Jan 21, 2015
Have you ever done a shopping ban? If you have, then you already know that it’s often easier said than done! In case you missed this post, I announced that I’m under a self-imposed shopping ban this month. My goal is to make the most of my winter wardrobe without adding to it.
Many of you decided to take the plunge with me, especially those of you that participated in the Winter GYPO Style Challenge. What we’ve collectively discovered through doing style challenges is that less really is more and you can create lots of outfit options from what you already have.
This past week, I asked the winter challengers to share some of their best tips for sticking to their zero shopping commitments this month. Whether it’s for financial reasons, or just to prove to yourself that “less is more”, there are lots of ways to make a shopping ban easier to follow. Today I’m sharing some of their best tips with you.
Ten Ways to Make a Shopping Ban Work
1. Get Pin-spired
Recreate outfits from Pinterest using ONLY what you already have in your closet. Of course, this could also tempt you to buy new pieces but keep the commitment to use what you have.
2. Use an Outfit App
After you’ve created those outfits from Pinterest, snap a selfie and then log them into an app like Stylebook which allows you to virtually organize your wardrobe and track your outfits.
3. Clean Your Closet
Cleaning out and organizing your closet is a really effective way to see what you have and what you need. If you have legitimate needs, you can them keep them on a list to shop for at a later date or when the price is right.
4. Get Some Accountability
Create a no shopping support group with your friends, hold each other accountable and encourage each other to keep on keeping on!
5. Unsubscribe from Sale Alerts
This is all about removing temptation. Clean out your inbox and unsubscribe from all of those sale alerts you get on a daily basis. Don’t worry, Loft will continue having a flash sale every few days, with or without you!
6. Stay Away from the Mall!
This one is a no-brainer but if you’re trying not to shop, then stay away from stores. Some you may not be able to avoid. I do my grocery shopping at Target, so that is my achilles heel. I just stay on the grocery side of the store and use the registers farthest from women’s clothing in order to avoid temptation.
7. Contentment is Key
Be grateful for what you already have. No piece of clothing can bring true happiness. Practicing gratitude will.
8. Keep your “Why” in Mind
Why did you start your shopping ban to begin with? My why is that I want to save money this year to help my son pay for college. Your why could be that you’d rather spend money on travel. If you keep your why at the forefront every day, it makes it much easier to stick to the plan.
9. Leave Cash/Credit Cards Behind
If you know that you’re going to be tempted, leave all payment methods at home.
10. Find Something Else to Occupy Your Time
If shopping is your hobby, then consider picking up a new one. Now would be a great time to try something you’ve always been interested in.
It’s Your Turn: What helps you get through a shopping ban? Share your tips in the comments.
Jan 19, 2015
Every Monday this month, I’ve been sharing videos and worksheets from my upcoming Rediscover Me 28 Day Challenge. In week one, I shared my four step goal setting process that guarantees success. Last week, we worked on eliminating tolerations from your life and this week I’m going to show you an easy way to feel richer through upgrades.
I first read about the concept of upgrades in Denise Duffield-Thomas’ book Get Rich, Lucky Bitch!: Release Your Money Blocks and Live a First Class Life
. Don’t let the title throw you, this powerful little book revolutionized the way that I think about what it means to live a first class life. It’s definitely worth a read, whether you have money blocks or not.
Anyway, Denise introduces this concept in her chapter titled “Upgrade Your Life Now”. It’s all about feeling richer by making small incremental upgrades in your life that make a BIG difference. The thing I LOVE about this concept is it reinforces the belief that you deserve nice things, that you are worth it.
This isn’t about spending more than you can afford or being extravagant. It’s about the little things in life that make you feel richer – and sometimes they’re only a couple of bucks.
Watch the video to learn more about this concept and see some of my recent upgrades. Then print off the PDF worksheet to brainstorm some ways you can upgrade your life.
I mention a 28 Day Challenge Facebook group in the video. This group will be open for participants when the challenge begins.
UPGRADES LIST – PDF
It’s Your Turn: Find a few ways to upgrade your life this week and tell me about them! I’d love to hear what you come up with.
Registration for the Rediscover Me 28 Day Challenge opens soon. If you’d like to be notified when it opens, get on the list HERE.
Jan 16, 2015
In the winter time, we layer clothes to keep ourselves warm. But to some, it can be challenging. I’m bringing back an easy winter outfit from the Winter/Holiday GYPO Style Challenge to show how to perfectly layer your clothes with basic essentials that you have in your closet!
Earlier in the challenge, we styled a basic neutral t-shirt and jeans that immediately turned into a put together outfit by adding a printed cardigan, fur scarf, and riding boots. Here’s the inspiration outfit for this layered and stylish look:
[Cardigan: Same/Neutral Tee: Same/Skinny Jeans: Same/Fur Scarf: Similar/Earrings: Similar/Watch: Same/ Riding Boots: Similar]
It’s Your Turn: What’s your favorite basic winter outfit essential? Share with us in the comments below!
Rediscover Me will begin on February 1st. If you’d like to be notified when registration opens, get on the challenge notifications list HERE.
Jan 14, 2015
It’s time for my monthly Q&A and as always, you girls brought it with your questions this month! I’m so excited to tackle them so let’s dive right in.
Q. When shopping online do you have any tips to avoid becoming distracted and/or overwhelmed by the infinite options? I have a hard time shopping because there are so many choices I seriously begin to feel anxiety. At least a store is finite and the choices are contained within four walls. But the internet is infinite possibilities. – Wanda via Facebook
A. Hi Wanda! Ah, yes, online shopping can be VERY overwhelming but I have a mantra that keeps distractions to a minimum and it’s this…
ALWAYS shop with a purpose.
This mantra works not only for online shopping but in store as well. Never browse for clothes, always shop with a purpose.
So what exactly does that mean? Anytime you shop, be armed with a list of what you truly need. Each season, I take an inventory of my closet and make note of what I have, what I want to add and what basics need to be replaced. I keep it on my phone and then when I shop, I pull it out and try to focus only on what I need. I try to make it as specific as possible to avoid any impulse buys.
How does this apply specifically to online shopping? Pull out your list, go to the category of items that you need (sweaters, for example) and search through that category ONLY. Add a few items to your cart that you love, then go back and pare down from there. I usually add three items and allow myself to choose one – unless there’s a free shipping minimum, take advantage of that when you can. Of course, there are exceptions to anything and if you see something you absolutely love that’s not on the list, you can still get it. But the list acts as a guide to keep you on task, distraction free and shopping for what you truly need!
Q. How did you get started with blogging? Do you have any recommendations of books to read or directions to go to get started? – Kathy via Facebook
Well, Kathy, blogging was kind of a happy accident for me! After a few years of working from home, I had fallen into a MAJOR mom rut. It wasn’t just effecting my appearance but everything else, including my home and family. I rarely got out of my yoga pants and never wore makeup or fixed my hair. One day I decided to get up an hour earlier than usual, worked out and actually got ready for the day even though I had nowhere to go. I felt better and more productive than I had in a long time. When I picked my daughter up from school that day, she said “Mommy, what happened to you? You look PRETTY!” That was my turning point and when I decided that I had to make an effort on a regular basis, not just for myself, but for my family too.
I started Get Your Pretty On shortly after that. There were a lot of fashion blogs that I liked back then but none of them seemed to be exactly what I was looking for – simple, easy to wear outfits that looked cute and put together and worked for my daily life. So I started my own blog. The first version was kind of rough but it was a place that I could post my outfits and hold myself accountable for getting dressed on a daily basis – plus share the things I was learning along the way. That was almost two and a half years ago.
Since then, I’ve learned A LOT about blogging, photography, fashion, writing, you name it! Most of it, I’ve found through the Internet but one book that really helped, especially in the beginning was Blog, Inc.: Blogging for Passion, Profit, and to Create Community
by Joy Cho.
My best advice is to start where you are and start before you’re ready because you’ll never truly feel ready. Don’t expect perfection in the beginning, your blog will evolve as you do. If you’re passionate about writing and sharing what you love with the world, it will all fall into place.
Q. I can’t seem to get a button down to work under a sweater. I’m thin and I think it makes me look 10 pounds bigger…and it is uncomfortable. What is your trick? – Sherry via Facebook
This is a lot trickier than it should be. I love the look of a button down under a sweater but keeping the bunching and bulk at bay is key to pulling it off. My best tip is to buy a fitted button down that tapers at the waist. The more fitted it is, the better it will work. I have some button downs that I ONLY wear under sweaters. They are a little too tight to be worn on their own but they work just fine as a layering piece. This fitted blouse would be perfect, check out how much it tapers.
[Coquette Button Down Blouse]
Jan 12, 2015
Happy Monday, pretties! Last week, I announced that I’m tapping into my life coach experience to roll out a different kind of 28 day challenge. It’s called Rediscover Me and will focus on creating more of what you want out of life. For four weeks, participants will get daily videos and exercises filled with my most effective coaching techniques to dig deep, set goals and create the life you want. You can see the first video on goal setting in this post.
Today I’m going to introduce you to a concept that I learned about several years ago that’s changed my life for the better in small but significant ways. It’s all about eliminating tolerations from our lives.
What’s a toleration, you ask? It’s basically anything you’re putting up with that drains your energy.
Watch the video to learn more about some of the things I was tolerating – from complaining friends to a lumpy pillow, then make your own list to start tackling. You’ll be amazed at how great it feels!
I mention a 28 Day Challenge Facebook group in this video. This closed group will be open for participants when the challenge starts.
TOLERATIONS WORKSHEET – PDF
It’s Your Turn: Print off the PDF above to make a list of your own tolerations. See how many you can knock out this week and tell us about them in the comments!
Rediscover Me will begin soon. If you’d like to be notified when registration opens, get on the challenge notifications list HERE.
