Forgive me Kendi, I have sort of faltered

Today I wore this to work.

Outfit 21: pants from Target, top from Ishka, headband from Witchery, Diva bangle, Tigertree necklace and DFO sandals. The top has a beautiful pleat detail on the vertical blue part and cuffs. Colleagues liked it.

And I sort of faltered. I bought stuff. And some more, not pictured, but they are for a birthday present and so don't count in this remix/shopping ban.

My colleagues thought my purchases were the only logical thing to do. For Borders has gone bust and was given a birthday voucher for a generous sum, and they were only honouring vouchers if you spent the equivalent of the voucher. I didn't know how much longer I could keep my voucher for. And so I shopped.

I panic shopped. I bought a cute little bag for my belly dancing shoes and scarf, and several books, a homeware item a magazine and a card. Everything I bought I wanted, so it was not impulse buying.

Initially I was annoyed by having to spend $100 to use a voucher that had already been paid for. But now I've been to Borders, spent $100+ and seen forlorn staff fending off customers and being interviewed by the media, and worrying about whether they've got a job in the near future, I don't feel so hard done by. The poor staff were consoling customers and genuinely worried about their jobs. It's so sad. I love Borders. I loved poring through the Kurt Cobain books before I moved here to Melbourne. I loved reading magazines on their comfy chairs when the temperature was ridiculous. And I loved the cook books. But now with the trend of online bookstores and e-books, and competitive global rates, the physical bookstores are suffering. I noticed the demise of Borders' CD stock a while back, and now their DVD are dwindling, they have homewares, and a smaller range of books.

My panic shopping and 30 for 30 interlude is justified when a store I have a voucher for goes into voluntary administration. Even Kendi Everyday would agree. I only went to one store, and no clothes were bought.

Tonight is nice. I'm dead tired, so am relaxing. Wine, music, dark chocolate and reading The Secret Life of Dresses, which is a book based on the A Dress a Day blog.

I hope my blog is made into a book one day!

PS: you only have a few days left to vote for me (Tune into Radio Carly) in the Best Kept Secret category of the Bloggie Awards. Thanka!

Challenging the remix

Tuesday was the first day of the 30 for 30 remix challenge! (Remember my items?) And it was a challenge. 40 degrees and two outfits needed!

First up was work. I started the extremely hot day with a really hearty porridge. I woke up from the heat at 5.00 am so I cooked quinoa in the microwave ready for when I got out of bed at 7.15 am. I then added oats and a chopped apple, and milk, and cooked it on the stove while I showered. When I came to eat it, I added one banana, a handful of blueberries, a spoon of yoghurt and some brown sugar. I had half a mango nectar too. It was great, and kept my tummy full until 12.30 pm!

I wanted my clothes to keep me cool. But I got cold in the office at work so I went out few times to get a blast of 40 degree wind.

I wore three of my remix items here. I took the mint green blazer too but didn't wear it.

My dress is Sunnygirl, cardi is Sussan, singlet is Metalicus, sandals made way back when I was at highschool, headband is Mimco, necklace is Wiyomu and bangle is Diva.

Good outfit, and lots of comments on my dress!

Next was the Sia concert.

 The temperature dropped to 25 degrees by then. There were nice views of the bay.

 And the Palais looked beautiful.

I was excited about this outfit. I took inspiration from Dirty Hair Halo. If I couldn't wear my turquoise pyjama pants to Sia, when could I?

Unfortunately I didn't have a friend to photograph my outfit at Sia, so I got a stranger to photograph me near the poster. It was a good excuse for a photo, and I didn't want to explain the whole remix challenge to him. He took two photos, but cut off my legs, so you don't get to see the wonderful floaty legs of the pants.

 I wore four items from the remix. It was fun!

Pyjama pants from Sussan, shirt from Target, vest from Truworths in South Africa, high heeled sandals (not pictured) from DFO, hairclip from Mimco, necklace from Etsy, ring from Diva and bangle a gift from parents. I had a purple Giordano singlet underneath my shirt. The outfit was cool and made me feel tall.

Wednesday. Not as hot.

Forgot my vaseline. I went to the 7/11 to get a jar.

The 7/11 sales assistant didn't know what vaseline is. I had to explain it to him. 'It's an oil'. And then I wrote a note (on my Facebook) to the 7/11 'sales assistant':

Dear 7/11 register guy. When I ask for Vaseline, I don't need it for cooking. Therefore it won't be kept with the cooking oils.

I was considering pointing out the condoms and lubricants and suggesting one usually finds vaseline there.

 

I wore top from Temt (which colleagues thought was from Cue!), skirt from Valleygirl, striped tights from Target, bling necklace from Sportsgirl, ring from Div and shoes from Diana Ferrari.

Thursday. I woke to a litany of crap events. Ok, three. In the scheme of the current natural disaster situation, it's not too bad. But still, I felt sad. I couldn't be bothered with the remix challenge, but I held steady and stayed committed. I wanted a punching bag. Instead I took my frustrations out by cleaning at work. I also wanted to pity shop, but I also held steady and resorted to reading Shop til You Drop mag instead. Go me.

To the anon blog commenter who told me that my face is so red I should go on the TV segment Red Faces. Yeah. Your joke's really original. I did actually get a place on TV because of my red face, I bet you're not on TV.

I wore a jacket from Target, skirt from Valleygirl, tee from Jeanswest, necklace from Wiyomu, scarf was a present from Mum and shoes from Diana Ferrari.

Steve Poltz linked to my blog too. And my article for Ramp Up was on the Best of the ABC page! Quite exciting things to happen :)

View the other remixes here, and the star of the show, Kendi Everyday!

Behold the challenge: my 30 for 30 remix items

 

I am about to embark on a challenge of epic proportions. Not an exaggeration. Well, have you seen my wardrobe?? It is bordering on Mt Everest. Except, unlike Everest, it's not all in one place. And it is a bit of a bottomless pit (unlike my bank account).

My Mum bought me this book for Christmas.

Hint, hint, I think! It's a good read, and useful and the tips can be followed.

So in the spirit of thrift, decluttering and creativity, and frankly, literally peering through the great unknown (or forgotten), I am setting off on Kendi Everyday's 30 for 30 Remix Challenge!

Here are Kendi's rules:

1. Pick 30 items or less from your closet. Shoes are included, but accessories and jewelry are not.

2. Remix the 30 items into 30 different outfits.

That's it! Well not entirely so..

3. Don't shop for 30 days.

Here is what Kendi says about the rules:

Why in the world would I add insult to injury, you ask? Because of two reasons: 1) so you'll learn to shop your own closet and 2) so you'll appreciate it. So many times I've run out and bought a new dress for one event or I bought something because I felt lacking and not what was in my closet. Obviously, this is not the best solution to a problem. I have found that when I limit myself with shopping, with 30 items, I become so much more aware of what I have versus what I need. By the end of the 30 days, I am ready to shop, but with new eyes of what I really need.

Wise words indeed.

I have modified the rules to suit my special needs. That is, the regular black/grey/charcoal/striped longsleeved tees and leggings I wear don't count in my 30 items. They're the clothes I need to wear to keep me warm and protected.

So onto my challenge.

Firstly I studied Kendi's very funny 30 for 30 Remix Guide. I am taking this challenge very seriously (maybe I have no life, maybe I need blog content, maybe I love clothes a little too much). Then the challenge began:

• I looked into my wardrobe(s). 
• Rummaged (a lot). 
• Became a little overwhelmed. 
• Thought about what I wear most (dresses), and where I go the most (work). 
• Considered what events are/may be happening in February (possible extremely hot weather, Sia concert, Baby Animals concert, drinks, bellydancing classes commence, likely event of sore skin). 
• Tried on some clothes. 
• Got frustrated with a zipper. 
• I made three lists. 
• Did some counting (difficult with my limited maths skills). 
• Did some ironing. 
• Took some photos (then the camera battery went flat). 
• Charged camera battery.
• Took some more photos.
• Changed my mind about 30 times.

And here is what I came up with. 

I wanted to wear some favourites - the staple skirts, dresses and tops you've seen here. But more so, I wanted to wear things I don't often wear or have never worn before. Often I buy things and save them for best. This is not always great. My 'best' clothes hang in the wardrobe (never on the 'high rotation' pile on the bed), wishing they could come out and play too. I threw in two things I've never worn - one practical for the summer months, the other also practical for summer but so outlandish I just want to wear them for the experience! And there's one thing I wore a lot when I was first given it, but haven't done so for a while.

I could have just worn dresses. That would have been easy - 15 dresses plus shoes and jackets/cardis. But wearing separates, especially trousers, makes this challenge, well, challenging for me!

Another thing I noticed is the clothes I've chosen aren't in my usual hues - greys and purples. There is grey and there is purple in there. But there are other colours and patterns. A reader once challenged me (http://carlyfindlay.blogspot.com/2011/01/dedicated-follower-of-fashion-oh-yes.html) to clash patterns so I will use this remix to do so.

The clothes I'll be wearing for 30 days are:

Three cardigans - because even though it's a million degrees during an Australian summer, I will be cold more than hot.

Six tops -  mix of casual and corporate

Two skirts.

Five pairs of pants - jeans, black business pants, green linen pants, yoga pants, denim shorts and jeans.

A white linen shirt that will be ironed before wear.

Three jackets - my trusty pleather ruffled one, favourite cotton floral one, and mint green one that should get more wear.

 Two dresses - corporate and maxi.

 Five pairs of shoes. All pretty versatile.

These are the items I have challenged myself with. I love this vest - it was a gift from my South African relatives. It's well made. I don't wear it so much now, but know I can!

This is a bargain shirt I am yet to wear! $80 down to $10. I love the detail of the pleats. And the colours are versatile.

And these! My outrageous item! They are actually pyjama pants but they are so luxurious and pretty that I want to wear them out of the house. And I have the perfect opportunity to do so soon!

The remix challenge starts tomorrow. So wish me luck, and consider doing the challenge too! I will be posting all of my outfits as I go.

Enough about me, let's talk about YOU for a minute: Kendi Everyday

Welcome to the Enough about me, let's talk about YOU for a minute series on my blog. It's to celebrate my birthday and blogiversary week. Each day until and including 15 December I will feature a guest blogger who I admire. I hope you enjoy the series as much as I did collating it.

Kendi is the kind of fashion blogger you you yearn to be friends with. She's from Kendi Everyday. As her blog name suggests, she documents her outfits everyday. 

She hails from Texas, and I found her through a recommendation on the Vogue Forums. 

Kendi does fashion AND funny. She's clever. Really clever. One reason is because of her talent of and complexion that lends itself to wearing mustard well. Let's face it. Not many people can wear mustard well.

And I wish I could wear shorts as well as Kendi. And if I ever went to her house, she'd have to lock away this dress because I love it and pretty much want to marry it.

Kendi does a fashion remix thing where she takes 30 items from her wardrobe and mixes them with accessories over 30 days, creating a different outfit every day. This is my favourite remix from her previous 30 by 30.

Kendi's like a quirky and beautiful Zooey Deschanel character, but she happens to exist in real life. 

Thanks for writing from across the seas, Kendi. 

Guest blog by Kendi Lea:

How has blogging changed my life? The only answer to this question is indefinitely. 

I started blogging at Kendi Everyday about a year ago. Had someone told me that it would evolve into what it is and I would become the person I am today, I'm not sure if I would have even started it. I know that sounds weird, but its true. Status quo usually wins, so anything out of the norm scares me away. This blog is anything but normal for my life. My life was supposed to go this way: graduate college, get married, get a good job, start a family, raise family, go on an alaskan cruise for 30th wedding anniversary, the end. But somehow my life made a detour when I started Kendi Everyday. I've "met" so many wonderful new friends that I talk to weekly. I've been able to find my personal style and in turn save money on clothing, since I'm not wasting my money on something I'll never wear. My husband has found a true passion in photography, even though we knew the talent was there all along. Most importantly, I found a voice to write to and an audience who wants to hear it. The words aren't always there, but the voice is. For that reason alone, my life has changed and every day I am so thankful for it. 

Kendi Everyday was never supposed to happen. It was a hiccup in the life that someone else had planned for me. And it's been the best interruption so far. 

Thank you Carly for letting me guest blog today! Happy Birthday to your blog and to you!

http://kendieveryday.blogspot.com/ 

Blogs you might like to check out

I have found some blogs that I really enjoy and want to share with you.

Yes and Yes. It's an American blog with really interesting interviews, personal stories, advice and style. Yes and Yes covers some serious life and world issues, as well as some lighthearted ones. I once read a story about a girl who was raised by parents who grew and sold marijuana. Yes and Yes is like This American Life in print form.

I have already mentioned this one a few months back - Raising Ruby It's the journey of a labrador puppy in training to be a service dog for a person with special needs. A cute, cheeky and smart labrador with fabulous owners doing good in the community, what more could you want? Raising Ruby has been nominated as a finalist for the Petties pet blog awards - you can vote for the blog here (choose 'servicepuppyruby')

And Pluck Your Strings. It's a music blog written by Lachy, a Melbourne based journalism student. It features reviews of CDs and concerts, and particularly focuses on Australian indie music. And Pluck Your Strings has opened my ears up to music I'd wish I'd been listening to sooner. The Middle East, Cloud Control, Jinja Safari...to name a few.

Kendi Everyday. A fashion blog. It's not your average fashion blog (the kind I dislike - showing off excess wealth, picture after picture of amateur models or pictures pilfered from pages of Vogue magazine - I prefer fashion blogs with more substance). Kendi Everyday is just a pretty girl wearing attainable and practical outfits, and every so often she does a 30 for 30 remix challenge which gives new life to an existing wardrobe. Not only does Kendi dress fabulously, she can write! And with humour.

So Now What. Bern Morley is a hilarious 'mummy blogger'. I don't read many 'mummy blogger' blogs - most just aren't in my demographic. But Bern writes with such honesty, humour and humility - not just on the topics of parenting, but work, family and some hearbreaking things like death - and I can identify with her writing so much. She also shares a love of Callan Mulvey with me. Bern has also been nominated for a blogging award by Kidspot, and if she wins she will get a well deserved holiday. You can vote for Bern here.

Enjoying the Small Things. Another 'mummy blogger', this time based in America. I was drawn to this blog because Kelle Hampton has shared an amazing story about the day her baby girl Nella was born in January 2010 - Nella was born with Down's Syndrome. Kelle is a brilliant writer photographer, documenting the growth and fun times of her two gorgeous little girls - Nella and Lainey (age three). Kelle's blog is so heartwarming - she expresses such love and emotion through her blog.

Hedonistic Hostess. This blog belongs to Marion Grasby from Masterchef. All entries but one to date are before she became Australia's favourite Masterchef contestant. I admire that she's studied a Masters in Gastronomy!

I hope that you check out some of the blogs I mentioned, and love them as much as I do.