Ladies, how many times have you ran out to purchased a new dress for an event, important meeting, or otherwise one-purpose function, knowing that something in your closet would certainly suffice. Shouldn’t creativity and innovation be the result of such a situation? After all difficult situations inspire ingenious solutions, and the newest trend in fashion challenges just that.
Vogue stylings of late have become centered around re-purposing what is already in your closet. Out with over priced monogrammed hand bags and in with a wardrobe re-do. Inspired by the upcycling movement, this project restyle continues to gain momentum with resourceful fashion lovers and bloggers everywhere. From rethinking, reusing, and reinventing items previously considered washed up, new styling elements emerge. One blogger in Florida demonstrates how to turn an old T-shirt into a necklace. This creative stylist showcases instructions on creating the versatile neckwear pictured. Check out www.aprettypennyblog.com for step by step, no-sew instructions. When Spring cleaning comes knocking on your closet door, pause before you pitch, and try breathing new life into your torn and worn items.
In the spirit of creating new looks within the confines of the current wardrobe, I have enthusiastically accepted a 30 day style remix challenge along with approximately 300 other fashion bloggers across the country. The challenge invites an editing eye to select 30 items from the pieces already in your closet and commit to creatively remixing only those items for 30 days to create a new look every day. The rules prohibit shopping for one whole month (eeek!) beginning on February 1st. Each day the look should be documented via weblog, complete with a photo journal, illustrating how you made that day’s ensemble work with the limited items on your 30×30 list. Be sure to follow www.theglammom.com for daily updates. Check out www.kendieveryday.blogspot.com for a complete list of bloggers who have accepted the terms and submitted their blogs to join in the fun and stretch their dollar, and wardrobe, to the max.
Other ways to stretch your wardrobe is by thrifting or even a clothing and/or accessory swap. Invite a group of girlfriends to gather and bring their items to share in a time-boxed swap. With enough girlfriends and sizes represented, a new dress can be enjoyed by all, and the same goes for those expensive bags (no more renting bags for a month ladies). What better way to spend an evening, especially if you throw a cocktail or glass of wine into the remix.
Everyone wants to look and feel great in what they wear and how they present themselves. Style is about being confident and comfortable in your own skin and your clothing. Your wardrobe must also find a level of comfort within your budget, and for many of us that comfort will come when we commit to being more creative and resourceful, with what we have. As iconic fashion designer Coco Chanel says “luxury must be comfortable, otherwise it is not luxury”.
