Recap & Top Ten 30 for 30 Tips

It looks waaaaay more impressive all tiled together like this. Any other month, it's just getting dressed - this month, it was a 30 For 30!

Honestly these might not be my real Top 3, I had a super hard time narrowing it down. I loved my plaid/leopard outfit, and the chambray/fur combo, my very first look and my very last look. I was surprised at how hard it was to style the easy things (the red blazer, the blue skirt) and how easy it was to style the hard things (the python shirt, the sequin dress). Advice nugget: don't be scared to put those weird things in your closet in your 30 for 30! It'll be a freaking party.

Notice anything the Bottom 3 have in common? White jeans. And they were all outfits I threw together the morning of. Turns out the two are related. Whenever I'm lazy and don't plan things, I fell back on the safest pair of pants in my shrunken closet and went from there, and I haaaaaated it. My advice? PLAN PLAN PLAN. Don't just wake up in the morning and expect birds to sing and angels to come down from on high and dress you. Do something about it.

Top Ten 30 for 30 Tips

1. Include an equal number of collared shirts and non-collared shirts for easier layering. All pullovers or all button downs would be bad news bears.

2. Throw some crazies in there, chicken!

3. ... but don't deprive yourself of normal things. Like jeans.

4. Keep your thirty items separate from the rest of your closet, if you can. It makes it easier to focus.

5. Take an hour or two on the weekend to try on some different things together. Lay everything out on your bed, try everything on in front of a full-length mirror and take pictures with your iPhone - so many of my outfits this month were things that sounded like poop salad on paper but turned out pretty awesome in real life.

6. UNFORTUNATELY the reverse is also true. Things that sound stellar on paper sometimes look like poop salad in real life, but you won't know until you're standing in front of that mirror with a camera.

7. Save those iPhone pics! They make getting dressed easy, because you can scroll through your phone from the comfort of your nice warm bed until the last possible minute when you absolutely have to get up and get ready.

8. Try really hard not to wear the same thing twice. 30 items is enough for way more than 30 outfits, so that's no excuse.

9. Get used to wearing the same piece two days in a row sometimes! You won't die or spontaneously combust. And no one notices, I promise.

10. This is not boot camp! There are no rules, really. They're more like guidelines.

Would you guys link up if we did a 30 for 30 support group in January? Say yes! Say yes! It'll be so much fun and if you don't I'll hunt you down and stuff. :)

29: Pinspired

Leopard sweater: TJMaxx | Skirt: J.Crew | Shoes: Nine West Booboo | Earrings: F21 | Ring: F21

Whenever I can't figure out what to wear with a certain piece of clothing, I either stalk your blogs or do a Pinterest search. I think I have a primary color problem, because I have a hard time styling red and cobalt blue. I found this picture on Pinterest and loved the blue, black, and brown together:

If anyone knows the original source, let me know!

I prefer the richness of the colors in her outfit (and her tan) but I do like this leopard sweater with a blue skirt. And really, if I had a dollar for every time I liked an outfit on Pinterest more than my own, I wouldn't be writing this blog. I'd be shopping.

28: The Plaid Leopard Lumberbiker

Plaid: American Eagle | Pants: LC Lauren Conrad | Shoes: Nine West Booboo | Scarf: TJMaxx | Watch: Fossil | Bracelets: F21

I should name things for a living. Especially fashioney things. Amiright?

This is what one wears when one is mere minutes away from a final which one has studied, let's just say, not quite enough for. (This is also apparently what one wears when one is vying for the Understatement of the Century award.) What can I say, Homeland and dog shaming seemed like more fun than reading stuffy old casebooks and investing in my future. pshhhhh.

This is also what one wears when one does not check the weather and therefore does not know that the temperature in one's location is going to be 73 DEGREES IN DECEMBER.

But the good news is, one final is officially on the books. 

And now... we drink. Or eat cupcakes. Or both.

27: Things I've Done Instead of Studying for Finals

Sweater: H&M | Skirt: J.Crew | Flats: Me Too Patty (different color) | Scarf: apt. 9 | Necklace: DIY | Watch: Fossil | Bracelet: Target | Earrings: Target

This.

Reached for my skinny jeans and was actually glad, for the first time, that my 30 for 30 is almost over.

Posted half the things I own on Poshmark. (It's fun! Download the app and let's follow each other and be merry.)

Went for an involuntary run. Considered dog shaming.

Drank my body weight in Cherry Coke Zero.

Pinned this and this and this.

Started planning this for my 12th 25th birthday. Thanks Mom & Dad! ... I'll be the one wearing this. Or this.

Created a spreadsheet for my January 30 for 30.

SOLD MY FIRST ETSY BLANKET ZOMMMMGGGGG!!!

Considered the very real possibility that I'm the only person not in love with the Target collab. Sad face.

Tried to decide if lavender polka dot jeans are a versatile wardrobe item.

Got started on this, except I paid $100 like a not-crazy person.

This.

 

26: Flatline

Cargo jacket: Nordie's | Plaid: American Eagle | Tank: F21 | Skirt: J.Crew | Flats: Me Too Patty (different color) | Bracelets: Target | Watch: Fossil | Earrings: Target

I feel like someone pulled the fire alarm in my brain and all the thoughts evacuated and now I just want to sit and stare at a wall and drool or something.

(First final in T-3 days probably has something to do with this. I hope)

Ever wonder what the Cullens would look like wearing plaid? Ya welcome

24&25: Up/Down + Love/Hate

Blazer: Jennifer Lopez for Kohl's | Tank: F21 | Skirt: Worthington | Shoes: Sam Edelman Portney | Bracelet: J.Crew | Earrings: F21

If you're like, "hold the phone, where's that blazer been all 30 for 30" the answer is hiding. In the closet. Mocking me. Because if we're getting all deep dark secrets up in here, I've got to tell you guys, I really don't like this thing at all.

I don't like that it's shiny. I don't like that it's a half size too small. I don't like that it's about an inch too short. I don't like that it's my second favorite animal print and somehow goes with nothing. Let this be a lesson unto you: even if you like to wear your blazers open, don't try to cheat tailoring by sizing down. You can take things in, YOU CAN'T MAKE THEM BIGGER. LE DUH, SAM. LE DUH.

So today's escapades in python blazerdom only half shock me. I'm shocked that the dressed up look I wore to work is one of my favorites from my whole 30 for 30, but I knew before I even left the house that the casual look I wore to class would easily be in my bottom three. I'm going to give it another whirl when I have my whole closet to work with, but I don't have a heck of a lot of confidence that it's going to change my mind. 

Cargo jacket: Nordie's | Blazer: Jennifer Lopez for Kohl's | Sweater: H&M | Jeans: Victoria's Secret | Booties: Betsey Johnson Ziah | Scarf: apt. 9 | Earrings: Target

And if this outfit is giving you deja vu... yeah.

22: Workin' On My Fitness

Sweater: Target | Shirt: Victoria's Secret | Skirt: J.Crew | Shoes: Sam Edelman Portney | Watch: Fossil | Bracelet: J.Crew | Earrings: Target | Monogram necklace: eBay

Tomorrow I have to drive three and a half hours for my bar fitness interview. 

Common questions: do you have to do pushups? Run laps? Is this like bootcamp? I can see how you'd think that, but no. IT'S BETTER. You get to drive all the gas out of your car to spend twenty minutes with a room full of strangers while they politely evaluate whether you're going to turn out to be a serial killer or some other PR disaster for the legal profession before they admit you to the bar.

(If you're reading this, bar examiners, the answer is no.)

I. am. so. psyched.

I hope you guys will forgive me for breaking my 30 for 30 tomorrow afternoon when I don my interview Batsuit. Duh nuh nuh nuh nuh nuh nuh nuh BAT GIRL! I usually wear all black when I'm seriously suiting up 1) because LC told me to, 2) because it's easy, and 3) because it reminds me of that time I tried to be a goth kid freshman year of high school but my parents wouldn't let me dye my hair or wear black lipstick so I cut up all my shirts and wore dog collars instead. Those were the days.

20 & 21: Up/Down

Blazer: H&M | Dress (as top): BCBGMAXAZRIA Marta | Skirt: J.Crew | Shoes: Sam Edelman Portney | Earrings: F21 | Watch: Fossil

Thanks for all your support and ideas on my last post. Budgeting is one of those things that shouldn't be hard (you spend until you run out, then you stop, right?) but it just is. The good news is, I'm sick of sucking at it, so by the time I graduate in May I'm determined to make a habit of much healthier spending habits.

Time for more sequins: I'm planning to wear the top outfit for my last day at my internship (if you're gonna go out, go out with a bang!) and the bottom outfit for night-before-my-best-friend's-wedding festivities. Both are well after my 30 for 30 is over, but I wanted to share these outfits now since I discovered them while playing around this month!

Time for more 30 for 30 propaganda: trying to come up with fun things to wear with 30 pieces instead of 100 pieces is, in my super scientific mathematical estimations, roughly one bajillion times easier. You  don't get overwhelmed or frustrated or scary mad (oh, I'm the only one who has meltdowns over clothes? Girl don't play) and "I have nothing to wear" moments don't take up my precious shower minutes in the morning.

Can you tell I'm peer pressuring the hell out of you guys to do this with me next time? 

January 1st. Mark yo' calendars.

Cargo jacket: Nordie's | Top: Target | Dress (as skirt): BCBGMAXAZRIA Marta | Shoes: Sam Edelman Portney | Earrings: F21 | Watch: Fossil | Wrap: Target

Also, if you've got an hour or three to spare, check out all the lovely ladies on my blog roll. I love seeing which blogs other people follow and I realized I kind of missed the bus by not having my own favorites posted! If you're interested in swapping buttons, email or tweet me.

Linking up with Still Being Molly for #YOLOMonday.

19: Too Much Plaid & a Gratuitous #Puppybomb

Blazer: H&M | Top: American Eagle | Jeans: Victoria's Secret | Flats: Me Too Patty | Scarf: Kohl's | Watch: Fossil | Bracelet: J.Crew

Finally home after a f-a-n-tastic visit to my actual home. I wish I could rearrange the map to make home and home a little closer together, but until science/geography/space and time travel catches up to that, I'll settle for visits whenever I can get them. 

My dad, on the other hand, spent the whole three days hinting that maybe next time I should send the dog home instead of coming home myself. What can I say, man loves his granddog! At least the big one. He's still warming up to the wee tiny one.

Can you blame the man? That face! Those ears!

This outfit is a little preppier than I usually go when I travel, but I really wanted to wear my plaids together. Why have just enough of a good thing when you could have far too much of a good thing? Exactly.

18: Black Hole

Sweater: F21 | Pants: Target | Flats: Me Too Patty | Scarf: apt. 9 | Watch: Fossil | Bracelet: J.Crew

The title is in reference to both my "hell no" (pronounced oh HAAAAYYYYLL no) attitude when it comes to venturing out on Black Friday and the admirable capacity of my stomach when pumpkin Chex mix and homemade rolls and apple pie cheesecake is on the line.

But I earned every last bite of it on that run yesterday morning... right?

Reuniting with SkyMall this afternoon, then it's back to the grind. By the grind I of course mean college football and some sewing shenanigans and playing with my nuggets, who I've missed desperately the past three days. So not really a grind at all. Grinds can wait for Monday.

Linking up with Modern Modest Beauty.

17: Thankful

Chambray: H&M | Jeans: Victoria's Secret | Booties: Betsey Johnson Ziah | Scarf: apt. 9 | Watch: Fossil | Bracelet: J.Crew | Cuff: Anthropologie

Extra short post today, because I'm off soaking up all the family time/food I can get. Hope you're all having the time of your lives before the tryptophan kicks in, and then I hope you're having the nap of your life. And to distract you from the fact that I'm basically wearing the same damn thing I did yesterday...

If this is my last post ever it's because I died trying to run a 5K this morning. Or because there are two raccoons trying to break into our house now that dad hid the birdfeeders in the garage, and they look like this ain't their first rodeo. Know that I'll have died without ever knowing how to say the word meme. SERIOUSLY HOW DO YOU SAY IT.

Happy Thanksgiving!

15: Ohhh We're Halfway There

Blazer: H&M | Top: Equipment | Skirt: J.Crew | Shoes: Sam Edelman Portney | Necklace: eBay | Ring: F21

WHOOAAAAAA, LIVIN' ON A PRAYER...

Can't believe I'm already halfway through my outfits for the month! I feel like I could go way longer than thirty days, but I seriously miss the rest of my closet, so I won't test that theory just yet. There are other, more pressing theories to test, like whether or not Hostess cupcakes taste better once they're officially an endangered species and juuuust how long before my 3:15 flight I can wait before I start packing.

While I'm off theory-testing and hypothesizing and other scientific words that make me feel important, here's a quick jaunt down the last 15 outfits of memory lane:

13 & 14: Up/Down

Blazer: LC Lauren Conrad | Plaid: American Eagle | Dress: Calvin Klein | Shoes: Nine West Booboo | Watch: Fossil | Bracelet: F21 | Earrings: F21

My very favorite part of 30 for 30 is that my options are either get creative or go naked. So many times in the past, I've bought something and loved it but only worn it one way. And when you're only wearing something one way, you kind of have to stretch out the time between when you wear it.

Take this dress. Before this month, I'd only worn it with black pumps and a black blazer, and I'd only worn it once. I would never have had the guts to wear it with a leopard sweater, and I never would have tried to dress it up with plaid (sounds kind of like an oxymoron, right?) and a blazer or dress it down with a cargo jacket. None of this is groundbreaking, I know, but I'm having such a freaking blast that I couldn't help but share.

Also, red blazer: I forgive you.

Cargo jacket: Nordie's | Gingham: J.Crew | Dress: Calvin Klein | Flats: Me Too Patty | Necklace: F21 | Chain bracelet: J.Crew | Rhinestone bracelet: American Eagle

Also... remember that not-bloggy project I was talking about last week? I finally stopped sewing through myself long enough to finish it. 

You've probably figured out by now that I love to sew... I sort of gave it away here and here. What can I say, I'm an old (geriatric?) soul. I know this is some serious shameless self promotion, but if you know anyone with a baby (or have to buy presents in the near future for anyone with a baby), I'd love if you'd check out my brand spanking new Etsy shop. :)

And, I'm just saying, I'm not a baby and I take my blanket eeeeeverywhere.

Studying in the giant drafty library for the two weeks of the year directly before finals? Check.

On airplanes, because it's cuter than those saran wrapped ones the airline hands out? Check. 

In the car, because Boyfriend cranks the A/C like we're in the sub-Saharan desert even in the dead of winter? Check. 

In movie theaters, because they're pretty much giant meat lockers? Check check check.

Thanks you guys. Happy Monday!

12: You're A Mean One

Sweater: J.Crew | Skirt: JCPenney | Shoes: Sam Edelman Portney | Bag: London Fog via TJMaxx | Scarf: apt. 9 | Earrings: F21 | Bracelet: Kohl's

Saw the How The Grinch Stole Christmas musical last night, and it was awesome all by itself, but it was made extra awesome by the little girl sitting behind us who kept trying to get Cindy Lou-Who's attention (no one had the heart to tell her we were in the nosebleed seats) and clapped and yelled "thank you Mr. Grinch!!" even after the cast left the stage.

Happy weekend! I'm off to drown myself in caramel brulee lattes, investigate whether or not the grilled cheese truck man really does deliver, and convince Boyfriend that no purse I carry can be accurately referred to as a murse because, well, I'm not a dude. Sorry baby.

Update: linking up with Modern Modest Beauty for Sunday Style. Love her blog!

11: Not a Kegger

Top: Target | Skirt: J.Crew | Shoes: Sam Edelman Portney | Earrings: Target | Necklace: Target | Ring: F21 | Chain bracelet: J.Crew | Rhinestone bracelet: F21 | Spike bracelet: eBay

I wouldn't say this is an arm party but it's the closest I ever get. It's definitely more casual after work cocktails than techno rager. I spend a lot of time typing, and I can't handle the jinglejangleclunking of a ton of bracelets on the desk/keyboard. Can't do it. They end up in a neat little pile off to the side, and it's way easier to take off/put back on one or two bracelets twenty times a day than a whole armful. Because let's face it, if I go to the bathroom or to the copy machine sans bracelets the world would probably end armageddon style. It is 2012, after all. You're all welcome.

I haven't gotten a lot of wear out of this necklace, which is a bummer, because when I saw it on the clearance rack I felt like I struck gold. This is the first outfit in a long time that I've actually liked it with. I'm slowly learning (through blogging!) that I have to be eeeextra careful with pale/muted colors and my skin tone, but even though this off-white is tricky, when it goes right it's worth it. Am I alone on this? Do you have "wear at your own risk" colors?

10: The Letter of the Law

Blazer: H&M | Top: Victoria's Secret via MJR Sales | Skirt: J.Crew | Flats: Me Too Patty | Earrings: Target | Watch: Fossil | Bracelet: J.Crew | Rings: H&M/F21

When you talk about laws, you can talk about the letter of the law and the spirit of the law. The letter of the law is the exact wording used, the black and white text of it. The spirit of a law is the policy behind it, or what the legislature meant to do when they enacted it. So technically, you can sometimes violate the spirit of a law without actually violating the law itself.

This outfit would violate at least the spirit of most office dress codes. When you break it down, this is just a button down, a pencil skirt, flats and a blazer... but it's a teal python button down, a neon pink pencil skirt, flats with giant bows and a blazer. I'm lucky that the office where I intern doesn't have a super strict dress code, but I'm curious - could you get away with an outfit like this? How formal is your office dress code?

Also, weird hair sticking out to the side: I see you. We all see you.

9: Red

Blazer: LC Lauren Conrad | Sweater: H&M | Pants: LC Lauren Conrad | Flats: Me Too Patty | Scarf: TJMaxx | Watch: Kohl's | Cuff: Anthropologie | Earrings: Target

Red stumps me.

I love red. I might even call red my favorite color, if it wasn't being such a total B right now. But when I threw my favorite red skirt and my new red blazer into the 30 for 30 shenanigans, I didn't expect to have my mind so thoroughly and utterly boggled by them. Nothing looks right to me. Leopard seems predictable, anything white or blue and I look like a flag. I'm off to Pinterest-search for some inspo, but in the meantime: how do you wear red? Help a girl out.

Linking up with The Pleated Poppy.

8: Honeycomb

Jacket: Nordie's | Sweater: Target | Jeans: Victoria's Secret | Booties: Betsey Johnson Ziah (shop them in my last post!) | Watch: Fossil | Bracelet: Kohl's | Scarf: The Pink Zebra

The title is either a reference to the honeycomb-ish pattern of my scarf or to the fact that I look like I got in a fight with the Honeycomb cereal mascot, whose breed and gender I don't actually know. Big ups to my grandma, who randomly mailed me some new scarves because that's what grandmas do. Except mine shops at a place called The Pink Zebra and once solicited donations for charity from Roy Williams, and having zero clue who he was or why he was a big deal (was, before he left KU) thought it totally appropriate to tell him he'd recognize her as "the short, fat balding woman with perfect breasts" when he came to meet her in the lobby.

Le sigh.

Those of you who joined me in barely scraping by first grade have maybe noticed that we're on outfit eight and day thirteen of November. This is more math than I usually like to do in a day, but I can say with some measure of confidence that these figures don't add up. Alas, the girl with the style blog doesn't like to get dressed every day. It's actually going to work out perfectly: while I'm slaving away on my finals at the beginning of December, we'll keep right on trucking until we hit thirty outfits and no one will ever be the wiser.

Except... you know... you. Because I told you. Act surprised?

7: Bond

Top: Equipment | Jeans: Victoria's Secret via eBay | Shoes: Sam Edelman Portney | Earrings: Target | Necklace: eBay | Watch: Fossil | Bracelet: J.Crew

First miracle: the universe decided that in repayment for my week of self mutilation, it would not only send me my new white jeans in the right size, but the right inseam too. No hemming required. Probably best that I stay away from le old sewing machine.

Second miracle: I wore this to go see Bond (... James Bond) last night with Boyfriend and two of our friends. Mind blown. Stop reading this and go now. That's not even the miracle - I drank an entire giant Icee (thanks, Stubs card!) and didn't pee my pants. Yaaahtzee.

Third miracle: I'm wearing the same shirt two days in a row and I'm not even bummed about it. 

I like you, 30 for 30.

6: The Replacements

Jacket: Nordie's | Shirt: Equipment | Tank: F21 | Pants: Target | Flats: Me Too Patty | Monogram necklace: eBay | Earrings: F21 | Watch: Fossil | Bracelet: J.Crew

Blog, meet my pants. Pants, blog.

You may remember that the washing machine ate the white jeans I planned to use during my 30 for 30. Undeterred, I popped into Target (we all know "popping" into Target takes at least an hour) and picked up these plaid beauties, which are crazy comfy and actually a pretty good dupe for J.Crew's blackwatch plaid.

Out of sheer curiosity, I checked eBay when I got home, and what to my wondering eyes should appear but MY EXACT SAME WHITE JEANS ON SALE IN MY SIZE. Unable to cope with the prospect of living without either pair (and realizing that we're only a week in to an already freezing cold month, and I'm only working with two pairs of pants), I made the executive decision to make room for both. I present to you, the official 30x30 lineup, unless my washer decides to be a total turdbucket and eat something else.