Just thought I’d use this fashion friday to give you an update on the progress so far with my 15:30 style challenge. What’s a 15:30 challenge? Well for many reasons I have chosen to join several other women in choosing and committing to just fifteen pieces of clothing to wear for the month of September. You can read some of the reasons behind this fashion challenge here.
Part of the purpose of this is simply an exercise in self-control…one of those lovely fruits of the spirit we are to exemplify. Most people think about shopaholics as having a millions credit cards and mountains of debt. Fortunately that’s not me, but I have been tending towards going shopping just to make me feel good. That consumer high is addictive and simply a attempt to find fulfillment that can only be found in an intimate relationship with Jesus. So as I’ve said before, the fact that I have the money to spend on clothes doesn’t mean it shouldn’t go to better purposes…like sponsoring a child living in poverty or even saving for my kids’ college education.
So I’m on day 3 today. Since gym clothes are allowed and it’s a sweltering sweat bath outside I have been throwing on yoga pants and tshirts to walk the kids to school. Then I may actually go workout or go home and work for awhile before getting really cleaned up and “dressed” for the day…which mostly means evening. It is HARD to ignore an entire wing of my closet and my dresser. Four long racks full of colorful tops, shorts, even dresses.
As with anything, deprivation makes temptation that much stronger. Walking through Target twice this week seeing seemingly GORGEOUS clothes and racks and rack with 50% off an Clearance all over them was rough, I tell ya. I have always been a proponent of what Steven Covey calls “an abundance mentality” but now when it comes to clothes I feel the scarcity mentality kicking in. Translated: if I don’t buy that super adorable thing now, I’m missing my chance and there will be nothing left in October when I can shop again. These thoughts are ridiculous, I know.
The shoes have been the most fun part of the past two days. Wednesday I had a coffee shop meeting with a friend to discuss some photography I’m doing for him so I pulled out the jeans and light silver t-shirt. I wanted flats and fortunately the silver pair I bought a couple weeks ago were perfect. Picking jewelry was fun too, although the new earrings I bought were SO NOISY I had to take them off before the meeting. The upside of the jeans were that my neighbor noticed them and complimented them. The downside was that twenty minutes at the bus stop (bus was late) was much too long to be outside in dark jeans.
Yesterday I went the monthly meetup of my Fast Track Photographers group at Christine’s studio in the Heights. My awesome friend Aimee Woodall, head of the Black Sheep Agency, gave a talk on marketing and pr for photographers. Even with only fifteen pieces to choose from, it required a lot of mindfulness to pick an outfit. I didn’t want to be too overdressed, or two boring. I knew we were heading to the beach this weekend so I didn’t want to use something I’d be taking with me. I settled on the denim skirt and blue striped blouse, mainly because I wanted to try it with the first wide belt I’ve ever bought. Turns out I like the belt idea in theory more than in practice. The most fun though was again the shoes, since I’d all but forgotten the perfect little denim slides I’ve had more than a decade.
Over the past couple days the 15:30 project has led to some really interesting conversations and for that I’m grateful. I know they mentioned something like it on the Today show yesterday but I was too busy to watch it, so I’ll have to go back and find the video.
Next up: weekend beach vacation challenge! And what to wear to dinner at Rachel Matthews’ house, the supremely lovely and talented author of A Southern Fairytale. Yes, I’m grateful to be so fortunate.
