Continuing Sal's July Challenge

Sal's Challenge has not only provided me with valuable insights regarding my beloved bag collection, it has also been the impetus I've needed to create new imaginative ensembles.

An update to my bag review.

One, I found the perfect home for my beloved Coach Briefcases that are too small to carry a laptop and too heavy to be practical. The people that received them are good friends and I feel good knowing these bags will be used by people I love.

Two, I have been unfair to the clutch bag. Of course, it makes no sense on a work day. Of course, I am going to be angry and frustrated when it is hard to carry the clutch and everything else. But that clutch is perfect for weekend coffees and dinner dates. It has been moved out of storage and I am making a point of using it when the situation is right.

Three, I need tote-sized bags during the work week. I use them constantly. I currently own one navy, one ruby red, and one fuchsia. All of them are perfect for my lifestyle. Unfortunately, the Great Purge of 2018 eliminated all the fuchsia garments I own (with the exception of bags and scarfs). This has resulted in me reaching for the fuchsia bag less often. I want to change that. I am actively looking to add fuchsia garments back into my wardrobe.

Four, I tried using my fuchsia satchel during the second week of July. It kinda worked. I love the bag but it was heavy and awkward because I try to carry too much. If I lighten my load (which is possible), the satchel can come back into play. Again, I would like to add fuchsia garments back into my wardrobe.

Ensemble Creation has been at an all time high! Every single day I am actively creating a new ensemble.

For the first time ever, I am combining pink with red. This ensemble creates an opportunity for me to wear my red shoes (which had been sitting stagnant for too long). And the pink makes me feel both professional and happy.

Now that my red shoes have come into play, I have also worked my silver shoes back into lighter colored ensembles for a double win!

I am also really looking at my shoe collection. This is an area in my wardrobe that needs serious assessment and updating. I am almost afraid to assess the shoe capsule for fear of deficiency. But it will have to be done. I have scheduled August for this task.

I am a uniform dresser. I have defined ensembles that make me happy. Defined ensembles would be boring for a lot of people. They are comforting to me. But for the month of July, I have purposely been switching things up and not wearing my uniform ensembles. This decision has forced me to create ensembles! New combinations! New ideas!

Jewelry that has not been worn in quite some time has been added into the mix because I am actively making decisions. No auto pilot in July.

Finally, I had a facial this weekend. Wonderful and I keep toying with the idea of pulling all my red lipsticks out of storage. Toying.

That's it for now! Only two weeks into the challenge and benefits galore. Best wishes to my fellow Challenge friends. I may not have commented on every single thread this past week, but I made it a point to read every single one.

6 years ago

delurked

Veteran

It sounds like this challenge has been very useful to you thus far. I’m happy you’ve found a good home for the briefcases, and that you’ve decided on other times to use the clutch.

Also, maybe your new combinations will lead to new uniform dressing in future. That way you can be comfortable and get dressed with ease, but have more options when you do so.

Carla

You don't have to add fuschia garments to your closet if you don't want to. The fuschia bag CAN be a standalone item. Think black and white outfit with a punch of colour from the bag, or an outfit of cool blues and greens, and from the opposite side of the colour wheel, your fuschia bag.

Anonymous

Sterling , you are doing great with the challenge! I have mostly learned that I have far too many summer clothes. That is what happens in the endless heat and humidity of Kansas summers, the dominant season.
Have you tried black and navy? Navy can easily work with fuschia and pink.

How about wearing the fuschia bag tonally with burgundy/wine colors too-or other sorts of pinks?

Cardiff girl

Get the red lippie out while you are on a roll!Sounds like you are achieving great wardrobe things.

nemosmom

Wow, Sterling, it sounds like this has been quite an educational challenge for you! Purposely switching things up and actively creating new, thoughtful ensembles has pushed you a wee bit out of your comfort zone in a pretty fantastic way. AND you found loving homes for items you valued so much. Very inspiring

Stagiaire Fash

Carla, hi 5. That's what I said to her first post re the bags--fuchsia is such a great complement to navy and grey, as well as many other colors, she can start carrying those bags right now, whether she ever wears any clothing that color ever again. I'm excited to hear about the red-pink pairing too.

Fashintern -- the pink/red pairing was very adventurous for my part of the country. I pulled off by wearing it multiple days in a row. My friends now think this is "normal." They were uncertain about it the first day, but too polite to say it to my face.

Nemosmom -- this challenge has certainly pushed me out of my comfort zone. I think it was the beginning of summer and boredom was starting to set in. When Sal suggested a challenge, I was all in. I just didn't realize how much I was personally going to benefit from her suggestion.

I will get that red lipstick out of storage this week, Cardiff Girl!! It was kinda interesting to browse through my makeup storage box. There was so much in it I had completely forgotten about.

I can and will wear the fuchsia bags with other colors like navy. Thank you for reminding me, Fashintertern, Suntiger, Joy, and RunCarla. I think I was trying to express the surprise when I realized I had literally purged all of my fuchsia garments. I very much want to make buying fuchsia a priority for me because that color makes me happy. Unfortunately, I am not seeing the shade of color I used to own in retail at the moment. When I do I intend to pounce. Until then I will enjoy my two fuchsia bags by wearing them as the statement piece in my outfit.

Suntiger -- I don't own any burgundy. I do own pink though. I will consider pairing the bags with my pink top (and red shoes?).

Joy -- I completely understand having a lot of summer clothes when your previous climate dictated the need for them. My wardrobe was incredibly lopsided when I moved from Minnesota to the South. Sadly, I continued to buy for a Minnesota winter for many years after the move too. It took YLF for me to finally understand what I had been doing and why. I now own a lot of navy. The fuchsia will brighten that navy up!!!!!!! Thank you for the suggestion.

Hi RunCarla -- I had completely forgotten about the power of the color wheel. I should review it for other possible color combinations. Do I vaguely remember fuchsia and turquoise? I need to check. Thank you.

This has been a fabulous challenge for me, Delurked. It came at exactly the right time for me to be open to it. It has been really fun too. Oh, and each time I create a new outfit, I save that outfit in Style Book. I include all the components, from shoes to jewelry. I only have to glance through my "looks" to see them again and remember them. IF an outfit was particularly awful, I save that one too. I make notes about why it was so awful though.

Glory

Reading about your fuscia bag reminded me I have a clutch in that colour. Although I haven’t used it in 2 years I loved it with a navy or black sheath dress.

Sal

You are having a great month Sterling and I am so pleased that you are enjoying some new combinations. I also have not seen much fuschia around - I hope some turns up.

And we are on the same wavelength with red - I am wanting some red shoes and I wore red lipstick for the first time in ages last week. It must be Carla and Suz and Angie's influence!!

Sterling, do you find the color wheel useful? It seems the more I try to learn how to use it, the less useful it becomes. Strategies I’ve heard include pairing colors straight across the wheel, putting together 3 colors that are all an equal distance from each other, and the color next door. So, for example, red could could be paired with green, or in a 3-some with yellow and blue, or with purple or orange. That’s everything! I guess once you get to tertiary colors there’s a bit more to it, but I still feel there’s some magic there that I’m not catching onto.

Hi Fashintern -- I do find the color wheel useful. I picked mine up at an art store. It has multiple different levels that explain things to me. It took me some time to get comfortable with it though. I also read some websites on color theory that really drove home some of the points. I would share those websites with you but that was long ago and I tend to delete old websites.

YAY Sal! I am so glad you are seeing how much I am really enjoying this challenge. It spoke to me. Thank you for proposing it. It is making my small wardrobe really work for me. I am pulling old stuff out right and left and really happy.

Red lipstick. I LOVE it. I own tubes of it. For some reason, I stopped wearing it and put it away. We both really need to revive it.

Hi Glory! A fuchsia clutch would definitely catch my eye. The combination with a navy or black sheath could stop traffic.

JAileen

I totally agree with Carla: your outfit can be entirely neutrals, then add your fuchsia bag. If you don’t like that idea, then I would go onto Etsy and search for vintage scarves in fuchsia, or with some fuchsia. Then you have two items that tie together.

bj1111

this thread sooo needs pictures

Pictures would be powerful, bj1111. I stopped taking pictures of myself because I could never get the angle right. Putting outfits together in Style Book keeps the information available to me. I have even logged those special days when I used something new and exciting like my clutch. But I hear you. I'll see how I can upload some pictures for you.

Jaileen -- I agree I don't need that extra element of fuchsia in my outfit. I am used to it from historic outfits. My purses must have always coordinated with some other element in my outfit and that felt right. When those garments got purged, the purses got put into storage. I'm using this Challenge to change my way of thinking.

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