This is an excellent challenge April, well-thought! I wonder what Shiny will come up with.

wow, you did it april! i was wondering how we'd ever challenge shiny to ANYTHING, lol.

good luck shiny! once you're done your list is:

1. rosebudrmm
2. ana
3. planetamy
4. inge
5. happylife
6. lwc

and the random number generator is at http://www.random.org. can't wait to see what you come up with! i know you will knock it out of the park.

I had a challenge for Shiny in my head that I said I wouldn't reveal until she actually did get a challenge. I'll wait for her to post her outfit before telling what it is!

I hope it's not the one I have in my head for whoever I get to challenge, Maya! I'm excited no one has posed it yet! :D Mwah ha ha....

Sounds scary Ana =O

My challenge for Shiny is very specific to her, so it probably isn't yours, hehe.

It won't be scary, it will be fun! :D

Maybe the maniacal laughter threw me off :p

I gotta keep people on their toes. :D Just kidding, hee.

Now I'm dying to know. I hope your turn comes soon :p hehe.

April, I love this challenge - thank you very much. It's perfect (esp since it doesn't require me to buy anything new) and quite timely, as I did just do a major closet-cull and I have a handful of orphans in the holding pile. If I can't find a way to wear them, they go out! I will have to see what I can come up with!

And Maya - I am guessing here... banded top? ;-)

Wow, April, you found a way to challenge Shiny!
Maya, I cannot wait ... please promise to reveal your thought of challenge right after Shiny posts her outfit!

Can't wait to see Shiny's outfit(s) for this challenge. Great job, April.

Whew. I am relieved I'm on the OTHER challenge list :) Now I can watch Ana's challenge from a safe distance!

This is a really good challenge, April. My other thought for Shiny (and I'm sure Maya's challenge idea is much, much more clever) would be to see her try boho. I bet she would've rocked the look!

Hehe, no banded tops Shiny, though I still insist you would look like a star in the right one. Hurry up and complete the challenge so I can reveal it :p

Laura, I think getting just about anyone on YLF to sport a boho look would be a challenge (other than you, since you have done it! And of course me and Jean). It doesn't seem to be very warmly received around these parts. If Angie were participating, I would love to challenge her to do head to toe boho (perhaps in a fitting room since she doesn't own any boho items herself). That would be fun to see :D

I have an idea in mind already, but I'm swamped this week both on personal and work fronts so I'm not sure when I will get a chance to play. It is possible not until the weekend, I'm afraid!!

Am I supposed to pick the next victim now, or only after I've completed my challenge? I don't want to hold anyone up.

shiny, totally up to you. you can pick your challengee and issue your challenge right now if you'd like, then come back to your thread when you can and post your reply. sound good? :) can't wait to see it!

I got planetamy and issued her a challenge as I didn't want to hold up all the fun!

For this challenge, I chose this two piece outfit from Ann Taylor that hangs in my closet unworn (in fact the tags are still on the top!):

http://s386.photobucket.com/al.....fjune1.jpg

I bought it specifically for holiday functions about 4 or 5 years ago. I've only worn the skirt once, with a cashmere sweater, because it turned out to be too cold to go sleeveless. I have always thought the skirt could be a versatile piece and could somehow be repurposed into a smart casual outfit, but it's stumped me ... until now....

http://s386.photobucket.com/al.....ne1009.jpg

and

http://s386.photobucket.com/al.....ne1010.jpg

Yes, that is an AC/DC tee shirt!! I don't even like that band, but I took your suggestion and dug through my DD's closets! This tee is too long to leave untucked, but I think it works okay tucked. She also had a black tee with a skull on it that worked when combined with a black jacket and this skirt, for a second outfit.

For the top I went with this smart-casual combo:

http://s386.photobucket.com/al.....ne1013.jpg

... trouble is, at the moment, I can barely zip this top (it's unzipped in the photo) and it's very tight across the chest. Lose 5 lbs and it'll fit again.

I am definitely keeping the skirt now, but I'm on the fence about keeping the top. I will put it to a YLF vote!

Finally, this challenge inspired me to wear this outfit yesterday:

http://s386.photobucket.com/al.....ne1007.jpg

Now I have to launder DD's tee shirt before she gets back today!

Thanks April, this was a wonderful challenge, very much needed and enjoyed!

I like your outfits! Especially the one with the AT top over the white button down. Very chic! I also like your idea with the skirt...I have one like that but it's black and it's too dressy for everyday. Or so I thought. Great inspiration!

wow I am amazed with your creativity. its all great!

The interesting part for me was realizing how much difference 5 lbs makes on me! This outfit fits perfectly when I'm 5 lbs lighter. At this weight, the skirt is just a TAD tight at the waist, but zippable and I could wear it all day without complaint. But would probably look better with a tucked in top like this, if I was lighter.

Meanwhile, the top, on the other hand.... is just *barely* zippable, I thought I'd break the zipper, and it squashes my chest down unbelievably. It also feels tight in the shoulders - like it's too short. I couldn't wear this top for more than a few minutes! I can't breathe when it's zipped!

I think this proves that I'm more inverted triangle than apple.... although from here on out, if I continued to gain weight, it would go right to my tummy.

Shiny -- I LOVE it! As Hanna predicted, you knocked this one out of the ballpark. The mix of rock tee with dressy skirt and jean jacket is so fab. Who knew.

So funny, in an interesting about-face on Angie's post from today, I would not have been caught dead wearing an AC/DC tee in the 80s, but would find it quite chic today.

I also think the top is great on you. Those golden-cream-nude colors are wonderful with your hair and complexion. I have a couple of tops like that and it wouldn't have occurred to me in a hundred years to put a button-down beneath.

Brava! [deafening applause]

That's so true, Shiny. I'm finally getting to the point where five pounds makes a difference too. It's frustrating because for clothes to look perfect you have to stay in a very small window pound-wise.
But you look great and I admire your creative style.

Shiny - absolutely fab! I was holding my breath to see your outfits, and it was totally worth it! Do you think you can also pair the skirt with pumps without ankle straps? I think it will help to elongate the leg line (though I really love the shoes you are wearing in the photo as well). The top functioning as a vest is adorable too! I guess you need an AC/DC t-shirt for yourself now :)

Maya - will you disclose now what challenge you had in your head for Shiny? I can barely believe April succeeded to come up with a challenge for Shiny, and you said you thought of yet another one - I am dying to know!

Hannah, I do have another pair of red shoes that could've worked (and also have some me-too red flats with gold buckles that could've worked), but I didn't think to try those. I did feel it needed a pop of color at the feet, since the rest of the outfit is neutral. I am lately thinking I need more shoes... I keep sticking to the same old shoes, the ones that are most comfortable!

April, I also would never have considered putting a white button down under this. I definitely never considered it years ago when I first bought this outfit. It's great because this top does go down a bit too low, but looks goofy with a cami because of the fabric. As for the colors, I've always loved "champagne" which is what attracted me to this outfit in the first place, but every time I'd put it on, I would find it too much champagne... kinda wash me out... just needed SOMETHING. I think I like these pieces broken up as separates, more than together. The top could work well with black dress slacks too, I'm thinking. Or a black pencil skirt?

I LOVE both outfits; very clever mixing of styles and trends for both. You could really do that skirt with a variety of graphic tees to dress it down like you did, and I ADORE the white-button down under the top with jeans. You successfully revived and more to the point, reinvented, both pieces!

Great, great job on this challenge!

KILLER x3.

Gorgeous outfits and a fabulous rise to your challenge, Shiny! That’s thinking out of the box and I'm much impressed. Very exciting stuff!!! WELL DONE!

I think that’s the H&M coin necklace Kendall Farr was talking about - $7. Fabulous!

what a great challenge! I really like both outfits. I think wearing shimmer in daytime is very in right now so you may want to hold on to the top a little longer.

What a great challenge and Shiny you look great. I really love the skirt with the denim jacket, AND the way you reworked the top with the button down! You are so creative.