I have to admit, I was a little nervous about taking on this round of Kendi’s 30 for 30 after bombing the last one. But I told myself in the beginning that I’d turn off the pressure and just roll with this one, kind of like I did with my very first 30 for 30 way back when. So far, it’s worked… and I’m happy to report that I am loving this remix.

You see, before I started this blog, I never really had a defined style. Not to say I didn’t dress well, because I did. I had a closet that overflowed with clothes and shoes I bought on sale, a mismatched cluster of  impulse purchases and retail therapy binges. I shopped once a week – okay, let’s be honest, twice a week – and patted myself on the back for all the great deals I scored. I always wanted new, wouldn’t be caught dead wearing the same outfit twice, and had a closet full of items I’d worn once then written off as “old and boring.” There was no rhyme or reason to the way I dressed, I just wanted to be The Girl That Always Looks Cute.

However, The Girl That Always Looks Cute has a dark and secret alter-ego: The Girl Who Will Never Have Enough. Unbeknownst to me, I was building a bevy of bad habits that revolved around shopping. If I had a rough day or was feeling insecure, I went to Macy’s and bought three pairs of shoes to make myself feel better. Because really, what girl can feel bad about herself when she’s wearing a killer pair of brand-spanking-new patent leather peep-toes, hmm? If I had a meeting or event to go to, I needed to make a good impression with a new outfit. Nothing to do on a Saturday? Shop it up!

I started secretively shopping and hiding how much I was buying and spending from my husband. {I know I’m not the only one who kept things in the trunk and brought them inside when her husband wasn’t home… “What, this old thing?!“} I got myself in some deep trouble with debt and had serious anxiety about my finances and my seemingly out-of-control retail binging. On the inside, I was a hot mess; but man, I looked CUTE!

I don’t know exactly when or why I realized I needed a change, but something flipped the switch and woke me up to the damage I was causing through my insatiable need for excess. I started to crave simplicity in my life and my closet. I just didn’t know how to do it. It wasn’t until I discovered this world of style bloggers that I started to appreciate true style. Not the commoditized “what’s new” fashion of the masses, but individual style that’s built around personal aesthetic and a carefully edited wardrobe.

That’s what the 30 for 30 is all about for me. Understanding just how little it takes to create outfits that you feel good in every day, and discovering your own definition of basics and favorites. I’m 18 days in to this remix, and there are 3 pieces I’ve yet to wear and 8 that I’ve only worn once. Before I started, I jotted down 21 potential outfit combinations, and I’ve used three of them. I’m confident that if push came to shove (or some crazy happenstance caused the rest of my clothes to disappear) I could make these 30 pieces work for the rest of the summer. Several of my [real-life] friends have told me they want to try a 30 for 30 for themselves, and I tell them they have to. I’m expecting detailed reports and outfit logs, ya’ll. 

In the last six months, I’ve paid off more than half of my personal debt and closed three retail revolving credit accounts. What’s left of my credit card debt is in the three-digits, and I’ve learned about this strange phenomenon they call saving. I’ve found other outlets besides shopping to channel my stress and boredom and reduced my monthly spending {and stress!} significantly. When I do shop, I shop with purpose — more on that later.

I hope the rest of you remixers are gaining some valuable perspective from this challenge. If you haven’t tried a 30 for 30, I encourage you to give it a shot. It just may change the way you think about your style and your closet!