25 Things Challenge

Blair Waldorf with Bags

Yesterday, I shared that one of my 2013 Style Resolutions is to complete a 25 Things Challenge.  Now for the details…  This year I’m challenging myself to only buying 25 items of clothing, shoes, and accessories for the entire year.  25 items may sound like a lot, but I recently read that the average American buys 64 pieces of clothing per year!  And, after tracking how many items I have acquired in the past couple of years, several of which have been completely or almost completely unworn, sticking to only 25 items will be an improvement for me and allow me to be more focused in my purchasing.  I should note that the 25 items do not include replacement purchases for items that receive heavier use and wear out (running shoes, black t-shirts, etc.) and they will not include gifts that don’t fall into my purchase idea lists.

With my closet in mind, I came up with a list of items that I think I should acquire this year.  A few items may change but I expect that thinking ahead about which items are “missing” in my closet will keep me from making unnecessary impulse purchases and instead purchase with longevity in mind.  I plan to keep you updated on my purchases (and thus hold myself accountable).  I’ve organized my purchases into Spring and Fall purchases.  I’m allowing myself one “fab” item per shopping season, something as of yet undefined that is too exciting to pass up.  You can check out my list below.

Please join me in my 25 Items Challenge and keep me updated on your progress!  Or, if you’re more ambitious than I am, challenge yourself to buying even fewer than 25 items this year!  Who knows, maybe even I will end up buying fewer than 25 items!

STYLEASPIRATIONS 25 THINGS CHALLENGE LIST

SPRING

Brown riding boots

Black booties

Ballet flats

Work heels/another pair of flats

Sandals

A piece of jewelry

2 pairs of Spring pants- likely JCrew

Spring dress

White shirt

Spring button down

Another top

1 piece of exercise clothing/pajamas

1 fab item

 

FALL

Velvet loafers

Brown leather loafers

Coat

Jacket

Brown corduroy pants

Coated jeans/leather pants

Jeans

Winter pants

Fall dress

Fall button down

1 fab item

2013 Style Resolutions

The Sartorialist

Image via The Sartorialist.

Have you made New Year’s Resolutions? How about Style Resolutions? This year I resolve to:

1. Complete a 25 Things Challenge (More details coming!)
2. Sell items I don’t use on eBay.
3. Repair and tailor existing items that I’m not wearing.
4. Try to come up with new outfit combinations.
5. Attempt to take photos of my outfits each day (This will aid with #4).

Please share your 2013 Style Resolutions with me and I’ll be back soon to share details of my 25 Things Challenge!

Goodbye 2012, Hello 2013!

As 2012 has come to a close, I’d like to finish out my Paris trip series by sharing the pieces that I picked out as Christmas gifts in Paris and some more of my favorite photographs from the trip. Here’s to more grand adventures in 2013!

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Massimo Dutti boucle jacket with black leather edging around the collar. Although Massimo Dutti opened in NYC right before we left for Paris, I still couldn’t leave Galleries Lafayette without checking out their MD selection. This was a great find!

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A cozy chic Chattawak gray sweater jacket.

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Chattawak maroon and black jacket with leather details. I normally don’t wear shades of red, so this jacket is completely different from anything that I previously owned. I love the herringbone pattern.

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Claudie Pierlot black coat with leather collar. I love the tailored, straight cut of this piece. Can you tell that I love leather?

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Charming buildings along the river in the 4th Arrondissement.

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One of our favorite neighborhoods, the Marais: cobblestone streets, traditional French cafes, and boutiques galore.

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A bakery in the Marais.

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The Marais once again.

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SA standing outside Laduree wearing a Sonia Rykiel coat purchased on Net-a-Porter last January for approximately 70% off.

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Traffic along the Champs-Élysées.

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The interior of Hermes on the rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré.

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Place de la Concorde.

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Paris manhole cover.

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A view of Paris from the Eiffel Tower.

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As we stood on the Eiffel Tower, a rainbow appeared over Paris.

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View of the Eiffel Tower from a boat ride on the Seine.

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A view of Paris buildings from a boat ride on the Seine.

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United Buddy Bears: Painted life-size fiberglass bears adjacent to the Eiffel Tower that celebrate the 25th anniversary of the twinning of Paris and Berlin and the 50th anniversary of the Élysée Treaty, which marked the official reconciliation between France and Germany after World War II.

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Millefeuille and Cafe Creme at Café de la Paix.

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Le Village Bar in Montmarte, where my mother and I enjoyed cocktails and people watching outside on our last night in Paris. Montmarte is the Greenwich Village of Paris. It’s charming without being too precious and the food and nightlife scene here is vibrant. Montmarte seems like one of the best places to go food shopping, with its delectable looking fromageries and bakeries.

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One of the great monuments of Paris, The Sacré-Cœur Basilica in Montmarte, at night.

All photos by StyleAspirations.