What I Learned From The 30 For 30 Challenge

Can you believe it? I actually completed the 30 for 30 challenge!! When I decided to try the 30 for 30 challenge for Winter 2011, I knew that it was going to be a challenge as I failed to finish the challenge last summer. I'll be honest, I thought I'd give up again. But I didn't and now that I'm done, I want to share with you...

10 things I learned from the 30 for 30 Challenge:

What did you learn from the challenge? Either through participating yourself, or from reading my posts? What do you think of challenges like this? Do you enjoy reading the posts or are they a distraction from the rest of the blog? All of your thoughts are greatly appreciated, thank you.

30 for 30 Challenge: Day 30

The final outfit:

This is a very formal outfit and one that has been replicated over the past month on a few occasions for business days at work. I snagged this Benetton LBD in their sale a couple of years ago for £13. I love the wide waist-band and the fact that despite it being made from a clingy jersey material, it doesn't seem to cling to any of those bits that I want to conceal.

What do you think of my business look? And my final 30 for 30 outfit?

Check back later tonight for my analysis of my 30 for 30 challenge.

30 for 30 Challenge: Day 29

The penultimate outfit of the challenge. Can you believe that I have nearly completed it? Me neither!! I know it has taken me somewhat longer than most to do so, but I was determined to finish and finish, I will.

This outfit is a weekend one, hence the casual nature of it:

I have two of these tees from Asos as they are so comfortable and fall in just the right places. Whenever I find a piece I love like this now, I get two, as it doesn't happen too often.

I've been wearing my hair curly for the past few days and am liking it, what about you? I think these Dorothy Perkins' earrings blend in well with the curls:

And finally, these Marks and Spencer shoe boots are the real star of the challenge. They were included as they had survived the wardrobe detox earlier in the year but I hadn't really ever worn them. However, at £15 in the sale, they had been such a steal and were so beautiful, that I couldn't bear to just get rid of them without giving them a fair go. Well, turns out that despite the height they are surprisingly comfortable:

I am wearing: Topshop skinny jeans, Asos tee, Marks and Spencer shoe boots and Marks and Spencer cardigan.

What do you think?

30 for 30 Challenge: Day 26 and Day 27

I hope you all understood my silence yesterday. But, I'm back now. And thank you for coming back too!

This is outfit 27 in the 30 for 30 challenge:

It's quite a chilled outfit. Earlier last week, the weather seemed to be warming up a bit and I even went without a coat for a couple of days and sat outside at Starbucks on my lunch break. But come the end of the week, that little glimpse of Spring seemed to have gone again. So on Thursday I pulled my snuggly Dorothy Perkins cable knit jumper on over my Dorothy Perkins maxi skirt which is soooooo comfortable it feels like wearing leggings! I added my Oasis bottines for a little chic. It's funny I wore them almost every day during the start of this challenge and then suddenly stopped - and forgot why I liked them. Until Thursday:

Yesterday's outfit, I Wore Red for Comic Relief:

Do you like my red nose? I added it to my outfit of Dorothy Perkins tunic, Primark tee and Oasis bottines:

30 for 30 Challenge: Day 26

If you checked out my "How To" post this morning, you will have learnt how to tie a (Liberty) head scarf and will know that I said this tutorial had some relevance to today's outfit:

See?

I have wanted a Liberty print scarf in forever. So when I read that Liberty and TK Maxx had teamed up to create two scarves and a bag for Comic Relief this year, I could not wait to get my hands on one. Comic Relief takes place on Friday and it is not just Liberty who have created an iconic piece for the charity, Vivienne Westwood has also designed a number of t-shirts which are also being sold at TK Maxx stores across the country (I am still hoping to get my hands on one to wear on Friday for Red Nose Day).

My Liberty scarf is not quite big enough to follow the "How To" instructions so I used a few grips to keep it in place but I think it works... And maybe one day I'll have a proper full-sized Liberty scarf!

If you want to get involved, Hazel from World of Joy has challenged blog readers to Wear It Red on Friday and to donate to the charity. Fortunately, I have a red dress in my 30 pieces for the 30 for 30 challenge and so will be joining Hazel on Friday: will you also Wear It Red on Friday for Comic Relief? Have you bought any of the TK Maxx Comic Relief merchandise?

I am wearing: Liberty scarf for Comic Relief, Asos tee, Gap jeans and Next heels.

30 for 30 Challenge: Day 25

Only five more days to go - you excited to see what I have in store for the next five outfits? Yes, me too! I have found that all planning of outfits has gone out of the window since I started the 30 for 30 challenge and I have been getting out of bed each morning and putting together the best outfits I can from what I feel like wearing from the 30 items I chose.

Today I am wearing: Next dress (£30); Marks and Spencer belt (£2) and Spartoo heels.

30 for 30 Challenge: Day 24

Today I decided to try a preppy look:

I rarely wear a shirt but during my wardrobe detox at the beginning of the year I realised that I didn't actually own one that I liked. I always end up feeling a little like a waitress when I put one on. Not long after I'd put a white shirt on my "to buy" list I found this one on sale in Dorothy Perkins and decided to pick it up. I therefore chose it as one of my 30 items to try to make myself more comfortable with it. But then it took me until the 23rd outfit to wear it and now it is having its second outing: what do you think?

I am wearing: Dorothy Perkins shirt, Gap jeans, Dorothy Perkins jumper and Next pumps.

30 for 30 Challenge: Day 23

Audrey Hepburn is my all-time Style Icon and I absolutely adore her outfits in Sabrina:

Source

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So for outfit 23, I took this as my inspiration:

Read more »

30 for 30 Challenge: Day 22

Today I needed a business smart look for work and so I busted out my white shirt. This is my take on a suit which includes jeans!!

I am wearing: Dorothy Perkins shirt, thrifted blazer, Gap jeans and Next heels.

What do you think of my smart suit?

30 for 30 Challenge: Day 21

Someone suggested, when I wore this blouse on the very first day of this challenge, that I team it with a pencil skirt. Now I have:

What do you think?


I am wearing: Dorothy Perkins blouse, River Island skirt and Spartoo heels.

I think it works. I wasn't too sure, as I wondered if the bat-wing style sleeves might not work well with the high-waisted skirt, but turns out, I think, they do:

30 for 30 remixes:

30 for 30 Challenge: Day 20

Two thirds of the way there!!!! If I'm honest, when I started this challenge I really wasn't sure I'd get this far! I'm still struggling to be inspired by the 30 items at the moment but I'm hoping this will change in the next couple of days and I am planning to up the styling for some more madcap outfits:

Today I've gone for the casual look, I'm wearing: Marks and Spencer jumper, Gap jeans and Next pumps.

What do you think of the casual outfit for today?

30 for 30 remixes:

30 for 30 challenge: Day 19

My 19th outfit in the 30 for 30 challenge: what do you think?

I am wearing: Marks and Spencer cardigan (gift), Asos dress (£19), gifted belt, MAWI for Asos ring (£14.50) and Marks and Spencer shoe-boots (£15).

I introduce to you, in today's outfit, my boot-iful shoe-boots:

They were a complete bargain and despite being pretty high, they are surprisingly comfortable. My new favourite shoes. Although they have been sitting on my shoe rack for almost 6 months without being worn! Oh well, better late than never.

What do you think of the boots? And the whole outfit?

30 for 30 challenge: Day 18

I think I've reached a kind of "wall" in the challenge. I don't feel very inspired right now. So apologies for the uninspired outfit that I bring you today:

I originally began like this this morning. But when I headed home at lunchtime, the sun had come out and I realised that what I really needed was a bit of colour... So, I added some:

And then a bit more!!

Until it looked like this:

I am wearing: Dorothy Perkins maxi skirt (£10), Gap tee (£9.99), Marks and Spencer cardigan (gift), Oasis boots (£20), Asos belt (£3), H&M scarf (£2.99) and my fabulous new MAWI for ASOS ring (£14.50):

What do you think of my brightened up look?

30 for 30 Challenge: Day 17

Sorry for the slight pause in proceedings on the 30 for 30 challenge. I am still on - don't worry, I haven't given up again!

This is today's outfit. You will have noticed, I love this dress. I am also starting to love the waist belt. I usually dress this dress down but today decided to add the Next heels for a bit of work chic:

I am wearing: Asos dress (£19), Marks and Spencer belt (£2) and Next heels (£30).

What do you think of this look?

30 for 30 remixes:

30 for 30 Challenge: Day 16

Have been wanting to wear this Dorothy Perkins' blouse ever since I first wore it. But wanted to give it long enough for you all not to get too fed up with it! What do you reckon?

I am wearing: Dorothy Perkins blouse, Asos vest, Topshop leggings, Next pumps and Next bangle.