Reader Question - Inspiration Calendar

Hi Kimberly,
I came across your blog a few days ago, and LOVE it!! Just out of curiousity, do you create your inspiration calendar from items you have in your closet, or from ideas you have in mind or viewed on the web and then create outfits or buy items to suit the theme? I'm looking at my closet, and know it'll be hard to create an outfit from your calendar, unless I do some serious shopping. Do you have any suggestions on mixing and matching from simple basics?

Stuck in a clothing rut, Angela

Angela, thanks for the great question. I have been meaning to take the time to explain the inspiration calendar in more detail lately.

I started the inspiration calendar back in May 2009 at the request of one of my readers. She felt she stood in front of her closet filled with clothes, but no new and creative ideas on how to mix and match the stuff.

At first the calendar was just a collection of trends, color combos or pictures of outfits that I liked from magazines and other media sources. Over the past several months it has expanded to include interior decor pictures, food, outfits worn by other bloggers, outfits I created with Looklet and more.

The point of the inspiration calendar isn't to make you feel like you need to run out and buy a whole new wardrobe so you can play along, but rather inspire you to mix and match your current wardrobe and act as a springboard for new outfit ideas. Or even if they aren't new combos or ideas to help you decide which outfit to wear on that particular day. Also, if you are inspired by a combo but it doesn't make sense for you to wear it on the day it was suggested for go ahead and mentally file it away for another day.

Here is a little sampling of some of the outfits I created last month using the calendar. As you can see my looks are all over the board compared to the inspiration pictures, but the calendar did inspire some new combos for me.

Monday, 11/9 - Add a chunky cardi with a button-up shirt and pencil skirt

Friday, 11/13 - Stripes with denim and a pop of color



Thursday, 11/19 - Layer-up a patterned dress



Monday, 11/30 - Add some "Michelle Flair" to your outfit layering on a cardi for a fun color combo

Don't forget that you can easily access all of the past Inspiration Calendars by clicking on the links in the left hand column. Also, the January Calendar will be out this week!!

Have fun getting inspired!