Last month I set out with somewhat of an unusual goal. My intention was to photograph (and share on Instagram) at least 15 of my outfits for the month. I did this for two primary reasons. First, I hoped it would make me focus more intently on wearing things that I actually like, rather than rushing out the door in something mediocre. Secondly, I wanted to practice taking photos and get more comfortable being in front of the camera. I am definitely not a selfie kind of girl. Or a “hey, take my picture kind of girl.” As November comes to an end and I complete this little challenge, I thought it would be fun to look back on how I did.

I ended up photographing 17 outfits, and some were definitely better than others. (That goes for both the outfits and the photos.) Sometimes, I’d find myself throwing an outfit and photo together, just because I knew I needed to meet a quota. I suppose that’s ok, because I might would have worn a sweatshirt and shared a photo of my coffee instead. Here’s what else I learned:

1. The details are often what make my outfits more special, and the details are difficult to capture in a photo. Often, it’s the way my earrings coordinate with a bracelet or how you can subtlety see a fun belt that makes my outfits pop. However, capturing the whole outfit in one square photo is very hard. The lesson here is that if I ever want to really show my whole outfit, I’ll have to take detail shots too.
2.  I’m not concerned with trying to be perfect online. I thought that forcing myself to share my daily outfits online would make me obsess over having awesome, drool-worthy outfits every single day. Not so much. There were some outfits/photos that I truly loved like this one and this one, and others that were just decent. I suppose I’m a bigger fan of being “real” than I am of painting a glamorous picture online, so I wasn’t too upset when I had to share just a basic outfit or a decent picture. Let’s face it. Some days I look amazing and some days you’re lucky that I’m not wearing sweats. That’s real life.
3. I miss being trendy. In my previous life, it was my job to dress trendy and fashionably. Even before owning a boutique, I was known to be a bit fashion-forward, often identifying and wearing new trends long before they were popular. I had an eye for fashion and wasn’t afraid to be a tad daring with my attire. An admirer even told me once, “You just wear things that other girls don’t wear.” Call me flattered. Lately though, I’ve been wearing the basics. Comfort has been the name of my game and my wardrobe is quickly reflecting that. Don’t get me wrong, I think we should all dress comfortably. However, a slouchy and unimaginative wardrobe is not what I want and that’s how I’ve felt lately.

Just like I anticipated, I hated this goal in the beginning. I cringed with every photo and dreaded the process. Eventually though, it became easier. I didn’t dread it quite so much and had to take way less photos before feeling comfortable enough to share one…which was part of the reasoning behind this goal anyway. Will I continue to share my outfits online? I’m not sure. At least I feel more comfortable doing so now than I did before. Plus, I have some great references to look back on when I’m thinking about my capsule wardrobe!

How about the rest of my November goals? Well, there’s just not much to report. I did make some progress in the nooks and crannies of my home and did a bit of this and that. However, I wouldn’t really say that I knocked out a major project. Although, I did purchase chairs for our new table and sold the old ones, so that decluttered our living area. We also installed three new light fixtures, and that should count for something too. As for Christmas decor, I ended up putting if off since I was hosting my family for Thanksgiving. We’ve been traveling the last several days, so I guess it’ll be on my list for this week! What are my goals for December, you ask? Christmas. All of the Christmas things and activities. That’s what I intend to do this month. Anything else will just be icing on the cake…or should I say icing on the Gingerbread House! Happy December, friends. Make it a good one!

If you’d like to see the rest of the outfit photos, check #ppwearsnovember on Instagram.