Blog of the Week: The No-New-Clothes Challenge

I HAVE to have that dress. Have to. I'd die without it. For sure. 

... Okay. We've all talked ourselves into buying something we didn't really need. So when local blogger Amanda Gilbert shared she and her friend's bold undertaking—the one to not buy any new clothes for a year—we were intrigued; nay, inspired. Here's to more of us getting creative with the wardrobes we already own and accepting Amanda's challenge (... at least for the weekend).  

After a whirlwind 10 months preparing for my January 2012 wedding, I found myself with some extra time on my hands. I've always been interested in fashion—particularly finding inexpensive ways to be on trend—so I decided to start a blog to share all of my thrifty finds (http://www.chiccentsibility.com/). Two months later, my dear friend told me she was challenging herself to not buy clothes for a whole year, and asked if I wanted to participate as well. I had visited her a few weekends before, and after a little shopping spree, we both admitted we had been buying new things frequently when we really didn’t need anything. We wondered what else we could find time for if we didn’t spend so much time (and money) shopping. 

We are now five months in, and I have to admit, I am enjoying finding creative ways to wear pieces I already have. I know I’m not the only one who gets in a habit of wearing the same things together: you go to your closet, decide you’re going to wear a certain shirt, and you automatically grab the skirt you always pair with it.

My go-to strategy so far: In order to maximize the amount of outfits I could make with a certain piece, I started finding inspiration on Pinterest. I choose one item of clothing and search for it on my Pinterest account, and then make a mental note of all the all the options I already have in my closet to make multiple outfits. I also look on polyvore.com to get ideas for new ways to wear things I already have. 

Here are three of outfits I put together after scouring Pinterest. I searched "patterned shorts," "mixing prints," and "yellow skirt" from the main page on my Pinterest account.