Elizabeth -- culling is HARD. I am a clutter cleaning Goddess, but culling perfectly good clothing is torture. I couldn't have done it without the support of the Forum. We looked at my 30 x 30 on a piece by piece basis and slowly made decisions together. Once decided, I drove the offending items straight to the Good Will to avoid any potential second guessing.

Day 23: Back in the office.

I opted to wear something very similar to yesterday's ensemble (same exact pants). I added the Old Navy Cardigan in Grey (the Find shows the cardigan in Navy; I own that exact cardigan in three different colors). I am remarkably comfortable and happy with this color combination. I also discovered my cardigans can do double duty. This is the first time I have ever worn a cardigan as a sweater top. It works really well as long as there are no gaps along the front.

By the way, no matter how often I wear these pants I always get at least one complement. Always. They match everything in my wardrobe (except black). They are interesting and people notice in a good way. I thank the Forum Member that introduced them to me and told me I could find them on Amazon.com.

Sterling, I have missed your day 22 update - sorry! Impressive wardrobe editing, it is very hard indeed. I admire your discipline. I have often a hard time to part with items, even if I know the fit is not good, inspiring. Being a clutter cleaning goddess is wonderful - I am rather a “clutter disaster” myself

Great combination - the pants with the grey cardigan worn as a sweater, understand you get compliments. The pants are really fabulous.

Lovely ensemble. Seems like it might be a bit retro, in a cheeky way? I understand why you get compliments on the pants, they are really fun.

Sterling, I also admire your ability to declutter and like this combination. It has been a long time since I've worn a cardigan buttoned up as a top, but a good idea. I am kind of sorry the cardigans like yours have been purged from my wardrobe because, worn open, the front neckline flopped around. I have a couple that are extra dense knit so that the neckline stays put. Buttoning up would solve the problem, but I didn't think of it. Do you have problems with the front top flopping down?

No problems whatsoever, Joy. The Old Navy cardigans buttoned up and fit exactly as a crew neck sweater would. I checked for gaps between the buttons before I left the house. I was satisfied that there were no gaps.

May I suggest experimenting with Old Navy? They are exceptionally reasonably priced. If you are interested, you can experiment, and if it doesn't work for you, no great financial loss.

I love those pants! This very much meets the cozy comfort descriptor you mentioned in the blog comments.

Love it! I can understand why you get compliments on those pants! Beautiful!

Day 24 was incredibly busy. I did not anticipate any meetings or phone calls. I ended up in meetings all day long. I got home late.

Regardless I was thrilled with my outfit. I wore my Brooks Brothers Non-Iron Tailored Fit White Dress Shirt and my Banana Republic Ryan-Fit Pinstripe Slim-Straight Pants. The Ryan-Fit are new to the Challenge.

I assessed the fit of both items during the day. I am really happy with the fit of my Brooks Brothers shirt. It will become a wardrobe staple going forward.

The fit of the Ryan pants was admittedly bad. I had to cinch a belt to keep the pants from falling down. I am going to continue to wear these pants going forward because no one at work commented on the size of them. I feel that with a belt and the untucked shirt, no one notices the size ... yet. I hope in another month to retire them.

I love pin-striped pants. Could you have the waist taken in for better fit. Crisp and Modern Classic outfit.

Sterling- I love your use of the patterned pants to add interest. I used to wear cardigans buttoned as tops all the time when I was working.
Hope you are feeling better!

This is such a lovely classic combination! I echo Joy - can the pants be taken in?

Jay and Katerina -- So far I lost 14 pounds as per my Doctor's request. I am continuing to diet/exercise until I see her again at the end of February. I will follow whatever instructions she gives me at that time.

I have a wonderful tailor who could take the pants in, but she says that all four seams would have be altered to get the proper fit. It is expensive. It would be cheaper to buy the pant the next size down. That is my intention. My future work capsule will be really small until everything stabilizes in my life.

The problem is that I have gotten really used to wearing oversized, poorly fitting clothing. When I tried on pants that were "my size" this past weekend, everything felt so wrong. I came to realize I must like my clothes on the very loose side. I would like to change that. I am wondering if it is a case of just getting used to a different fit???

Anyway I am paying attention to fit.

Thank you, Lynn. I really felt comfortable wearing the cardigan as a sweater. It just felt so right to me.

Sterling, didn’t Angie say at some stage that’s it’s ok to choose the fit you like? I seem to remember her saying it particularly in the context of pants and jeans - that some people prefer a more relaxed or slouchy fit and deliberately size up to get the fit they want. You might have to live with some alterations (eg around the waist) to get the fit exactly the way you like.

I am a bit late here but I love your plaid pants outfit. I have often thought of trying out a pair of plaid pants but pants for me are like skirts for you - bad track history! I can see why you get lots of compliments

Hi Sterling, it is personal and something of an adaptation if you wish to change a pattern. I found this blog post about pantrums very helpful:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/b.....ntrum/amp/

Toban -- This is such a great link. Thank you so much. I will be reading it in detail this weekend. I plan another shopping excursion on Sunday. But the truth is, although I have lost weight, I only seem to be losing it in my waist (and feet)! Do people actually lose weight in their feet???? Anyway I have been managing to wear my current wardrobe of pants by using my belts. Although I am donating or retiring some items, I have no real plans to buy anything new until at least February. And taking your advice, it will be a very small, well curated capsule.

Brooklyn -- You are right about fit being very personal. Having giving this issue much thought over the course of the past couple of weeks, I have decided I like slightly oversized (no sloppy looking) fits. I want to give a shout out to Lynn who wrote a fabulous post about this issue. I intend to use Lynn's post to summarize my thoughts after the Challenge.

You can find Lynn's post midway through this link.

https://youlookfab.com/welookf.....nge-week-3

Sterling, just to chime in a bit on fit. You mentioned that you tried on pants in your size and they all felt wrong. Don't be too quick to judge based on that. Remember how, just a few months ago, you pulled out your red jeans, put them on, hated how they fit and instantly decided they were not for you? Then you reported that after wearing them a couple of times, you had adjusted again to how a closer-fitting pants felt and now they were your favorites again. Just take it step by step. If you've lost weight, you need smaller pants sizes.

Thank you for the reminder, Liz. You are oh so right. In fact, I am also going to add those red jeans to the Challenge starting tomorrow.

Here’s another link that helped me create a plan for my wardrobe during weight loss transitions. Congratulations on your weight loss! It’s interesting to see when and where the weight loss occurs. Generally I’ve been losing it reasonably proportionally, but definitely most noticeable in waist area. My thighs seem to be the last place! So some pants struggles right now.

https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/8253792

It sounds like you are thinking ahead and have a solid plan for shopping to fit your new size. Everything you say is eminently sensible.

I can’t wait to see the red jeans!

Sterling, congratulations on your weight loss.

I really appreciate your posts. They are always very interesting, thoughtful and honest. Thank you for sharing your experiences and your thoughts. I am impressed with your deep reflection and your analytical approach to wardrobe building and editing. You are inspiring.

Sorry I cannot contribute with any wise advice regarding wardrobe building in transition periods and editing, as I am quite an impulsive shopper and I love to hang on to my things for as long as possible. I have been repeating certain silhouettes with only slight changes for years. Now, within this challenge, I have tried new fits and combinations, only to realise I feel most comfortable in my typical favourite styles. I am not sure what to do about it, or if I ought to do anything about it... So back to what Brooklyn said - fit is personal.

Katerina -- If you experimented with different fits and combinations during the Challenge and reached the conclusion that you are most comfortable in your typically favorite styles, that is a HUGE WIN. It says to me that you always knew your style and your style preferences. It says that you are open-minded and willing to experiment with new things, but if those new things don't win a place in your heart or closet, then you are comfortable enough in your own skin to resume doing what works for you and your life. How many women in real life can make that statement and then prove it with a 30 x 30 challenge??? Perhaps what the Forum was seeing in your WIWs was that comfortableness with yourself. You were wearing the clothes and the clothes were not wearing you. Your ensembles had a seamlessness that spoke to confidence and comfort.

AND you treated the Forum to a host of new eye candy, including scarfs, broaches, and bags. YAY us.

Thank you, Toban and Sarah.

Day 25: Another really long day. I dressed purely for comfort and ease. I re-wore the

Banana Republic Ryan-Fit Pinstripe Slim-Straight Pants. I teamed the pants with an Old Navy Cardigan in off white. Because I had success wearing the grey cardigan as a top, I tried the same thing with the off white cardigan. I am loving this new look for me. It feels very professional. I did a fit-test this morning and all the cardigans fit as they should.

Here is my collection of Old Navy Cardigans (bought during December 2017 on sale).

Well .... after reading this article about quality .... and the comment about Old Navy being Fast Fashion, I hang my head in shame.

http://passagedesperles.blogsp.....eback.html

Yes. I will admit that Old Navy is probably Fast Fashion. Yes. I do claim to be an Environmental Warrior (most days). But sometimes .... sometimes you just want a new cardigan and the sales are that good. You buy three. You are happy.

Then you are sad.

Sterling, as someone who works for environmental organization, I feel your pain. Frankly, we as individuals should do what we can, but we can only do so much until corporations change their practices. We need to pressure them - it's at that level that change will really need to occur. It's nice to be able to afford sustainable clothing... but we can't all do it all the time. That's how capitalism works! There are things you can do if you feel bad, like make a donation or sign some petitions.

Thank you, Christina. I feel much better having read your comment. I really do what I can on an every-day basis.

Sterling, I also think a lot about environmental impacts as part of my job (and just in my regular life). I echo Christina. As individual consumers, there is only so much we can do, and ultimately the solutions are systemic.

I also shop at old navy from time to time. (My new black popover is from old navy, and I have just duplicated my dark wash jeans — the ONLY place I have been able to find a 7” rise lately.) My observation is that some things from old navy and the like hold up surprisingly well. Some things from more expensive stores do not. And there is no guarantee that expensive =ethical.

Well I fear I may have just made things sound more depressing. But I really meant to say I hear you, and I’m with you.

Sterling, your outfit looks wonderful. It is very hard to buy only ethically made items. I am trying to shop second hand more but it is hard and time consuming. Many things bought new on sale are less expensive than consignment. I think you wear your items many times, so have less waste.

Day 26. The Challenge is rapidly winding down. I keep thinking of ALL the clothes I meant to include but failed to do so for one reason or another. I thought these Kut from the Kloth red jeans would be included at an earlier date and then used frequently thereafter. The fact that I am adding them in on DAY 26 is a little concerning. They fit great. I adore red. I have LOTS of coordinating pieces. I feel so happy when I wear them. WHY did they get left out until the very last minute? Did they not fit my perception of cozy comfort? That has the be it.

Anyway here they are. I am also adding in an Angie Recommendation: Gap Luxlight V-Neck sweater in true black.

Two additions.

Sterling, you have great pants! The plaid, the pinstripe and now the red! Oh, the places you can go with style when you have those in your challenge. I hope to see more of your red outfits! Gosh, I think I have a pair of red jeans somewhere. I had forgotten all about them. Maybe it is time to try them on....

Sterling, I enjoyed reading your post. I wanted to comment on a few things. I have been on the road for the past week and my participation on the forum has been spotty. We are finally in Florida!
1/ I also lose weight on my feet and waist. My footwear from my working days is all too big. I think my feet are not retaining water because I am moving around more but that is me. Also, my fingers are skinnier.
2/ I try not to buy fast fashion but sometimes there are no other options. I have not bought anything from Old Navy but I bought several button-up cardigans from Jacob (a Canadian store that is now gone ). I have worn them for years.
3/ You have inspired me to work on my lounging capsule. Mine is an embarrassment.