubbing leaves his putrid odor on and lets not forget that the trains are not perfect havens of peace and temperature control...in fact, its overcrowded, and usually too hot, so you feel slightly icky lots of times when you travel during peak times. (don't get me wrong, I love the convenience of the Tube - but my clothes didn't like it much)

Now, for the past almost 4 years, I've been living in Colorado. Its a great state with lots of natural beauty and fantastic things to do for active people, but since I'm not the hiking, mountain biking, fishing-type girl, there isn't much for me here. I also feel like this is kind-of, the place (not the epicenter, but somewhere in the most outer perimeter) where fashion came to die. I'm not saying that all Coloradoans lack taste and style and have bad wardrobes, because that is definitely not the case, I'm merely saying that my type of fashiony, high-heeled, fabulously dressed and coiffed style is hard to find - not in stores, but on the streets, and in restaurants. The first time I got all dressed up and went to a middle-of-the-line restaurant with my husband, I could not believe my eyes: the woman at the table next to us was wearing old jeans, sneakers and a t-shirt. A few tables down, another woman was wearing a tracksuit and the other was wearing jeans and a hoodie - and they were not the only ones. I felt completely over-dressed, but I didn't start to dress down until a bit later. It happened so slowly, that I didn't even notice it myself, until it was too late.

I sometimes walk in Nordstom or Saks Fifth Avenue, and look at some of the woman around me, because while this woman is shopping in this fabulous store, dropping $2-3 grand on spectacular designer pieces, she's wearing yoga pants and a t-shirt, and I'm wondering to myself..."when do these woman wear these things...cause I sure as hell don't see them in it - except in very fancy restaurants" 

Now I finally come to the point of this post. Do the clothes make the woman? I most certainly hope not, in fact, I know not. Since moving here, I've started dressing down a lot, but I'm still me, just a less glamorous me. I very rarely wear heels and flashy outfits, because I got tired of always looking over-dressed and in the process, I feel like I'm loosing a little bit of ME. Not the person that I am, but my hobby, one of my favourite ways of expressing myself. I can't paint, draw, sew, or write very beautifully, but for me fashion is art, and wearing it is a way to express myself. With this blog and my 365 challenge, I'm going to get me back. I'm going to slowly get into the habit of wearing what I want to and not caring what anyone thinks. So what if I'm overdressed, I'm over-dressed for me, and I love it! (well, hopefully I'll get there slowly but surely - I have a whole year to try). Dressing up or dressing down...I'm still just me...albeit a less fashionable me...

Day 4 - Outfit 4

 

Exhibit A of a less fashionable me: Casual Friday (not that the rest of the week is not casual, but what the hey!). Shocking pink Calvin Klein Zip-up sweater, black scarf, jeans and my mermaid Ed Hardy's.

My Style

My closet is a bit odd. Pretty much like my taste in music, which I think is kind of eclectic. I like everything from Beethoven to Metallica with a few stops at David Gray, 50 Cent, Smashing Pumpkins and anything in between.

My closet is full of expensive things, bargains, classic pieces, trends, boring stuff, interesting items, the blah the bland and the cool.

This project is in no way meant to be the tale of a fashionista. I've never claimed to be one. I do however claim to have relatively good taste most of the time and I do love fashion, designers, shoes, handbags, looking pretty and dressing up.

My shoe crush of the week is:





Dynamo and Jimmy Choo Project Limited Edition lovelies

I drooled over these beauties when I first saw them online,unfortunately they were only sold online at http://www.jimmychoo.com/ and in the Jimmy Choo Boutiques in Rome and Milan - plus, I'd have to spend A LOT more than $200 to buy them. A girl can dream though...

Day 3 - Outfit 3:

Large Cowl neck sweater, grey skinnies and tall leather boots. Not fancy, but chic enough - it does the trick on a cold winter's day. (I think I'll be wearing flats for a few more weeks - nothing as butt-and "rep"-breaking as a slip on the icy roads and sidewalk)

The Rules

On the eve of New York Fashion week, I'm sitting in sad anticipation. Sad, because I will not be able to go, and anticipation, because I can't wait to see what is on the runway. (even if it is on the tv or in magazines).

To really push myself to go for this experiment (and believe me, for me it is not an easy thing to do), I've come up with 10 rules:


1. I am only allowed to spend $200 per month on clothes, shoes and make-up. (what I don't spend rolls over to the next month.)

2. I may only wear what is in my closet and what the $200 can afford

3. I may only wear each outfit once during the course of this experiment - if I want to wear the same top, it must be with different bottoms

4. Only 1 outfit per day counts, so if I am dressing up for a night on the town, that outfit can count as my 1 per day

5. What I don't wear during this year, must be donated or sold (excludes cocktail dresses, since there are not many opportunities to don those in Colorado), unless off course I love it like a first-born

6. If I'm wearing a dress, accessories count as my second piece so it can be worn again. (with different shoes and accessories next time)

7. I may wear something that I have received as a gift or that I bought with a gift card (it doesn't count as part of the $200

8. I must take a photo and post it on the blog every day (unless I am somewhere where I don't have Internet access - then I must still take the daily photos and post it as soon as I can)

9. I must get my ass into shape so that more clothes will fit.

10. I must continue this experiment for 365 days.

To myself I say: HAVE FUN AND DON'T QUIT!!!!!

Day 2 - Outfit 2

Please don't think that I really want everyone to see what I'm wearing daily, because most of my outfits aren't really that exciting. In fact, some are pretty much downright boring. The reason why I'm posting the pics is to keep track of my outfits, make sure I don't wear the exact same thing twice, get creative and to push myself to continue the entire year.

It's pretty difficult to pick something fabulous when it is 3F (-16C) outside, so I went for a BCBG sweater, polo neck, skinny jeans and Uggs. Nice and warm.

Shop My Closet 365 is born

Last November, during my Birthday Jubilee (yes, my birthday lasts about a week) we went to Santa Fe, NM. Packing was absolute torture, not because I don't have enough clothes (in fact I have way too many), but I don't fit in about 80% of my wardrobe and going out and replacing everything is just not an option.

When I stand in front of my closet I'm a bit ashamed, really.  Lots of things have only been worn once or twice, or they still have the tags on!!! (which is very uncool for someone who wants/tries to not be wasteful)

It's not that I am a clothes hoarder, but I just can't bear to get rid of my clothes. (mmm, okay, maybe I am a bit of a hoarder). I do try to donate some clothes each year, but it is just getting harder and harder, mostly because I believe there are only about 15 lbs standing between  me and some of my favourite pieces as well as the majority of my clothes. The problem I have, is that nothing can inspire me to loose these annoying sad pounds, so I've thought of a fool-proof way (methinks) to do so and save some $$$ in the process.

It's official, by starting this blog, I'm officially declaring that I am gong to shop from my closet for a whole year. If I fail at this, it would be quite embarrassing since I've decided to openly blog about it, so...failure is not an option.

Ladies and Gents, here I am, officially kicking-off the "Shop My Closet 365 Experiment".

(rules to follow tomorrow)

Day 1 - Outfit 1:

I have delayed starting this blog and I have used every excuse in the book: I'm going on vacation, will I have internet access every day?, my vacation just ended, it's too hot, it's too cold, it's snowing, blah, blah, blah...NO MORE, so today, on this horrifically cold winter-storm-warning day, I am blogging about outfit number ONE.

 

What do I say...not much really...it's what I call "Snowed In (not-so) Chic!" (don't you just love the pageant queen pose - I'll have to work on those poses...)