Project 365 (Thrifted OOTD Style)

Today on Instagram Stories, I shared a little idea I had…this morning! I have been wondering what to do now that Pinspired March is over for another year. I love love love the interaction and entertainment that happens throughout March and though I can’t recreate pinned outfits every day, I DO get dressed every day… and so the idea was born to do something like Project 365 – but with thrifted outfits!

In case you are not familiar, Project 365 is a popular photography challenge where people take one photo a day and post it to Instagram. There are MILLIONS of such photos and I’m sure that each one of them carries a story from the eye of the beholder. I have also heard of food bloggers who post what they eat every day or others who take a 1 second video every day. It’s all very intriguing to me, and I suppose the point is to help us all be more mindful, present, and intentional in our everyday lives.

SO. What I plan to do, starting today, April 11th because why not, is to post my daily outfits on Instagram. You might be thinking, doesn’t she already do this? To answer that: no, I don’t post every day. I tend to wait for an outfit that’s “Instagram worthy” whatever that means, and in the course of that line of thinking, I get complacent with my style. It happens to the best of us! I rely on the same outfit formulas, use the same trifecta of accessories, neglect to  wear “tricky” pieces, etc. etc. This is why I think my little project could impact more than just me; I doubt I’m the only one who gets complacent with style. And I believe that my project could be done by anyone, regardless of the size of your wardrobe.

For Project THRIFT 365, I apsire to wear something new and different every day, and I’ve got the thrifted wardrobe that makes that possible! If you have a minimalist or limited wardrobe, that’s okay. I betcha you can still change things up in some little way to make each outfit new. Why does novelty matter? Well, it actually benefits our brains – gets the ol dopamine flowing, stimulates our creativity, makes us think outside of the box. Who knows, maybe that will spill over into other areas of life too!

The second purpose of #projectthrift365 (testing out some hashtags here!) is to pay attention to how I FEEL in my daily outfits so that I can sharpen my inside-outside congruence which will ultimately lead to more acceptance of myself and my style, more contentment, and more peace. At least that’s the plan! The fringe benefit is that it will help me decide which pieces to keep and which to swap, sell, or donate. I’m thinking of rating my outfits, asking for your rating, or otherwise commenting on this aspect of getting dressed on a daily basis.

Am I going to stop thrifting during this project and only shop my closet? Absolutely NOT. Thrifting is therapy for me – cheap therapy. So long as my budget and closet can handle my thrifting, I will keep at it. In case you’re new here, I have done capsule-type challenges or other style challenges in the past – there was the 5 Days 5 Ways series, the 10-Item Wardrobe, the grab-and-go challenge, the Pantone colour challenge, Black Out Style challenge, the Mix not Match posts, the Tuesday Try series, and the Monday Style Prompt series. I’m not after that kind of specific challenge this time. I just want to be reminded that every day is a new beginning, a fresh start that deserves a little OOTD vitality and inspiration! That being said, I’m sure throughout the course of the next year, there will be some trying on and mixing and matching that will hopefully encourage y’all to do the same. FURTHERMORE, if you stumble across a tricky piece in your own closet and want my help in finding new ways to wear it – send me a message! That would be SO fun! That is the stuff of Instagram dreams and I AM HERE FOR IT!

Of course, as Fashion Revolution Week approaches, I implore you ALL to consider second hand first when it comes to shopping! April is the perfect month to watch The True Cost on Netflix and educate yourself on fast fashion. If you’ve never done a thrifting challenge, try it! If you’re not ready to go full thrift, try other sustainable strategies – buy local, buy handmade or sustainable brands, buy higher quality, buy less, wear longer, and donate or swap the pieces you’re done with. Don’t waste time feeling guilty, just do something a little new and a little different! Project Thrift 365 ought to help with that! It ought to help us all hone our style and lead us to more sustainable choices! WHO’S WITH ME?!

I should clarify, this is not the ONLY thing I’ll be doing all year long. I still have blog posts planned – including one featuring said friend Lisa! I still plan to share thrift hauls, cocktails, and whatever else strikes my fancy. If you want to follow along, Project Thrift 365 is mostly going to be happening on Instagram, co-posted to Facebook. You do NOT need to have an Instagram or Facebook account to see what I post but you do need one or the other to play along. Tag me @thespiritedthrifter or #projectthrift365 (because #projectthriftedootd365 is too long!). I’ll share your shots and ask for your feedback/rating – maybe not every single day in a formal way, but I welcome your comments every single day!

This is going to be fun! I’m excited!

xoxo Nicole

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