Category: 30 x 30

30 x 30: Twenty Eight

AG cropped Stevie cords; J. Crew striped floral top
Pants, AG (via Kijiji); top, J. Crew; cardigan, J. Crew Factory; belt, Tommy Hilfiger; shoes, Old Navy; bag, Marc Jacobs (via consignment)

I’m breaking what is probably a cardinal rule (never pair ankle strap shoes with cropped pants) but … whatever. I’m so close to being done with this challenge, I can almost feel my sanity return. With the end in sight, I can say without hesitation that these AG cropped cords were my favourite 30 x 30 piece. I know, I know. The self-avowed dress lover picks a pair of pants as her favourite piece?! Truth.

First of all, all of the dresses I picked for the challenge – while nice enough – were chosen for practicality and versatility. In other words, they’re not exactly dresses that make my heart sing or whatever. (Although I am really fond of my potato sack. And the striped dress. Oh heck, the black dress too. I like them all, alright?) Second, these AG cords are just the bee’s knees. Comfortable, yes, but also the perfect piece around which to build outfits. Outfits that … make my heart sing, I guess. God, how’s that for corny? I just got all corny over pants.

30 x 30 challenge, what have you done to me?!

30 x 30: Twenty Seven

J. Crew Factory flower necklace; J. Crew black mini
Skirt, necklace & shoes, J. Crew Factory; shirt, Old Navy; bag, MbMJ (via eBay)

Ooh, bookend-y! I usually try to rein in my matchy-matchy impulses, because otherwise I would end up with the most Garanimal-esque outfits, but sometimes it’s just easier to give in. I probably could have left off the necklace, but then we’d be in Snoozeville, which isn’t really worth the detour from Matchy-Matchtropolis. But all that is by way of wholly unnecessary explanation.

It’s alright. The outfit, I mean. It has a certain whiff of I-give-up-ness to it, but it’s not terminally malaised or anything – much like my general feeling about this 30 x 30 challenge, 27 days in. We will get through this, peeps! This too shall pass, etc., etc.

I’ve been pondering the future and direction of this blog for the past few weeks, and I’m currently leaning towards just keepin’ on. Maybe. I don’t know. I keep changing my mind every five minutes, and yeah, it’s annoying. When I’m having a bad day, and I get the itch to post passive-aggressive, vague Facebook status updates, and this blog is just tumbleweeds and crickets, doing the ole dramatic flounce seems like it would be 50 shades of emotionally satisfying. But then I’ll get a funny/sweet/thoughtful comment, and it makes standing on my driveway to take photos of my outfit feel less … completely pointless and ridonk. So there is that. Sweet indecision. Maybe I should just go ahead and have a regular “I quit!” day every week, followed by a “hey, I’m back, did you miss me” day. Flounce Thursdays and Slink Back Sundays. Hashtag blogger problems.

To make up for wasting your time with the pointless this morning, monthly shopping recap post will up be later today.

30 x 30: Twenty Six

J. Crew loafers; black cardigan, capsule dressing
Jeans, Levi’s (via consignment); blouse, Old Navy; belt, Tommy Hilfiger; shoes, J. Crew (via consignment); bag, MbMJ (via eBay)

I didn’t think much of this outfit when I was getting ready, but then a few people complimented me on it, and I was, like, “Whoa! You know nothing, Jon Snow Adina.” Fair enough.

Can we talk about capsule dressing for a sec? In general, I’m anti-capsule, because people who are pro-capsule are usually very much into the whole minimalist thing, and all that “you only need 15 pieces each season” business. No. I need* 100, and that’s only because I restrain myself. However. One silver lining to this whole 30 x 30 disaster challenge has been the discovery that I kinda like working with a minimalist colour palette.

Now, don’t go thinking I mean 3 colours or something equally unlikely. Girl, please; you know me better than that. I’m talking 6 or so main colours, with a few additional ones as accents. For this “capsule”, I ended up with black, blue, cognac, cream, red and khaki-green as my main colours, with teal, purple, and coral as accents. And, guess what? Putting together outfits is easy when you’re not trying to harmonize an entire rainbow. I also liked the cohesiveness of the resulting looks; I feel like that takes me one step closer to looking like a proper adult – at almost-34, about time.

OK, that was more than a second. I lied.

* Fine. Technically, I don’t need a bazillion clothes like I need, say, air. I just like being … hyperboloose? Can we pretend that’s a real word? Like, loose-handed with my hyperboles. I like it. It’s fetch.