30 Day Challenges,  Fashion

30 for 30

16 March, 2011 / 17 Comments

Allrighty! So tomorrow I start my 30 for 30 challenge. I have been anticipating this for a WEEK, and I’ve been so very tempted to do 2 challenges at once, but… I restrained myself. And since today ends the Alphabet of Color challenge, tomorrow begins the 30 for 30! I’ve quit adjusting my list of clothes, and I  now have no choice but to stick to the items listed below. I’m excited to begin!

I’ve listed where I bought things and the approximate price– when I could remember it–, so you can see how much I love Target and thrift stores… and just how cheap I really am. 😉

Did you tally up those prices? Giving about $50 for the items I couldn’t remember the price of, this entire wardrobe cost me about $240. You know that show “The Look For Less?” Well, usually the participants bring about $150 and buy a “look” composed of a dress, jacket shoes, and jewelry, for…$150. Which, apparently, is “less.” So they get about 5 items for more than half of what I paid for 30. I bet you that I could do the look for less with $50. And possibly have money left over.

If I had a spending budget of just $100 a month, I’d  have a huge wardrobe. *sigh* I wish…

Yes. I’m cheap. The last thing I bought at full price was that silver floral necklace, and to me, paying $15 for a necklace is steep. And the last clearance item I bought for more than $15 was those snakeskin heels– which,by the way, I was rather irritated because I went back a week later and there was one pair left in my size for $7. If only I had waited! But I think that they were worth the extra dollars.

So yes. I rarely buy anything for more than $10. But we’ll call me thrifty, so I don’t sound like a miserable old penny-pinching miser. 😉

Here is everything all together:

I have to admit that I am really, really dubious about the jeans. But I’ll try to style them at least once during the challenge.

And as I go, I’ll put together each item of clothing along with its accessories in a picture and tally up the total price so that you can see which items I’m wearing, where I got them, and how much the outfit cost me. Sound good? Yes? Good.

So! Tomorrow, it begins. Wish me luck!

P.S. A poll:

 

17 Comments

  • Demy

    16 March, 2011 at 9:50 am

    Yehe!! Amazing! All these pieces are gorgeous! I’m sure that you made the right choises, they are pieces that you can style many times, even the jeans, although I voted that you’re gonna wear them only 1 to 3 times… 🙂 Plus, I was really really excited to see the prices! WOW! I don’t think that you’re miserable or anything, I just think you’re very clever and do smart buys. I’m one of the people that as much as I love fashion, I would never spend too much money on clothes. So I’m really happy about your new idea to post everytime the prices of your outfits! 🙂 So we can all see that a girl can be stylish and elegant without wasting a fortune! 😀 Sooo, GOOD LUCK with your new challenge! When it’s done, you can combine the 30 for 30 with the Alphabet Challenge! 😛

    • Mara

      16 March, 2011 at 11:03 am

      I’m so excited to start. 😀 I’ve already got a few outfits planned– I think I’m going to plan out tomorrow’s outfit and accessories (because I need to photograph the accessories) and lay it out to be ready. 😀

      Haha, I don’t think I’m a miser, either. I mean, if I absolutely adore something that is full-price, and I know that I would wear it a lot, I will buckle down and buy it. But for the most part, I stick to clearance racks and thrift stores.

      Ohhh goodness. When it’s done, I’m hoping I’ll have finally figured out my true style, and also figured out how to accessorize well. And then I won’t need a challenge to prompt me. 😀

  • Bethly

    16 March, 2011 at 6:32 pm

    I think you’ll wear the jeans once. 🙂 Because you have that need to beat the challenge, but not a great fondness for jeans. Hehe. Amiright? 😛 But you may surprise yourself! You could find you really like styling jeans and may wear them more! Although I’m betting on once… 😉

    Okay, this is unrelated but…
    http://www.emmetcahill.com/
    This guy is Irish. Just sayin. 😛 He’s joining my favorite “band” Celtic Thunder as their other classical vocalist, Paul, goes solo. *sniffles* But he’s 20. And he’s Irish. And a singer. Once again… just sayin. I totally thought of you. (Well, and myself of course. :P)

    I love this challenge! I love how you listed everything and organized them and such! Woohoo! I’m excited for you!!

    • Mara

      16 March, 2011 at 8:39 pm

      I don’t know… I’m pretty sure I could make it through without wearing the jeans at all. Because… like today I tried wearing jeans but then liked it better– and felt more comfortable– with a skirt. I might do that with the 30 for 30. Hehe. But we’ll see.

      Awww… he’s cute. Very young looking. And he has a looovely voice.

      I’m so excited to start tomorrow!!! EEEEE!!! *goes off to plan her outfit*

  • Avra-Sha Faohla

    17 March, 2011 at 9:01 am

    I’m like that too. I don’t like to spend more than ten dollars on any one item. I don’t shop as often as you do, though — actually, I shop quite rarely — so I have a very small wardrobe. But when I do shop, the first thing I do when walking into the store is go to the clearance rack. It’s weird to look for clothes anywhere else. 😀

    There is no way I would spend fifteen dollars on a necklace . . . probably because I’d have to buy it with my own money. Yeah, in the previous paragraph I was actually talking about my parents’ money, because they pay for my clothing. But I am thrifty, not miserly, so I always try to ask for the cheapest things I can find even though I’m not paying.

    I’m going to follow Beth’s example and post a link to a video . . . because I happen to have just seen an adorable video and have been trying to figure out where to share it. It’s pretty popular, so you may have seen it. But maybe you didn’t:

    • Mara

      17 March, 2011 at 9:39 am

      It IS weird to shop for clothes anywhere other than the clearance rack. I always feel sort of lost when I’m not looking at clearance. Unless it’s a thrift store. But with places like Target, I just… already know I won’t pay full price, so I don’t even want to look anywhere.

      Fifteen dollars is very… a lot to me, but I had been wanting that necklace for months. Usually, if I see something that pricey I say “eh, it’s pretty, but I don’t need it” and it doesn’t enter my mind again, but this necklace… just kept haunting me 😉 . And after I bought it, I did almost return it because I just felt so… guilty for spending $15 on a necklace. But… I’m glad I spent the money, and I’m glad I didn’t return it.

      SO CUTE!!! HAHAHA!! I couldn’t stop laughing!

      • Avra-Sha Faohla

        17 March, 2011 at 10:10 am

        Well, I’m glad you like it that much. I agree that as long as you feel like it’s worth it, it’s okay to once in a while splurge. (Or, rather, what is considered splurging for a thrifty person like you or me.)

        • Mara

          17 March, 2011 at 10:44 am

          Haha, I wonder what people who regularly spend $50-100 on one item of clothing would think of us talking about how $15 for a necklace is a splurge? 😀

          I don’t mind being thrifty. For one, it means I’m being wise with my money. For two, there are more unique items at a thrift store. And for three, you don’t have to feel guilty about what you’re spending. 🙂

          • Avra-Sha Faohla

            17 March, 2011 at 2:22 pm

            I don’t think I’ve ever purchased anything for more than thirty dollars. Well, except for a plane ticket to visit my best friend for a week, which was nearly $200. A lot of money, but worth it.

            That, by the way, was also the first and only time I’ve ever been on a plane. Takeoffs and landings are lots of fun, but it’s still terrifying because . . . you’re in a hunk of metal. In the air.

          • Mara

            17 March, 2011 at 5:55 pm

            Plane tickets are different. I don’t think uou can find a plane ticket for less than $100 unless it’s last-minute and someone just really wants to get rid of it.

            But I think the most expensive item of clothing I’ve ever bought was… a jacket. I can’t remember how much it was– somewhere around thirty, I think… or possibly forty… and it was birthday money, so it didn’t really count. 😀 And I loved it a lot, until it quit fitting me. (I bought it back when I weighed 180 pounds, and it no longer fits. Which makes me sad. But I might be able to take it in.)

            I dislike flying, solely because of the pressure in my ears– they don’t like to pop– and unless I close my eyes during takeoff and landing, I get motion sickness. And I can’t look out the windows… for the same reason.

          • Avra-Sha Faohla

            20 March, 2011 at 2:23 pm

            That’s interesting. Generally when people look out windows it helps, because nausea occurs when you feel the movement but don’t see it, so your brain gets confused. Or so I’ve read. I guess that’s not always the case.