HOORAY! I can't believe 30 for 30 is over at last (well, when you read this I'll have had the luxury of it having been over for awhile) and you won't believe how great it feels. I've read on most people's blogs (who have been doing 30 x 30, obviously) that they feel a little overwhelmed by having free reign in their closets. (Why is it "free reign" and not "free rein"? I imagine a horse with an extremely lengthy rein would be just as apt, if not more apt, a metaphor, like you know in the whole Ashleigh's Wonder series where Ashleigh learns to let Wonder win the Kentucky Derby by giving her as much rein as she wants and kneading her neck? Did anyone else read that series and instantly want to become a jockey?)
So before I launched into the things I've learnt and sum up the entire experience, here's 28 and 29, just in case you care:
#28
Dress worn as skirt - Esprit. Top - Primark. Shoes - New Look.
Tights - Marks and Sparks. Coat - Primark.
#29 (in elements)
Cardigan - Present from Mom. Kimono top - Marine Parade.
Denim cut-offs - DIY. Bag - Asos. Necklace - Claire's.
Tights - Tesco. Slanket - My best friend in the world!!!
So I wore outfit 29 on a night out for drinks with friends and 28 on Shriya, Anjuly and my 2nd sleepover, complete with Krispy Kreme chocolate truffles (that looked like doughnuts) and an unbelievable briyani lunch that Anjuly's friend, Paul, made us!
A complete aside: I gave the girls back massages with my Each Peach massage bar as detailed in my Lush Haul here, and I think they enjoyed them. I love giving massages and practicing giving them so that I can learn more about what helps people relax, partly because I'm often afflicted with an achey back myself. Here's one thing we found really helped with the massage atmosphere: The ambient music channels on iTunes! If you have iTunes, go to the radio tab, select ambient music and go to the channel called "Healing". The music is new-agey type fluff I wouldn't normally listen to, but to relax, oh my! It's wonderful. (I know your eye will also have drifted down to "Hit's my music sex" just below. I DON'T WANT TO KNOW.)
Even better is channel I found in the same tab called "Astral" which is often classical music that is beautiful and soft and is then paired with comforting background sounds like gently falling rain. I've been taking naps to it recently and some times, with my eyes closed, I almost feel like I'm home and the rain is pattering on the zinc roof.
ANYWAY. While I think 30 x 30 was a valuable lesson (or something equally, you know, moral) am I ever glad it's over. Limiting your wardrobe when that's literally all you have is one thing, but limiting it when there are countless other things in reach is draining. So, here is a quick breakdown of how I found it:
Things I liked:
1) Learning more about clothes I already had. There were things I would never have considered wearing together, like pairing the kimono top and the little purple skirt with rosettes. The challenge really helped me think more about the clothes I had, appreciate them and maximise their wear.
2) Remixing. I don't remix enough and this really made me learn how to remix a little more from wearing long tops as dresses to thinking more about layering. For example, I had to look at a dress I had and think, how can I make the same dress formal and casual for separate occasions without looking for something else to come to the rescue?
3) Having structure even on my day off. Normally, when given a day off, I tend of slack off a bit and schlep around in my pajamas which means that I feel sleepy and limp and am less productive. 30x30 forced me to put something on every day even if it was just jeans and a sweater, which in turn, made me feel more businesslike and productive.
What I didn't like:
1) Taking photos every day. The thing I love about this blog is that it's voluntary and I take pictures as and when I feel like it and so put a lot of effort and time into making them nice when I do. Having to hurriedly snap white wall pics when I was rushing out put me in a really bad mood and made me feel like I was shortchanging readers a little bit. I'll do my best to minimise that now!
2) Opening my closet, seeing something and thinking "that would be perfect for today!" and not being able to wear it. 'Nuff said.
3) The effort of trying to put together something different every single day for 30 days straight. I am a bit of a creature of habit, and on days when I don't want to think too hard about my wardrobe, it's nice to throw on the same shirt and shorts pattern I did last Wednesday. This really bothered me during the challenge - on days when I wore outfits that were too similar to those worn previously, I stomped around feeling underdressed.
What I've learned from 30 x 30:
1) You really can shop your closet. Even if you don't want to participate in the challenge, try picking an item you don't wear enough - a high-waisted skirt, or peg leg pants, and force yourself to incorporate it into at least three outfits in two weeks. It'll surprise you what you come up with!
2) Between heels and flats, I'll pick flats most of the time! Sad but true. I wish I was a little more persevering with the heels, but my campus is ALL walking and very few flat paths. There is everything from cobbles to pavement slabs to dirt paths and so I was severely limited in my shoe choice over this period of time.
3) It will both make you want to shop MORE and want to shop LESS. I learned during 30 x 30 what I don't need. For example, I don't need any more cardigans or pairs of shoes. I don't need more than two serviceable pairs of jeans. However, it did show me what my wardrobe was sorely lacking (yellow and more than one waist belt) and now that I can shop, I'll be looking out for these options and putting them up when.
SO. I hope you enjoyed the last 30 outfits! I hesitate to say enjoyed because while it can be interesting to see how people remix things, a lot of the reason why I read style blogs is to see fresh new things as well. If you found it boring, sorry, but I promise some different clothes will be up very soon, hah!
Finally, I would not want to do this again soon, I rather like having my whole closet at my disposal, but if you're thinking of trying it, I'd recommend it, just to see how far you can push your wardrobe. Or why not do a mini version like 7 x 7 or 15 x15?
A complete aside: I gave the girls back massages with my Each Peach massage bar as detailed in my Lush Haul here, and I think they enjoyed them. I love giving massages and practicing giving them so that I can learn more about what helps people relax, partly because I'm often afflicted with an achey back myself. Here's one thing we found really helped with the massage atmosphere: The ambient music channels on iTunes! If you have iTunes, go to the radio tab, select ambient music and go to the channel called "Healing". The music is new-agey type fluff I wouldn't normally listen to, but to relax, oh my! It's wonderful. (I know your eye will also have drifted down to "Hit's my music sex" just below. I DON'T WANT TO KNOW.)
Even better is channel I found in the same tab called "Astral" which is often classical music that is beautiful and soft and is then paired with comforting background sounds like gently falling rain. I've been taking naps to it recently and some times, with my eyes closed, I almost feel like I'm home and the rain is pattering on the zinc roof.
ANYWAY. While I think 30 x 30 was a valuable lesson (or something equally, you know, moral) am I ever glad it's over. Limiting your wardrobe when that's literally all you have is one thing, but limiting it when there are countless other things in reach is draining. So, here is a quick breakdown of how I found it:
Things I liked:
1) Learning more about clothes I already had. There were things I would never have considered wearing together, like pairing the kimono top and the little purple skirt with rosettes. The challenge really helped me think more about the clothes I had, appreciate them and maximise their wear.
2) Remixing. I don't remix enough and this really made me learn how to remix a little more from wearing long tops as dresses to thinking more about layering. For example, I had to look at a dress I had and think, how can I make the same dress formal and casual for separate occasions without looking for something else to come to the rescue?
3) Having structure even on my day off. Normally, when given a day off, I tend of slack off a bit and schlep around in my pajamas which means that I feel sleepy and limp and am less productive. 30x30 forced me to put something on every day even if it was just jeans and a sweater, which in turn, made me feel more businesslike and productive.
What I didn't like:
1) Taking photos every day. The thing I love about this blog is that it's voluntary and I take pictures as and when I feel like it and so put a lot of effort and time into making them nice when I do. Having to hurriedly snap white wall pics when I was rushing out put me in a really bad mood and made me feel like I was shortchanging readers a little bit. I'll do my best to minimise that now!
2) Opening my closet, seeing something and thinking "that would be perfect for today!" and not being able to wear it. 'Nuff said.
3) The effort of trying to put together something different every single day for 30 days straight. I am a bit of a creature of habit, and on days when I don't want to think too hard about my wardrobe, it's nice to throw on the same shirt and shorts pattern I did last Wednesday. This really bothered me during the challenge - on days when I wore outfits that were too similar to those worn previously, I stomped around feeling underdressed.
What I've learned from 30 x 30:
1) You really can shop your closet. Even if you don't want to participate in the challenge, try picking an item you don't wear enough - a high-waisted skirt, or peg leg pants, and force yourself to incorporate it into at least three outfits in two weeks. It'll surprise you what you come up with!
2) Between heels and flats, I'll pick flats most of the time! Sad but true. I wish I was a little more persevering with the heels, but my campus is ALL walking and very few flat paths. There is everything from cobbles to pavement slabs to dirt paths and so I was severely limited in my shoe choice over this period of time.
3) It will both make you want to shop MORE and want to shop LESS. I learned during 30 x 30 what I don't need. For example, I don't need any more cardigans or pairs of shoes. I don't need more than two serviceable pairs of jeans. However, it did show me what my wardrobe was sorely lacking (yellow and more than one waist belt) and now that I can shop, I'll be looking out for these options and putting them up when.
SO. I hope you enjoyed the last 30 outfits! I hesitate to say enjoyed because while it can be interesting to see how people remix things, a lot of the reason why I read style blogs is to see fresh new things as well. If you found it boring, sorry, but I promise some different clothes will be up very soon, hah!
Finally, I would not want to do this again soon, I rather like having my whole closet at my disposal, but if you're thinking of trying it, I'd recommend it, just to see how far you can push your wardrobe. Or why not do a mini version like 7 x 7 or 15 x15?
