Author: Debbie Roes

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August and September 2015 Accountability Update

This is the post I have been dreading writing, which is part of why I have put it off for so long.   As you will soon see, I shopped far too much during August and September – mostly during August – and bought a lot of new things, too many.   Fortunately, the dust settled from my shopping “binge” weeks ago, but I now have to re-live it all here in this post.  This isn’t an easy post for me to write, yet I have committed to being accountable here on the blog and I will honor that commitment.

For those who are new to the blog, these reports (which are usually done monthly) are where I share what came into and left my closet and how I did with my shopping budget.   Sharing what I bought, what I culled, and how much I spent helps me to stay honest and on track with my wardrobe and shopping.  It also contributes toward my being more deliberate, which is my theme for 2015.

Telling the Truth

It’s time to tell the truth about my August and September shopping…

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October “Love It, Wear It” Challenge (LIWI) Update

It’s been a long time since my last LIWI update, but I have continued to do the challenge in the interim.  As the months have gone on, I keep learning more and more about my wardrobe, my personal style, and myself.  Today’s update is going to be less picture heavy than previous installments, but there will still be quite a few statistics for those who like that sort of thing.

Love It, Wear It Challenge

An Overview of LIWI

Before I dive into my update, here’s a quick reminder of what LIWI is about (read more here).  The objectives for the “Love It, Wear It” challenge are to wear what we love and to have the right types of clothing, shoes, and accessories for our lives… our real lives.  By this, I mean the lives that we are actually living in the here and now – not imagined, wished for, or previous lifestyles.

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Travel Packing Debrief – September 2015 Tahoe Trip

I recently returned from a ten day trip to Lake Tahoe (see my photos here).  It was originally supposed to be a week-long vacation, but I extended my stay for three additional days.   I don’t travel very often and always struggle with what to pack.   Since I have been doing so much refinement of my wardrobe and style over the past year, I wondered how that might affect my packing prowess.   In today’s post, I look at what I brought to Tahoe with me, whether or not my packing served me well, and what I wore during my stay.

Debbie Roes - Lake Tahoe

One night on my recent Tahoe trip – a warm summer evening by the lake. 

What I Packed

Tahoe during September can be a bit “iffy” weather-wise. While it is often still quite warm during the day, the temperature can definitely plummet in the evenings.  It’s also not uncommon to have a cold snap in early fall. All of these factors can make packing challenging.  In the days leading up to my trip, I kept checking the forecast and refining my list of what to take with me on my trip.

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Does a “One In, One Out” Policy Work?

One way in which many women try to maintain a manageable wardrobe is to institute a “one in, one out” policy.  This means that each time they bring something new into their closets, they need to let go of an existing item.   In some cases, this item must come from the same category as the new piece (i.e. a dress for a dress or a long-sleeved top for a long-sleeved top), but it can also just be one for one from any wardrobe area.

one in, one out policy

When you buy something new, do you cull an existing item?

I have loosely tried to follow this policy since I started the blog, but I haven’t been very strict about it at all.  What usually ended up happening was that I noticed “closet creep” had occurred, so I spent some time going through everything and getting rid of enough items to level things out again.   But doing that doesn’t feel very deliberate, which is my theme for the year.

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Useful Links on Capsule Wardrobes

Capsule wardrobes have been a big topic of discussion on many blogs recently.  In addition, the fall season of minimalist fashion challenge Project 333 kicks off on October 1st.  So I thought this might be a good time to share some useful links on this timely and popular subject.

capsule wardrobe

Have you ever dressed with a capsule wardrobe? This was my first one. 

If you are contemplating taking on a capsule wardrobe challenge or if you already dress in capsules and want to improve your process, you might find the articles below interesting and useful.   Even if you aren’t ready to do Project 333 or a similar challenge – or have no desire to do so, you’ll likely still receive benefit from reading a few of these blog posts.  There are some great nuggets of wisdom therein on dressing with less and making the most of our wardrobes.

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