In Spades

Style... in abundance

30-day Shop Your Closet Challenge

Pink bell sleeved topWearing a top I haven’t worn in years, paired with my go-to jeans and sneakers.

I’ve always been a fan of “shopping your closet.”  It’s a great way to breathe new life into pieces you may have forgotten about.  As we come out of the year of sweat pants and loungewear, this is a great exercise for redefining your personal style.

If you’re doing some spring cleaning or want a refreshed wardrobe at no cost, follow these tips:

  1. Choose 6-10 items from your closet you haven’t worn in 6 months+. These pieces will be your capsule wardrobe for the month.
    1. Make sure they’re seasonally appropriate and aim for roughly 2 bottoms, 2 tops and 2 dresses or jackets.
  2. Hang them front and center in your closet or on a rolling rack/other location where they are “on display.”
  3. Each day when you get dressed, choose 1 item from your capsule collection.
    1. Challenge yourself to build different looks around that 1 item.  How many can you come up with?
  4. At the end of the month, assess how each piece in your capsule made you feel.
    1. Did everything fit appropriately?  Was it all comfortable/appropriate for your lifestyle?
    2. Does anything need a slight alteration or repair to be a “hero piece” again?
    3. Which ones were the winners?  Losers?

At the end of the 30-day challenge, you’ll know which pieces to sell/donate and the wardrobe categories where you might have a void to fill or an abundance to be mindful of.

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My Favorite Affordable Jeans

Best Affordable JeansBest Affordable JeansLast week I shared some affordable spring wardrobe basics.  The hero piece being these jeans.  They are my favorite affordable jeans EVER.

I stick to the 100% cotton version and get two sizes – 25 and 26.  I’m wearing a size 25 here for a more fitted look. You can see the difference compared to last week’s more relaxed look (size 26).

Levi's 501 Skinny JeansSize 25 (left) // Size 26 (right)

If you can tolerate the break-in phase (I do a yoga session in my jeans to break them in!), I’d stick to your true size.  If you want them to be super comfy straight out of the gate and don’t mind a little extra room, size up.

These jeans come in multiple inseam options so you can go with ankle length or a longer hem.  Wearing a 28-inch inseam here.

I’ve never paid full price for a pair.  I always score them on sale for $44.

You honestly can’t go wrong with these jeans.  They are a skinny/straight hybrid making them super versatile.

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Affordable Spring Wardrobe Basics

Levi's 501 Skinny jeans Levi's 501 Skinny jeans Levi's 501 Skinny jeans

I recently purchased these jeans, sunnies, sandals and tank top.  All of them were under $50 except the sandals (they were $70).

What I love about each piece is that they’re all fabulous affordable spring wardrobe basics.

I’ve talked about these jeans a ton.  While they come in a stretch version, I prefer the 100% cotton version.  I sized up (wearing a 26) but also own them in a 25 and will share those next week.

I’d classify them as a skinny/straight leg hybrid – fitted in the thighs, straight in the calves.

The tank has a great fit and comes in tons of fun colors.  You can’t go wrong for $8.

I wore these sandals to the beach and they got soaked!  Even though they’re leather, they still look amazing and are SO comfortable and lightweight.  Totally recommend!

Aviator sunglasses are a classic shape and these fit my small head without looking huge.  The blacked-out lens makes them extra chic.

For a tutorial on my DIY beaded bracelets, check out this post.

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