closet challenge: the unworn dress

There are things in my closet that I never wear. Usually there's no good reason to shun a particular sweater or dress, but still, they stay ignored. When Jen of the Arizona Russums posted that she was embarking on a closet challenge to wear all her clothes, I was intrigued. Lately I'm trying to edit what I buy and where I buy it and making the most of what's on my closet hangers feels like a good place to start.

So this week I tackled a dress I haven't worn in years. Years. In fact I think the dress came from a store that went out of business.

My mom bought it for me-- at this point I'm not even sure what the occasion was -- and I wore it a few times to a couple of weddings in college. Then I stopped wearing it. The dress is really well-made and it still fits well but for whatever reason, it's always felt hard to style. It took a few tries, and several trips down to the full-length mirror, but I think I finally came up with something I liked.

cardigan: old navy // dress: no idea // belt: thrifted // tights: nordstrom rack // shoes: macys

Secretly this is a challenge I really enjoy--but I'm nerdy like that. :)

If you did participate this time around with Jen & I, you can link your post up below! I'd love to see it!

what i wore: closet challenge

shirt: thrifted // sweater: old navy // belt: my mom's // jeans: gap // shoes: wanted booties (last year)

This sweater, for whatever reason, is one of those things you have hanging in your closet. It's 3/4 sleeve, which is awkward, it's a loose-weave knit, which would you think meant summer wear but the green color screams fall and for whatever reason, I rarely, if ever, wear it.


But it's a perfectly good sweater and inspired by Jen's Closet Challenge, I decided it needed to get some use.

I read Jen's post about her challenge to wear everything in her closet last week. (As she lives in Arizona, it's a little bit more feasible, while there are some things I legitimately can't wear right now.)


But her whole point was that many of us have items in our closet that we bought, only to rarely wear. Like I posted Monday, I'm trying to be more conscious about what I buy and that means being more conscious about what is in my closet.

And speaking of Monday's post-- the biggest challenge is issued to me. By posting it, I'm holding myself accountable to my decision to try to be better about what I buy and why I buy it. It doesn't mean that you won't ever see an item from Target on here again... it just means, that I don't want to be buying things just because it's cheap.

I'll get off my soapbox now. But it's kind of freeing to say what you think and I'm grateful for the opportunity to do so.

So back to where I started... are there things in your closet that you never wear? Why not? There's something else staring at me right now-- a dress I haven't worn in years but I don't want to throw it out. I decided it's getting some action next week.

xo, erika

linking up to the pleated poppy