A July Challenge for me.... - YouLookFab Forum

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A July Challenge for me....

Sal

Veteran

Hi All

It is mid winter here so I am going to do a small wardrobe challenge for the month.

Goal

To wear ALL my winter clothes in style. Ideally each outfit will fit within my casual bold elegance criteria.

How

Wear all my seasonal appropriate clothing, footwear and bags at least once in July. Summer clothes have a pass as does occasion wear and any specific gear that I don't use (ski pants, swimsuit).
Each outfit must have one accessory (outside rings and reading glasses) - it might be a hat, bag, scarf or additional jewelry.
Document each outfit with a photo.
If I am not happy with the piece and outfit - to try again - or to edit out or put aside for an outfit lab. I don't want to just put back in the closet with no plan.
I am going to also go through gym, yoga, running gear that is winter appropriate with a discerning eye and also my lounge wear. I doubt I will document this.

Result (I hope)

To wear all my lovely clothes and accessories and see if I have any true gaps. I am also taking a shopping break for July as I feel well stocked and want to save my money for a new work bag.

Anyone else keen to join in - I know it is summer for most and vacation season so timing may be a challenge. For me July is a mix of work, a couple of days at the beach, low key social occasions and teenage sons on school break.

Thanks
Sally

General

33 replies

Latest reply was from Sal

Anonymous

Sounds like a good plan, and sounds like a potential way to address benchwarmers!

Barbara Diane

Veteran

Sounds like a really fun and effective way to analyze your wardrobe.

Sal

Veteran

Thanks Suntiger and Barbara Diane....I think so too. I have a couple of pieces that I am yet to wear or have worn only once this winter (see below finds) that are seasonally appropriate. I have also a few too many shoes in the outdoor basket for slopping around in the garden etc. Time to be real about whether I will wear them or not.

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Jenni NZ

Veteran

I could try? I might make mine wearing them all over the whole winter, not just in July. I’ve worn large numbers of mine in June already so there are a smaller number left unworn. I could try to wear as many of those as possible. What’s unworn so far is: 6 tops, 6 jumpers, 2 waistcoats, 3 jackets/coats, all 4 skirts, 1 tunic and 4 dresses. Plus 7 pairs higher heeled shoes or boots! O-oh! Maybe not do-able.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

A fabulous challenge that I am sure you will rock, Sal. Excited to see the documented results, and especially the dresses and accessories.

Am cheering from the side lines. Have fun!

Sal

Veteran

Thanks Angie!

Jenni - tweak and join in! Leave out the shoes if that makes it too hard. Give yourself July and August if you like!

Anonymous

What a fabulous challenge! I love the idea of having to add one accessory to every ensemble.

I am looking to hearing your results at the end of July! I am especially interested in hearing how many pieces did not make it back into the closet and why. The why will be especially important. YAY to plans!

Sal

Veteran

Thx Sterling. There won’t be many because my winter closet is small. But there are a few things that I could wear differently. And I want to be more thoughtful in my use of accessories.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Excellent challenge and I can't wait to see you wear some of the RED items and those fab flared jeans!

Anonymous

Your challenge has been on my mind since I read your post.

I am going to join you in this challenge because it will really force me to go the extra step and thoughtfully add accessories.

My primary goal is to start to rotate my bag daily to accommodate the outfit I am wearing. I want to (1) develop a really easy method to change bags without any effort, and (2) think about which bag suits an outfit the same as I would earrings/necklace.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Sal and Sterling, I hope you both post your pix!

Sterling, do you have a mesh bag to keep your odds & ends in, or a purse liner? That could make the switch a lot faster.

Anonymous

I have a purse liner, Fashintern.

JAileen

Veteran

Sal, this sounds like a fun and illuminating challenge.

Sterling, I use a little pouch to contain my small miscellaneous things. It really helps when switching bags.

SarahD8

Veteran

I like this challenge a lot, Sal. The idea of not putting things back in the closet without a plan is a great one.

I wonder how long it would take me to wear all of my summer clothes? Maybe my challenge will be to find out.

Oh, and including at least one accessory is definitely a push I need too.

I am not sure how well I can keep up with documenting but I will join you in the wearing part of the challenge, at least.

Jenn

(website)

Veteran

Such a good challenge! I would join you in trying to wear all my summer clothes, but if things go according to plan, much of my wardrobe will be spending part of the month on a truck. My challenge, instead, will be putting together a suitcase-sized capsule that can keep me happy for a couple of transition weeks.

I'm looking forward to seeing your photos, though, and will be cheering you along with Angie on the sidelines.

rachylou

Veteran

That's a bold goal! I'm pretty sure I could not wear all my winter clothes in the span of a month... nor my summer clothes either. Well, I have a lot of mini-capsules that represent month-by-month gradations of the season.

bj1111

Veteran

Sal

I’m joining you in trying to wear all my summer and summer-adjacent shoes in July. Extra complicated as I’m traveling for 10 days. But what’s a challenge without the “challenge”?

Hmmm...I might need August as I have a LOT of shoes.

kkards

Veteran

Hmmmm...I feel like I should join bj on the summer Footwear challenge. I own a lot...and it’s time to get them in rotation or rotated out. Grr...but I’m going to play this out thru Labor Day (officially the end of summer here in the US, actually just the 1st Monday in September).

Sal

Veteran

Tweak as you like!! I think starting with the category that overwhelms or annoys you or that you feel there are some problems is a good idea.

I will probably check in half way through with the first lot of pics and an update, and then again at the end of July.

I would like to improve my bag game too Sterling so will do what I can here.....

Brooklyn

Veteran

Good idea Sally. I don't think I could wear all my winter clothes in a month. As I am working from home now I have way more dressy/workwear clothes than I need and now have limited opportunities to "dress up" and wear them. I have edited some out but I don't want to go too far as yet. I still like what I have and may end up working in an office again. But I will try to find opportunities to wear my good winter stuff and take photos. You know it's my favourite style season

Anonymous

THANK YOU SAL. I think this is going to be a fascinating exercise!!!!

Runcarla

Veteran

Tackling a clothing category works! I just finished a personal challenge in June of going through my (unworn) button downs. Time to look at the rest of my closet. I'm down for a shopping break in July, and possibly August, as well.

Sal

Veteran

Join in on your terms Carla!! I agree that a focus does help. Towards the end of the season I usually look at my unworn pieces and try and wear them or work out why...... which is my goal here.

Joy

Veteran

I will try to join you wearing summer casual clothes in July and may need to continue into August. It is still not warm enough to be what I think of as summer but is getting into the 80’sF part of most days. Because mornings and evenings are cool, each outfit must have a topper of some sort. I plan to concentrate on summer bottoms and will include an accessory but not take a July shopping break because all the best seasonal sales are in July plus NAS, but the challenge will help me figure out what, if anything, I need for summer. I am trying to resist any new refreshers.

Sal

Veteran

Perfect Joy!!

Look forward to seeing what you come up with:)

Liesbeth

Veteran

I would love to join you with my summer clothes and actually think I've been doing a good job already over the past month or so, switching up new acquisitions and trying to restyle old favorites and.not-so-favorites. Later this month I'm on vacation so will try to tweak: check out which season-appropriate items have so far remained shelved and try to wear them. No promises though: I've started a new job last month and am obviously still trying to monitor and maintain an image of understated stylish professionalism ;).

anchie

Veteran

This is very helpful challenge and I am already doing something similar with my summer clothing and footwear. I also like your idea to put effort with accessories- I have been neglecting mine, maybe I should do something like that too.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Lol, a challenge for me would be to find something different to wear every day for a week. I haven't put the 40 lb I lost a couple years ago back on, but I've gotten "fluffier". Seeing as I jettisoned most clothes this size for the move, I'm down to very few items, and some of them are shorter shorts than we generally see here. I have a couple set outfits, and am more interested in firming up than on expanding my wardrobe to match the expanding figure. (I'm down 1", have 3 to 5 more to go).

It will be fun to follow pix and posts of your progress!

nemosmom

Veteran

What a great challenge, Sal! I especially love the part about not putting things back in the closet without a plan. It is summer here; the most difficult season for me to dress for. I will document and report back along with you.

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