The Challenge: The 30 day closet diet

Now that you are a newborn, or born-again closet shopper, it is time that I give you your first CHALLENGE: the 30 day Closet Diet. This diet is meant to boost creativity, cleanse the closet of toxic clothes, regulate your organization, and ultimately increase your finances to later engage in healthy shopping habits.

Because I think no diet is successful without the support of a friend, I pledge to do the challenge along with you and report my successes and failures right here on this blog.

The Diet. For the next 30 days you will pledge to not spend one single dollar on any clothes or accessories. Only use what you have in your closet and dressers to dress yourself for whatever day-to-day plans and occasions make your month.

Allow yourself to only use your closet and confidence to carry off whatever expressive looks you find relevant to the occasion. This is the time when taking chances on color combos, unused accessories, and your innate ability to dress yourself is essential.

Trust Your Senses. Rely on your developing style and the help of your five senses to dictate what will come of this challenge.

Sight: Paying attention to people on the street, in your office, and at the grocery store will help you to get more ideas for what is current in trend or how to manipulate a classic piece. Heck, you may even see someone sporting the same cardigan as you but in a completely different way.

Sound: Now, I love a little music to set me in the mood for what I want to wear. My favs are Duffy, Julie Landon, Rihanna, Jennifer Lopez… What kind of music motivates you to look good?

Taste: Using discretion is key when trying out new looks. Ease into pairing up pieces that may be a digression from your usual style. Take a pattern and mix it with a different neutral each time you wear it. This will change the look of it every time and save you from making an overly ambitious choice in style.

Smell: Spraying on a little perfume or body splash can definitely help to set of the pace for where your outfit should go. A touch of a vanilla perfume might push you to wear something a little sexier, while a floral spray may help you embrace your playful femininity.

Touch: This is a big one. Fabric will truly be the driving force for what you decide to put on your body. Be sure to feel comfortable in what you are wearing and not about what you are wearing. The difference is the fussiness versus the look. A starched white shirt under a bulky sweater will prove frumpy and sloppy because the fabrics do not lay correctly. While a slinky silk blouse under a more conservative blazer will work perfectly, even though it is not your style. I say you will not know unless you try it on and wear it outside of your house… WITH CONFIDENCE!

Make no mistake. This will be hard especially if you work in any close proximity to your favorite store or you see an accessory that is a must have. DISCIPLINE, my friends, is key. Again, throughout the next 30 days, I will be with you in this journey as we say “no!” to our impulse to buy and “hello!” to our impulse to try!

Remember the only accessory you ever need is confidence,

Jey