So This is the New Year

And I Don't Look Any Different--Friday, 1/1/16

Focal item: Drapey olive green cardigan

Although she is wearing an olive-ish green jacket and pants in her version, I thought it would look just as good (or better) with a cardigan and skirt.

From anneinresidence.com

Yeah, this is a lot of volume going on, but I kind of like the swishy feel to it.

Olive drapey cardigan (thrifted, JCP), $2.50/wear+
Short-sleeved black and white striped top (JCP), $4.00/wear
Black peplum hiking skirt (Royal Robbins/REI), $4.17/wear
Black leggings
Black LifeStride flats, $1.38/wear
Blue/orange/green floral infinity scarf with black and white section (Target), $7.12/wear

Outfit total: $19.17/wear

This scarf does NOT match the outfit (except the black and white segment, I guess) but nevertheless, I liked how it looked.

In other news...OK, I admit it.  I bought a bunch of clothes/shoes/jewelry during my birthday/Christmas season this year.  I hit several of the online Christmas sales and got some things that will really diversify my wardrobe in a good way--more cardigan vests! the pencil skirts from JCP that are perfect and now under $12! etc.  Then when visiting my mom, we did both a Goodwill trip and a trip to the once-a-month 88 cent sale (where I made out like a bandit!).

I've had to do some tricky planning to get my new items worn during the Work the Wardrobe Challenge, and a few of the summery items I've simply had to defer until warm weather season resumes some time well after April 21.

I have not viewed this wardrobe challenge as a technique to make myself stop shopping so it doesn't bother me at all that I've taken advantage of the conveniently-proximal-to-my-birthday sales and the opportunity to thrift shop with my mom (which I only get to do about once a year--boo!), even if it has made this challenge a bit more challenging. 

So starting this Monday, you'll be seeing a lot of new items with an asterisk next to them.  I'm trying to prioritize the new items as much as possible because (1) fun new stuff! and (2) it would feel dumb to not get them worn in the next 3 1/2 months!

This said, it would make a lot of sense for me to do another closet clean-out at the end of the Work the Wardrobe Challenge.  I have enough space for what I own (although not "plenty" of space) and I do not feel overwhelmed by the quantity (thanks to my handy Excel spreadsheet, which is hella easier to peruse than closets and drawers), but I could stand to do a little purging.  I have been doing this a bit as I've been going, but I've definitely added more things than I've gotten rid of this year. 

(The blog post title is a reference to this Death Cab for Cutie song that we listened to on our drive back home after Christmas; appropriate, no?)