Sugar Blaze

It’s a fantastic feeling when you put into practice an idea you got from others, only to build upon it and make it your own, reaping even more than you anticipated. As many others have already discovered, there are several benefits to photographing yourself daily. Pictures give you an accurate view of what you really look like in your clothes, cluing you in to valuable information about your choices.

From pictures alone, you can learn:

• Which pieces are flattering on you and which ones are not.

• Which colors look great on you and which ones leave something to be desired.

• Which outfits work well together and which ones need work.

• Which items you wear often and which ones rarely leave the closet.

I’ve taken it a step further, and I’ve discovered is that if you’re willing to do a little bit of note-taking, you can learn more. From your notes, you can learn:

• Which stores you get most of your well-loved clothing from and which ones are full of impulse buys you won’t get much wear out of.

• How much you spend, on average, on your outfits.

In addition, I recommend Gala Darling’s advice for discovering practical things about the wearability of your clothing, which will help you to make adjustments that will make your outfits more comfortable.

Last week, I was seen wearing:

Outfit 1: This look was deemed “smart” by a co-worker and “sexy” by my significant other. The brilliance of it was that I felt both smart and sexy from the moment I got dressed. There is nothing I would change about this outfit, and I will definitely be wearing it again.

Total cost was a shocking $10 (sweater: clothing swap score, $0; belt: Papaya, $5; skirt: clothing swap score, $0; tights: Charlotte Russe, $5; shoes: borrowed, $0).

Outfit 2: I was definitely in the mood for color this day. I started with the pants and jacket, and after selecting a top to wear, I noticed I had a scarf that incorporated all three colors. Normally, I would recommend going about it the other way around: choosing your multi-colored piece first and working your solids around it. However, aside from the earrings, which I will never wear with this outfit again (correct me if I’m wrong, but I feel they were a terrible last-minute addition), I really love the cheeriness of this outfit.

Total cost of this look was just $18 (jacket: Sirens clearance, $8; scarf: came with a sweater, $0; turtleneck: gift, $0; corduroy pants: Parisian clearance, $5; boots: Rainbow clearance, $5).

Outfit 3: While some days see me mixing as many colors as I can pack into an outfit, there are plenty of days when I select just a couple of colors and stick to them. Clearly, I went with orange and green here, and I didn’t stop at just my shirt and shoes. I carried an orange purse and wore a green coat and green earmuffs, as well. Not only does this picture show me what a great look this was, it also suggests to me that I really ought to be photographing my purse and outerwear each day, as well.

Cost of what you see totals $30.50 (jacket: Kohl’s clearance, $5; green top: Kohl’s clearance, $7; orange tank: Rave, $6; jeans: Salvation Army, $2.50; Mary-Jane heels: Body Shop clearance, $10).

Outfit 4: Being a highly energetic person, I lean towards warm colors and wear blue far less often, but I was in the mood for something softer on this day. The fabrics I chose were thin and floaty, and I felt very pretty wearing this. It was my first go at tights with open toe shoes, and I’m glad I took the plunge, because I proved to myself that I could pull it off.

Total cost was a mere $24.50 (cardigan: clothing swap score, $0; top: V Generation clearance, $5; skirt: Salvation Army, $2.50; tights: Charlotte Russe, $5; shoes: Payless, $12).

Outfit 5: This outfit was my least successful look of the week. The sweater is fuzzy and glittery, and quite a fun piece, but not exactly office attire, which is what I attempted to turn it into by pairing it with gray slacks. Throughout the day, I noticed the sweater didn’t give me the same adventurous feeling that wearing it with jeans does. From now on, I think I’ll stick to wearing it with more casual bottoms. Total cost was $50 (sweater: K-Mart, $10; slacks: Forever 21, $20; pumps: Trends, $20).

Despite the somewhat sour look on my face, the outfit to the left is my favorite of the week. I’ve singled it out, because not only did I feel amazing wearing it, but it incorporates great aspects of mixing and matching.

I’ve paired pinstriped pants with a psychedelic top, and it looks nothing like the fright your mother warned you would happen if you ever dared to mix prints. The key to mixing prints is having the focus on one print (in this case, my top), while keeping the other(s) simple.

I’m wearing bright orange with purple, one of my favorite color combinations (born of the complementary yellow and violet combo). I’ve accessorized well with gold and purple earrings, but I haven’t overdone it (no necklace, because the top has sequins at the neckline).

This was my first time wearing this outfit, and it was a smashing success. I received many compliments throughout the day, and I felt fantastic wearing it.

The total cost was $45 (sweater: gift, $0; top: Charlotte Russe clearance, $5; pants: Sears, $20; pumps: Trends, $20).

How about you? Do you have a system of documenting your appearance and/or keeping track of what you spend on your outfits? Is there anything you can think of to add to this, to make the process more beneficial? I’d love to hear your ideas!