30x30 Week 1 - YouLookFab Forum

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What I Wore

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Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

30x30 Week 1

tanstaafl

I am joining the January 30x30 challenge as well. I am going to post my outfits weekly for the most part.

My goals: Continue to refine my vision and style for work. I want to look more professional and put together without wearing a suit every day. I hope to identify what combinations of clothes in my existing wardrobe work best for me, identify any wardrobe holes, and identify any pieces that I should retire from my work wardrobe.

My rules: I will post pictures of my work outfits weekly. Weekends and holidays are not in scope for me. I have a limited work wardrobe already, so I am not concerned with the total number of pieces I use. I will count them as I go, just for informational purposes.

Week 1:
1. Tuesday - Black Blazer, Black Boot cut trousers, Blue/Black/White cowl neck shell, black pumps. The necklace seemed to work for this outfit, pairing well with the graphic print of the top, but it is a bit outside of my comfort zone. I prefer more classic jewelry in general. The blue in this top doesn’t photograph well, but in person is a vivid purplish blue.

2. Wednesday - WHBM striped dress, black cardigan, black pumps. By far my favorite outfit of the week. Clean lines, simple jewelry, with a pop of color.

3. Thursday - Black/white striped shirt, Blush sweater, Grey boot cut trousers,
Black ankle boots. My least favorite outfit of the week. I struggled to put together a warm outfit for the frigid temperatures. The sweater was too thin for layering this way and showed lumps and bumps from the shirt underneath. I could find the right necklace to wear with this either. What I had either competed too much with the striped shirt collar or was too small and hid underneath it.

4. Friday - Blue blouse, marled cardigan, Black boot cut trousers, grey floral scarf, black ankle boots. Again, warmth was my main goal, and I felt this outfit was more successful than the day before. The bright blue made it cheerier. I’m not sold on this scarf with this sweater, but again, it’s cold out there!

Any thoughts and suggestions are greatly appreciated!

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29 replies

Latest reply was from chirico (Chiara)

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

It's GREAT to see your face. You are very pretty.

#1 and #2 are KILLER standouts - especially #2. You need to wear dresses more often.

Toban

Veteran

A lovely variety of work outfits this week, which should mix and match well over the challenge. The WHBM is fab on you and it is easy to see why it's your favorite. I really liked the grey jacket, too. It has a lovely shape. I look forward to seeing how you intermix it over the challenge.

tanstaafl

Angie - Wow! I got a killer! I feel like I am now truly part of the group I always tell myself that I should wear skirts and dresses more often, but in the winter I worry about being too cold during my commute, and in the summer I hate shaving my legs. I bought these thick tights this year to make winter skirt/dress wearing more likely.

Toban - With my limited wardrobe, mixing and matching is key and I usually buy pieces with that in mind. I love the shape of the grey cardigan as well. I think it works really well as a substitute for a blazer, keeping me warm and cozy while still giving some structure. It is the same style as the black cardigan in #2. I got both on sale from H&M for $10 each. I have been debating getting it in a purplish maroon color from poshmark as H&M is sold out of all colors except the marled one shown here.

Anonymous

I agree with everything Angie posted!! My favorites are Numbers 1, 2, and 4! Yes, mostly dark colors. I must be in a dark phase of life because I am strongly drawn to these shades. The cut of the sweater in Number 4 is superb on you.

Katerina

Veteran

You look very pretty in all your outfits! I LOVE nr 2 - it looks perfect. Stylish, professional and interesting. Personally, I like nr 4 very much too, the cardigan is so nice on you, the blue colour is beautiful on you and I like the scarf very much. You have tied it very nicely.

Bonnie

Veteran

I like all of your outfits. It sounds like you have a good plan going forward.

LaPed

Veteran

Wow, the dress in #2 looks super awesome! And I approve of the necklace in #1 -- it balances out the drapiness of the top. Colour combo in #4 -- the cobalt under the grey blazer -- has me all sorts of inspired.

tanstaafl

Sterling - you’ll be seeing more dark colors from me in the coming weeks. I sometimes think my wardrobe is too dark.

Katerina - thanks! This is the first time I tried tying a scarf this way.

Bonnie - I hope my plan works out. At the very least i’m putting more thought into what I’m wearing.

La Pedestrienne - I think that might be why I was happy with the necklace this time, the balance between the shirt and necklace is in the pairing of the two graphic elements as well as the contrast between the structure and drapiness. Is drapiness a word?

LaPed

Veteran

Tanstaafl, not according to my spell-check, but I use it anyway.

tanstaafl

It looked fine when I read it, and sounded fine in my head, and I knew exactly what it meant, but my spell check didn’t like it either. But I couldn’t come up with a better word either.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

My dear tanstaafl, you ARE part of this community. I hear you on the dress thing. Still, you look sooooo good in them.....

Dianna

Veteran

Wow, 4 great outfits, but 2 is beyond fab. Loved it. My second favorite is number 4.

rachylou

Veteran

That does it for me: I may have to copycat. The WHBM dress is definitively stand out(!)

Anonymous

Hi. Tanstaafl. There are times when a dark wardrobe can seem "heavy" to me, but right now, during the Winter months, dark colors seem so "right." It is like the outfits reflect the surrounding environment (heavy, overcast sky; barren landscape). Dark colors just seem right. At least, those are the colors I am reaching for most during this month.

Mainelady

Veteran

All of your outfits are winners! #2 is my favorite. The style and fit of the cardigans look like they were made for you. Your scarf! I may need to copy that look.
A thought about dresses, skirts and warmth. How about a pair of tall boots?

tanstaafl

Dianna - Thanks!

Rachylou - I love the dress. I had stalked it online, but by the time it went on sale it was sold out in my size. I stopped in the store by me to try on something else and they had my size on the clearance rack! I lucked into it for $25!

Mainelady - I don’t have any tall boots right now. I’m never sure whether to get flats or heels for wearing with skirts/dresses, and if heels whether to get a chunkier walkable heel or thinner dressier one. I’m also not sure how it would fit in at my office. I’ve seen others wear tall boots, but usually with pants or on more casual days. While we have no official dress code, government offices in DC skew very conservative.

Does anyone know an easy way to bold type on an iPhone?

Anonymous

Very beautiful outfits for these four days these costumes go wonderfully well.

Anonymous

I wish I knew a way to do bold type on the phone.

You look sensational in the dress.

RobinF

Veteran

These are all great. My favorite is #4. I like the cardi, it looks like a jacket and is pretty with the blue.

SarahD8

Veteran

Wow, # 2 is an absolute standout but these are all lovely. I hope you do get the purple version of the cardi, it looks great on you and seems to work very well in your outfits. (This is coming from a person who owns a single style of cardigan in FOUR colors but honestly I do not regret it!)

Re: outfit #3: I think a long pendant necklace would add a lot to this look. Maybe you’ve identified a hole in your accessories wardrobe?

delurked

Veteran

Nice dress

I also like the first outfit a lot. You look great and wear your outfits well.

karen13

Veteran

Great week! The dress in #2 is my favorite as well, polished, graphic and a great fit.That cobalt blue is a great color for you. Try the gray scarf with the pink sweater to pick up the gray pants?

Windchime

Veteran

What a nice variety of outfits this week! You are well on the way to achieving a polished, professional look at work. I love how you use scarves and necklaces to accessorize and agree with others that the dress is really stunning on you.

Brooklyn

Veteran

Love the chevron dress in no 2. Sassy! And I also really like no 4. The shape of the jacket and the way you are wearing the scarf. Stylish!
ETA: I would love to see the dress with boots too.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

Gorgeous week. 1.2 and 4 are all fantastic - I may like 4 the best but it is a close call. I think your assessment of #3 is right - it suffers in comparison to your other very polished looks.

Joy

Veteran

Wonderful outfits and polished for work. My favorite is #2. The fit of everything looks perfect, especially that jacket.

Anonymous

Tanstaafl -- I am so glad you opted to participate with us. You are indeed part of a strong and supportive Forum. I hope that as the challenge progresses, you get to know everyone a lot better and make lifelong style friends. And these are style friends that will be honest with you and really help you shape your wardrobe. Those types of friends are so valuable. Best wishes.

kkards

Veteran

what a great week you had! love #1...and that dress and sweater in #2, FAB, they work so well together (and totally hear you on the dress thing), #4 that blue is just the thing to perk up a dreary day...as for #3, i find that neck line just so hard to work with....

chirico (Chiara)

(website)

Veteran

I really love that dress and how you look in it: very fab!
Also, the cobalt sweater in the last outfit is a nice touch of brightness.
I don't see anything wrong with dark colors in the winter: lighter colors would be impossible to keep CL!