A for effort

Matix c/o HauteLook dress as shirt | Old Navy skirt (outlet) | Simple shoes

You guys, I'm really proud of myself for this one. I know it might not look like much, but it did take some effort to make this dress and skirt look like this. 

I don't know how you other personal style bloggers get ideas for 30x30 outfits (and just general reuse of your clothes), but it seems as though I get my best ideas when I'm putting my laundry away. I think it's the unceremonious mixing of clothes when they're washed that breaks down the barriers I commonly have in my head of how my clothes match and should be worn. Well, this dress and this skirt were crumbled up next to each other as I was pulling clean clothes out of my hamper to hang in the closet and I was struck by how these two patterns have the same colors. Great! A brand new 30x30 outfit! Not so fast.

The dress has a high elasticized waist that looks odd if it's not covered up (thus the belting here) and the skirt is actually a bit too big for me. I got it when I was in middle school (seriously) and, growing up, my mother insisted I wear very loose clothing (I spoke at some length about it here). So in order to have this skirt high enough to cover the elasticized band, it would need to be held there. A belt didn't cut it because there were too many moving parts at play and the top of the skirt stuck out oddly. Then I had a brilliant idea: safety pins. After some finagling - ta da! - I got the look I was going for.

The skirt was actually another pity addition to my 30x30 (along with the orange shirt) since, even though I've had it forever, I barely wear it. Now I'm sure glad I included it as I keep coming up with remixing ideas for it. The navy skirt has survived to live at least another 16 days in my closet.