shopping my closet: episode 1

Anticipatory Set: Remember, a few days ago I posted about how I want to shop my closet and also find new ways to wear pieces in my wardrobe that are either a) rarely worn or b) not worn at all.  So last time I chose a dress and a shirt to style and asked you guys how you would style them up.  I polyvored some of my own ideas for them and promised to post.  My goal was to create one look for work and one for the weekend and casual time with family and friends.  Here's the update...

Objective(s) Addressed: Shopping my closet; plan new ways to wear two rarely worn pieces in my closet

shopping my closet 1 by athenista featuring Forever21

Materials and Sources:

• Drawstring Bubble Dress: Forever 21
• Black and white plaid ruffle button-up: Old Navy
  
• Polyvore (materials and their sources can be found on my published polyvore... just click through the pictures)
• I should note: I do not own most of these pieces which you will know absolutely positively for sure when you see some of their price tags (HA!).

Input: First... the plaid shirt was pretty easy once I opened up a new set and started clicking around for things like what I already have.  (It's amazing how easy, and surprisingly quick, it is to choose outfits when you have a blank canvas and items that you can just click and drag.)  Clearly I am thinking in terms of Spring weather with the looks for the shirt.  For a more work-appropriate look I kept the palette pretty neutral and chose a grey, high-waisted skirt (look, a bow!) with a black wrap cardigan and let the accessories speak for a color palette.  I have a purple rosette headband that I left out that would complete a purple-red/orange-green triad (My favorite triad, by the way.  I'll talk about that some other time but you can read all about triads and how to work them in your closet at academichic.). 

Next, for a more weekend/family time look I click-and-dragged some dark wash skinnies, a short-sleeved open sweater cardigan (similar to the one I wore here), grey slouchy boots (like a Steve Madden pair that I own... sure to make an appearance sometime in the near future) and the top item on my current wardrobe lust-list - a Marc by Marc Jacobs bag.  If the weather is warmer I could ditch the boots for the green sandals on the work look. 

plaid shirt two ways by athenista featuring Elie Tahari

The drawstring bubble dress really didn't get styled for work or weekend wear.  I was thinking strictly in terms of how I would wear it on a Valentine's Day date with my dutiful photographer lovely husband, P.  I went pretty romantic with the details on this one.  I own things similar to this except for the ruffly red cardigan from Anthropologie.  (And with a price tag like Anthropologie's, I'm not likely to own it anytime soon.)  I have a dusty pink sweater in a similar shape that might work in its place. Now I just have to convince P. to take me out on the town.  In the meantime, I'll try to style it up in real life for workwear and show you all the results. 

bubble dress - romance by athenista featuring Forever21

Final Notes: I love these options on 'paper' but we'll see how they turn out when I put them to the test!  Or, who knows, maybe I'll come up with something completely different.  Dreaming it all up has been fun!

Do you plan outfits around pieces you rarely wear or have a goal to shop more often in your own wardrobe this year?  If you do link your posts in the comments, I would love to see!

Also... if you don't mind commenting or clicking "Follow" on the right, I would lovelovelove to know who you are!  I see a lot of clicks coming from allll over the place but I'm not sure who you are. And if there is something you'd like to see here (teaching q&a, living in a college town, how being a young mom influences my wardrobe choices, etc.), let me know.  Those are all things I want to cover but I'm not sure how little (or how much!) you know already.