In mid-April, I read an article by Jessica Ivetich for The Everygirl and learned about the #75HardStyleChallenge. I immediately knew I had to do it because there’s no way I’m doing the original 75 Hard Challenge.
From Ivetich, I learned that the #75HardStyleChallenge was created by Mandy Lee (@oldloserinbrooklyn on Instagram). To quote Ivetich, she says the challenge “encourages you to dress with intention, avoid new purchases, shop your closet, and document your outfits for seventy-five days to explore your personal style.” Long story short, the purpose of the challenge is to focus on what you already own in your wardrobe.
Furthermore, Ivetich says, “By shopping your own closet, the goal is getting creative with how you style pieces you already own while simultaneously figuring out a bit more about your personal style.” Honestly, if there’s one thing I don’t do with my outfits it’s get creative. I eyeball items and keep it pushing.
I documented my journey on my Instagram (@allsimplyjay) via reels that include awkward dancing and an insane amount of yawning (like… am I okay?).
Here’s what I learned:
I Truly Value Comfort
Most of the time, people say I look dressy, but I never think so. I didn’t realize how much comfort was consistently on the forefront of my mind until I did this challenge. Whenever I do go clothes shopping, I focus on the texture of the fabric for the sake of comfort; I think it’s one of the reasons I don’t do online shopping. Since high school, I haven’t bought clothes or shoes online. Going through the hassle of purchasing something that looks comfortable, being wrong, then having to return it? Absolutely not.
I Wear the Same Items All the Time
I don’t have a huge wardrobe, but there were some items I am not once filmed wearing because I simply didn’t think to wear them. Most of the time, it was a matter of asking myself “Did you wear this within the last seven days?” If the answer is no, I’m wearing it again. The only exception to the rule/question is when I traveled because I was working with the confined contents of my luggage.
I am not ashamed to wear the same items all the time, and I am not the kind of girl who feels the need to have an insane amount of clothes, shoes, etc. A purse? We don’t know her. I own one, and she is used in my hallway as a decoration; she probably left the house twice in the past four months.
Most of my wardrobe consists of hand-me-downs or secondhand items (in the reels, I mention Plato’s Closet a lot), so I would like to think I’m not an overconsumption criminal. If anything, I might need a few more items for the summer, but that seems like next year’s problem.
Accessories Make or Break an Outfit
If I am going to consistently wear the same items, the least I can do is switch up my accessories. For me, it’s a pair of earrings, or ten. Granted, I have about four different piercings that don’t get changed, but I can do something with the three holes in my lobes. I will also wear rings on every finger except the one with the smiley face tattoo, and if I know I’m going somewhere where I can run into a potential suitor (hello Bridgerton lingo), I won’t wear a ring on my marriage ring finger.
Speaking of tattoos, they kind of serve as a permanent accessory. People get tattoos for different reasons, and I’m sure accessorizing an outfit is at the bottom of the list. Still, I will often find myself choosing either clothing items or jewelry around the tattoos I have. Sometimes I want to accentuate the sun on the back of my arm or the scale on my right wrist.
Completing this #75HardStyleChallenge was incredibly fun for me, and it made me want to do more challenges based around outer beauty.
Over the 75 days, I fell out of love with some pieces and head-over-heels in love with others, like the black skirt I bought in literally middle of nowhere Tennessee.
I guess it’s time for me to do more thrifting to find more comfortable, affordable pieces to fall in love with.
