Lessons and my Top Ten

So, looking back on the 30x30, it turns out it wasn't as difficult as I'd originally imagined. Yes, I had a few days when I hated all the pieces, but overall, it was pretty positive. I was amazed by the number of outfits I was able to construct and by the different combinations I tried.

I feel like I can still do a lot with the pieces, and I think I might try, but it's nice to "shop my closet".

If I could sum the whole thing up in a nice list of bullet points, it'd look a little something like this:

• I love that patterned skirt from Target more than I ever thought possible. It's way more versatile than I originally imagined and it's one of the pieces I kept going back to. Who knew?!
  
• Accessories are key - sometimes all you need is a different belt and you have a completely different outfit. Isn't it amazing how the little things can totally change the mood and the "register" of the outfit?
  
  
• I don't like pants. This is not news, but I still included four pairs - two pairs of jeans, a pair of cropped pants, and a pair of leggings. One pair of jeans would've been fine, and then I could've thrown in another skirt.
  
  
• Dresses feel like cheating - but I just can't stay away! And I discovered they work quite well as tops. In fact, I wore dresses as tops three times during the challenge, with mixed reactions from my husband.
  
  
• Shoes are my weakness. More than my summer dresses or my skirts or my tops, I missed my shoes. Next time around, I'd throw out a top and add a pair of shoes.
  
  
• I wish I'd added one additional woven shirt. No real reason other than they're pretty and professional - I ended up needing more professional looks than I'd anticipated.
  
  
• This would probably be more challenging in the winter or the fall, but it'd be more "remix-y" then, too. Layering definitely ups the creativity quotient whereas heatwaves mean all I want is a dress and bare feet.
  
  
• I'll be able to survive a wardrobe that fits in a single suitcase. A big reason for me to take on this challenge was because I knew that B. and I have a big move coming up and we'll only be able to take what fits in our suitcases. In other words, I need to downsize. And the thought totally scared me, because what if I ended up wandering the rain forest in my pajamas because I couldn't find anything to wear? The thing is, I realized I probably won't get to that. I can make things work, and make them look good, even if I only have 50 pounds of items to my name.
  

And now, here's a look at my Top Ten 30x30 looks (click to enlarge):