5 days to go: Feeling a little dowdy

So I discovered today a community of Petite fashion bloggers. I found the first one by Googling "Tory Burch flats hurt my heels" and came across this beautiful blog looking way more professional than my sad one. The pictures look much more professional than mine (even though they take the pictures themselves), the bloggers much smaller and more fashionable than myself, and to make matters worst, at least 40 times the numbers of subscribers as me. So, sigh, I guess I'm having a little bit of a deflated ego moment. BUT - have any of them given up shopping for a year? I doubt it! In fact, their posts are usually reviews about a most recent purchase. As taxing as I feel that blogging sometimes is, I do think I'll miss having a way to express myself and write about random observations - so maybe that's the next thing in store for me - to join this community of fashion blogging. I'll have to get much better at posing and getting the camera-work down, but it may be a worthwhile pursuit. It's like shopping with your mother - you ask for an opinion and a few moments later, your inbox is flooded with them!

As I reflect on some of my "best of's" from my year of blogging (okay, it's a bit ridiculous given that I've only really posted about 100 times or so), I can't help to think of all the comments I got when I was nearly arrested for speeding. Well, sadly, though I have been pretty good about not shopping, my lead foot has managed to get me into trouble again. Mike and I were in St. Louis a couple of weekends ago and we were a bit lost, so I was paying attention to my GPS telling me that I just missed a turn and suddenly saw lights flashing in back of me. This truly was one of those moments chocked full of innocence where I had no idea I was going over the speed limit - hell, I didn't even know what the speed limit was. So, I pulled over, sucked it up, took the $125 penalty and (sadly) was thankful that I wasn't told some additional bad news like "we're going to need to take you in ma'am because your license plate is expired" or some other ridiculous reason to penalize an upstanding citizen like me! I was very deflated, though, as I do feel like I've taken great strides at using my cruise control to counteract what I truly believe is a lead foot - perhaps somewhere in one of my right foot bones, there hides a magazines of lead bullets. Oh, I know! I know! It goes back to when my brother stabbed me in the knee cap when I was 6 years old with a pencil!!! I'm certain that the lead coming from that broken tip has grown into a large wad of heaviness in my foot causing me to unknowingly apply greater pressure to the gas pedal than others!! Okay, I hope you're at least snickering at this because this may be one of my last little quips (sniff, sniff).

I decided to test my willpower today by cleaning out the cobwebs between my Internet Browser and some pre-challenge websites that were often frequented (even bookmarked!). I am happy to report that browsing through Banana Republic, JCrew, White House Black Market, Ann Taylor, and Blue Fly did nothing to my shopping appetite. At no moment did I click on an item and add it to my shopping bag! I guess the real test comes when I am physically close to the latest fashions, can easily grab something and - gasp - try it on!! That is what always did me in in the past - it's one thing to see something hanging on the rack, it's another to see your skinnified self in the mirror (because, as I've posted before, they have those funhouse mirrors that make you look like a runway model) and to deny what you at the moment think is going to be that one piece in your closet that you'll keep going back to. An then, one year later, that article of clothing either stares at you unworn or taunts you for buying it when it didn't look nearly as splendid as you were lead to believe while in the store and high off of new clothing fumes.

I have no new outfits to report this time around, as I've been lounging around in my fleece pants and jacket - ridiculously watching the weather reports in hopes that tomorrow will be a snow day. I think it will! All the reason to blog more tomorrow!

8 days left and I'm such a slacker!

So, I've flagged a little in terms of posting pictures and my "Top 30" outfits - but here are just a few pictures to let you know that I tried! Some of these "favorites" I'm discovering shouldn't be because they don't fit my criteria of making me look FABULOUS. So, oh well...

Had to post a picture of one of my favorite yoga outfits-something about a shirt that says "Little Miss Lucky" just makes me happy...

This dress is going to the consignment store or given to a friend who looked much better in it than I. Maya, if you're ready, this dress is yours - I don't quite fill it out!

Okay, so much for my daily countdown. I have, however, been keeping up with my pictures and trying to showcase my favorite outfits! I can't believe I have 8 days left of no shopping! So, here's a rundown of what I have bought this year, despite the challenge - all with a perfectly good (or lame) rationale. I feel that listing these purchases are a form of catharsis as they have been giving me a bit of guilt throughout the year. I guess I'm a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to silly challenges - and clearly I feel like I did not exceed this year because I did give into a few purchases - one of which you'll likely be a bit taken aback by (see the last one)...

Christin Louboutin Shoes - to commemorate my promotion - every girl needs her "bitch" shoes!
Soccer pants and workout top - needed for our Soccer-themed 4th of July Party
Red sheath dress, black suit jacket, houndstooth coat - all purchases using my birthday money and the "ultimatum" that I had to buy clothes with it by my wonderful husband :)
Purple Pashmina and a White Gold Ring in Dubai-I mean, come-on! I was in Dubai! I had to buy something to remind me of my trip to the Middle East!
Bear Claw winter boots (Ugg-like) - forgot to pack a pair of warm shoes while on a weekend visit to Detroit and therefore succumbed to buying a pair of shoes at TJMaxx so I wouldn't freeze. Mike saved the day by buying them for me, but I still chalk that up to a purchase
Argyle knee-high socks - same story as the Bear Claw boots - forgot to pack socks when on a trip to Chicago, so I purchased these to keep my feet warm in the single digit weather as we trekked around the city.

And, finally...drumroll, please...my last illegitamate purchase of the year...(consider this a confession)...a Louis Vuitton bag. I was in Chicago last weekend and did not intend on buying the bag but rather to try a few on to get a sense of what I would ultimately buy on Superbowl Sunday of this year while Sommerset mall (a good 1.25 hour drive from our home). Then, I thought to myself, why the hell not buy this bag and keep it in my closet until the glorious day when I can lift off this self-imposed ban and shop? So, I bought it - trekked around Chicago with it in it's dustbag and sturdy Louis Vuitton shopping bag (hiding it in a beach bag so I wouldn't be mugged). So, it has been idly sitting on the top shelf of my closet, getting to know my Louboutin's, waiting for me to pull it out and fulfill it's destiny :)

It's odd, this past week, I've been thinking about shopping and am almost scared to buy something. I fear that, like anyone suffering from an addiction, just a taste of what I loved so much will unleash this irrepressible urge and the shopping monster will be re-released. I guess the true test will come on Sunday when I make a trip to the mall and make a small purchase (I hope it's small). I feel like I kind of have to do this to measure the behavior change in me. I've got it all figured out though - because I am a bit set back financially from the Louis Vuitton purchase, and because Mike and I are trying to save up for our summer trip to Italy and Slovenia, I am going to use a giftcard that my dear friend Rita sent me for Christmas. It, happily enough, is an all-purpose Banana Republic, Gap, Piperlime, Athleta card which means I can spend it anywhere. I guess I could go online and browse on Sunday, especially since we're likely to attend a Superbowl party later that day, but to me, the true test to immerse myself in Banana Republic, surround myself with all the signals that used to release that uncontrollable urge (smell of new clothes, sights of all kinds of clothing, sound of the cash register beeping away as people make purchases, etc.), and with exercised control, make a purchase only if I really need to have the item I am purchasing, and if it makes me look FABULOUS!

Yesterday, on a drive from Moline, IL to Chicago, my sales partner and I passed an amazing outlet mall in Aurora, IL. It had a Kate Spade store, True Religion (which I've never even heard of but was told by my colleague that these are the "it" jeans of today), Theory, Banana, etc. I felt a sudden spike of excitement as I realized that I'll be just down the road from this outlet in late February for a training session. Oh boy - perhaps that is the true test!!! Help - I'm feeling the crazy urges coming back again! Must...not...give...in...

Stay tuned!!!

30 days to go: Let the countdown begin!!

Favorite Outfit #1 - White House Black Market Black Dress - the little black dress that never gets old! Unfortunately, accompanied with a bad hair day - no black dress will fix that!

Favorite Outfit #2 - Green Kenneth Cole sweater, BR "fat" jeans - the only ones that don't create the dreaded muffin top these days and give me enough extra fabric to wear high heels that make me look leaner and taller

Okay, so after some major slacking these past few months, I am going to try to blog everyday as I countdown to Shopping Freedom! For each of these days, I will *try* (note all of the qualifiers here) to wear one of my favorite outfits discovered throughout this year of not shopping (I won't include any of the illegal purchases I made - like the Louboutins, the stuff from my NYC birthday money, etc.). Today's outfit (picture to be posted later) is my favorite little black workdress. I'd probably wear it everyday to work if I could because it is comfortable, doesn't wrinkle, and is black (thereby reducing down any chances of light unflatteringly reflecting off the body).

It's freakin' cold out there - so I do wish I wore these with Ugg boots - but what kind of a fashion statement would that be??

I just posted on Facebook that the 30 day countdown begins - so now I'm guessing that there might be more readership than there has been in the past few months. Blogging is such hard work!

Okay, off to Happy Hour!

Well, the weekend came and went rather quickly - and I only have one additional favorite outfit to report - a green sweater I purchased last year at a Kenneth Cole outlet that I love. It drapes flatteringly around the neckline giving the illusion of greater - uh hem, shall we say upper body curvature. I couldn't not pair this sweater with probably the most worn item of clothing in my closet (well aside from my pajamas) - the ever-famous "fat" jeans from BR. I wear them so much that they are severely frayed at the bottom. They are that type of jean that loves you no matter how much you binged over the weekend and very forgivingly give a few inches as you run errands throughout the day so that by the end of your errand-running, they are dragging on the ground collecting saltwater from the snowy roads. I actually wore these jeans on New Year's Eve and on my way out the door discovered that they had a stiffened salt patch at the hem - however, nothing was going to stop me from wearing my most loyal pair of jeans - with me through the high's and low's!! How could I ever let this beloved pair go? I know that though you think my love for my jeans is crazy, deep down, you know you have a pair that you similarly can't bring yourself to throw away! Admit it!

Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday were all days of workout clothes and pajamas. I'll spare you all from those pictures - but when it comes down to it, they are my favorites! I will don my favorite yoga outfit tomorrow (one that still fits) just to give a nod to all those clothes that play a supporting role to my less comfortable and less worn stars of the wardrobe!

Week 45: Season's Greetings!

Well, yes, I am embarassed to say that the Holidays have certainly led to a bit of procrastination from a blogging standpoint - but that doesn't mean that I don't still love you, followers, if there are anymore of you still out there! In spinning this morning, I was asked about how much more time I have left of this challenge, and I even surprised myself when I discovered that I have less than 2 months to go! And, the crazy thing is, I still don't have a crazy urge to shop - you might say that may have even been broken of my habit. I have, of course, set foot into several clothing stores looking for presents for other people (like the Gap to buy a few articles for my honey), and have not even been the slightest bit interested in trying on something myself. I can't tell if this season's fashions are really just not appealing to me, or if the break in my addiction has left my shopping palette slightly dulled. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure I'll be happy to purchase a new something or other come February, in fact, I've resolved to have my first purchase be a Louis Vuitton bag as my Kate Spade is showing it's 1.5 years of age.

I have been selling random things on eBay lately and getting some buying power as a result. My first sell was an iPod Touch that I no longer needed since receiving the iPhone from my company. I then sold what I would have deemed a no-brainer White Elephant gift until I checked out the gift online and realized that it retailed for $100! So, I sold it on eBay and made a cool $102.50 off of it! I now have a pair of gently worn UGGs and a Brahmin handbag that have just been sitting in my closet collecting dust. I am sad to be selling my Brahmin bag, as it is beautiful, but (call it entry into the mid-30's), no longer fits all the crap I carry around: my oversized Fendi sunglasses in their stiff oversized case, my iPhone, my makeup bag (so I can touch up if needed after a long workday), hand lotion, re-wetting drops for my dry eyes, allergy medication, blah, blah, blah. You get the point - I'm making my way up to a big-ass granny bag (but at least it will be a Louis granny bag - and cost what it would likely take to feed a small country - yes, you are sensing some guilt here).

I had a dream last night that I was shopping and bought a few items. My Inception-like alternative universe self did manage to exert some control and turned away a few items that did not make me look smashing. Yes, my new criteria for clothing is that I have to look smashing or else I won't buy it...we'll see. It's been awhile since I've stood in front of those tweaked mirrors that make you look a foot taller and 20 lbs. slimmer - I could probably wear a garbage bag and look smashing in front of those mirrors. I've also decided that I am going to start being selective of what stores I shop at. Clearly, I will continue to shop at Banana Republic since almost everything I wore during my 8 month stint of not repeating clothes came from there. I will likely pass on the Forever 21's, H&M's, and Express's. Not at all a knock on those stores, as I love them, but they do tend to offer the trendy over the classic - and this re-made fashionista is all about classic. Again, perhaps a sign of my entry into the second half of my 30's - but I can't pull off tight, shiny things anymore. Okay, maybe it's not an age thing, maybe it's a waistline thing - the fact that I am bulgier than I was this time last year has left me wanting to cover up as much as possible.

So, other news, my obsession over clothes has slightly shifted to an obsession with finding the perfect next car. My ever-faithful 2004 Honda Accord is still running like a charm at 175k, but I'd rather quit the car while I'm ahead rather than start to enter into money-pit-dom like I have with my previous two Honda Accords. Plus, with my promotion this past year (and again, my acknowledgement of being in my 30's), I think it's time to upgrade to a luxury vehicle. This will go nicely with the new "classic" persona that I'm trying to create. So, I've been spending too many hours browsing eBay for certified pre-owned BMWs and Acuras, but am unwilling to buy until my big yearly savings check (aka Tax Return) comes through. In the meantime, I have been pouring over every detail and consuming my head with too many thoughts of iPod hook-up vs. All Wheel Drive. German sturdy car that will cost a fortune to maintain vs. Japanese less-sturdy but will likely last me another 175k like my precious Grey Cat (yes, that is the name of my car, assigned by my husband who believes that naming a car makes it perform better for you. The name of his Buick Rendezvous? Big Boy).

Given that I've been such a slacker at blogging, I think I'd like to re-engage whoever is actually still reading these posts by doing a countdown to the big day (which I have decided should be Superbowl Sunday). So, starting one month prior to "the end" I am going to try to post on a daily basis. I'll also bring back the pictures of my outfits, and will do a "top 30" countdown of my favorite wardrobe pieces. So, there you have it - if you can, tune back in starting January 6th for a Lilly's Top 30 outfits Countdown!

In the meantime - Happy Holidays!!!

Week 43: Blogging from the Air

Well, given that I haven't blogged in a couple of weeks and also given that I am blogging from the air, I couldn't resist the urge to capitalize on an opportunity to blog where I haven't blogged before - sky-high somewhere between Detroit and Chicago. For the Holidays, Google has teamed up with Delta to offer free wi-fi on Delta flights, so why not take advantage of it and test it out?

I am back to my normal way of things - wearing clothes that I have donned at some point earlier this year. I am still not shopping, and am starting to get the urge to re-connect with the world of fashion. I sighed yesterday as I purused my closet in search of a work-appropriate outfit that was not a suit, and landed on a pair of wool pants that I have not yet worn (they were hiding out in the closet upstairs) and a black sweater that I'm quickly realizing is a favorite (and that I should have bought it in red too given how much I wear it). My waistline still hasn't quite recovered from all the insane eating I did over the summer from all of my hedonistic vacationing, so several clothes are still off-limits.

For Thanksgiving, Mike and I headed down to Atlanta and stayed there for about 5 days - most of which were spent eating, drinking, and watching TV. I did manage to make it to my sister-in-law's gym 3 out of the 5 days and was once again reminded of how motivating it can be to belong to a large work-out facility where hot bodies with bared mid-driffs motivate you to do one more set of crunches (or, in my case, even a set of crunches). The first day, we attended a cardio resistance training class - where 15 minutes into it, I thought I was going to pass out. The second day we attended a kickboxing class led by a 42 yr. old woman who could easily pass for 20 with her faux-leather workout pants and boots adding to her youthful look (not to mention her amazing body). The last day, Sarah attended a class that she was signed up for while I jumped on an elliptical machine and then caught 30 minutes of a spinning class. Needless to say, I spent all weekend in soreness and being reminded of how out of shape I am. This has left me with a burning desire to change up my own routine back at home and consider enlisting in classes other than spinning and yoga. So...I have signed up for a more exotically-oriented form of workout - and I'll leave it at that.

We had our first snow today, which is finally making things seem like the holidays. The hassle of passing through airport security and having to take off layers of clothing also is making winter a reality. I really don't know where all the time has gone - but the weeks are definitely going faster and blurring together. So much to the point that when almost drinking the remnants of a saved cup of orange juice from McDonald's the other day, I about downed the liquid until I realized that the juice was from 2 weeks ago! People say that time will only go faster and faster as I get older - oh joy! I guess the one silver lining in all of this is that my no-shopping challenge will be over before I know it!

Well, the captain is indicating that we are on our descent down into Chi-town, so time to sign off. This internet from the air thing isn't half bad!

Week 40, Day 6: Catharsis

Wow, two blogs in a row - I think I'm on a roll. I just had to blog about the deep sense of release I felt as I dropped off 4 bags of clothing to the Goodwill this afternoon. I also finally tidied up my bathroom hallway and rehung all the clothes that were in "worn purgatory" back in my regular closet as they are no longer off limits now that I have pretty much gone through all of my clothing. I made a point to get rid of anything that upon glancing at it, makes me suddenly feel fat - with some exceptions - you got to keep a pair or two of skinny jeans in your closet so you can feel good about squeezing back into them. But all the tops that are too short, tight, or just plain ugly were thrown into one of the bags that Goodwill will hopefully find a use for. Yay! Less clothes!!

--Lilly out.

Weeks 39 - 40: Out of Clothes (I think)

November 17th - JCrew black wool coat, Ann Taylor gold cami, Anthropologie black skirt - work day, but you can tell I'm really really running out of clothes as this is something you'd normally wear to an office Christmas party, not a regular workday!

November 16th - Gray BR sweater (why are they all so short now?), Gap jeans - another day of errands

November 15th - Brass Plum (Nordstrom) Yellow Sweater scoop neck sweater, JCrew white corduroys - Errands and such (I think)

November 14th - Grey Gap sweater, BR "fat jeans" (yes, I get a lot of mileage out of these puppies, especially these days) - DUB Club!


November 12th - BR velvet droppy necked top (probably more appropriate for New Year's Eve), you guessed it "fat jeans." - trip up to Michigan to drink a lot of wine at Dennis and Linnelle's!



November 10th - BR little black dress (I'm gettingn desparate at this point), BR green sweater (which I am re-cyclingg because I'm running out of things to wear) - training in Pittsburgh

November 7th - Brooks Brothers black ribbed wool sweater, Gap jeans w/ turquoise stitching, though you can't tell - heading into Pittsburgh for training

Well, for you readers who have not given up on me for being such a slacker with this blog, rest assured, I'm still here and not-shopping with a vengeance! A couple things to report:

1. I think I am officially out of wearable outfits. My drawers are completely empty (except for sweaters that have either shrunk or are shorter because the girth of my mid-section is wider), all that is left hanging in my closet are suit jackets or suits that are too small for me (I've worn all the pants), a few holiday tops (tis the season!) or tops that are so tight that I can barely breathe, a pleated mini-skirt that if worn out would likely get me picked up by a pedophile, although with a pair of leggings, I might be able to pull it off - we'll see, and other shirts that are slated for the donation pile. So, yes, I think I am officially out of anything that can be paired together reasonably without me looking like Cyndi Lauper. So, I'm going to go back and start re-wearing selected articles of clothing that I need to finish out the unworn clothes (e.g., pair a black sweater with that school girl mini-skirt I just wrote about).
2. I walked into the Banana Republic that I used to frequent weekly, and walked out without buying a thing. Moreover, I walked out empty-handed without feeling a tinge of crazed clothing fanaticism. I did see the manager that a year ago would surely have recognized me, but this time around, looked at me as if I was any other rarely seen shopper. SUCCESS!

Following my week-long company conference, I had a brief stint at home and then headed back out to Pittsburgh for training. Given that this was a work function, I did dig back out a couple of clothes from my "worn" closet. Unfortunately, all of that eating and drinking at the conference caught up with me and I was once again squeezing into pants that I courageously bought a size smaller than I normally wear when I was about 6 lbs. thinner last year. Boy, it's amazing what 6 lbs. will do to your waistline! This, too, is the reason that there are still a few items of not yet worn clothing that are unwearable these days. It's a terrible feeling, which is why I am trying to drink less - we'll see how long that lasts!

This past weekend began with a trip up to Detroit to visit our favorite "met at Santa Barbara but you really only live about an hour away" couples. We stayed with Linnelle and Dennis and helped them burn through about a 1/2 dozen bottles of extremely lush wines. I would estimate that we must have imbibed about $600 worth of wine that night - and to set the record straight, this was due more to quality than quantity.

Saturday evening, I crashed the bachelorette party of one of Sarah's friends and we headed up to MGM (Detroit) to celebrate in style. We began by eating at the steak restaurant there (Bourbon Steak - great food, terrible service). During dinner, we were approached by a very short gentleman that wished the bride luck and then invited us to join he and his colleagues at one of the clubs in MGM at which they had rented a table with bottle service. Hmmm...free drinks at a club where it's impossible to get a bartender to serve you a drink and where the bottom shelf stuff is $10 a drink? SURE! So we spent the evening enjoying our quasi-celebrity status at the table with free drinks while making occassional trips to the dance floor and then coming back to the elite area to refill our drinks. The night at the club ended with Sarah and I finding ourselves on the ground in the middle club with spilled drinks all over our hair and clothes after she had stepped on a lime (while holding onto me) and the both of us taking the fall - her way worse than I. And as luck (or should I say a lesson to not dance like a maniac in stiletto heels on a floor wettened with spilled drinks) would have it, the lights of the club came on right as Sarah and I were splattered on the floor - me in a short dress, which looked more like a long shirt when I am plastered to the floor. Yes, I know, good thing I was not pulling a Britney or Lindsay Lohan (those who follow celebrity news will know exactly what I'm talking about).

Sunday, yes, there's more! I went shopping with my DUB Club pals (which is why I ended up at Banana) and then we headed back to Kim's to hang out with the significant others. I had filled the ladies in on the fact that my training last week was focused on interpreting the results of a personality test that our company administers. I must say that taking the test and seeing all the areas that I was at 100% of the norm on was a bit eye-opening. I'm sure it'll be no surprise to those who know me that I am 100% on Hedonism, Sociability, and Attention Seeking, and quite a few other traits I'd rather not post publicly. Anyway, me talking about the training I went through got Kim, Diana, and Mechelle curious about where they'd score high, so I suggested we play the game True Colors together with our partners to learn more about how people perceive each other. It was a blast and interesting to find out whether people will vote for you as the "most likely to make return trips back home to make sure the oven and lights are all turned off" (I did not get any votes - so I guess everyone thinks I'll just let the house burn down - which is probably accurate).

This week has been pretty uneventful and relatively low key work-wise. A great way to ease into the week of Thanksgiving. You'd think I'd spend this time blogging or clearing out the clothing that has piled up in our bathroom that I keep meaning to move upstairs and hang - but no, just been chilling and being lazy. That's the thing about not being busy, you become lazier - go figure!

Until next year! Just kidding - I haven't gotten that lazy. I hope to keep the blog going at least weekly if not more - we shall see. Don't give up on me! There's 3 months left!!