Here’s the challenge: You must choose 15 pieces of clothing that will be on your only wardrobe for 30 days. You can have all the accessories you want. Outerwear doesn’t count. Jammies, skivvies and exercise clothes are free passes as well.

How’s that sound? A bit insane?

It was.

But it also provided the greatest sense of style and lifestyle clarity I’ve had in a long time.

For the month of September I participated in Felicia Sullivan’s Ultimate Closet Editing Challenge. The impetus for this insanity was simple. Was it possible to live simply? To apply some creativity to mixing and matching instead of mindlessly purchasing? To get back to basics and be thoughtful about clothing and style?

I had to publicly commit to my 15 chosen pieces. I will admit to cheating a small handful of times, but nothing outrageous. (If you count not choosing almost NUDITY at the office not outrageous —and I DO.) There was a big difference mentally for me between the first half of the month and the last half. Having almost all my clothes “taken away” from me immediately, put me into an almost desperate mindset.

OMG! What will I WEAR?! I have to PLAN and make sure things are CLEAN…

And, yes, that was the case. It was a true definition of the mindset of scarcity. I have LESS. It’s harder to work with LESS. I don’t like having LESS. LESS is worse than MORE.The first two weeks were a cocktail of hard and frustrating and boring and interesting. At the halfway point I moaned about my lack of options (partially due to the lack of FALL where I live). But I also started to realize a few things.

The most important thing I discovered was that I really liked nice things. Sounds ridiculously simple, but here’s where it became important to face that and own it. I love nice things. When I love something, I wear it more and take great care of it and generally feel great. This holds true for a Michael Kors ensemble or a $12 necklace from J.C. Penny. There is nothing wrong with any of that.

What is wrong is to buy things just to buy them. Quantity will never trump quality. Buying for quantity is a scarcity mentality. Buying for quality is full of abundance—regardless of price.

I now view my wardrobe not as my closet, but as my collection. Because a collection is thoughtful and interesting. It is beautiful and inspired and full of joy. And since my clothing and style are a reflection of who I am—why not choose beauty and thoughtfulness and inspiration and joy?

I did a huge closet clean out right before beginning this challenge. I thought I had done a good job—and at the time I had. But two days after the challenge ended, I went in and cut some more. Ruthlessly. I’ve never been so thrilled to donate or give away clothes that not only take up valuable space in my closet, but also no longer represent the style I choose or the person I am.

To commemorate this challenge and its importance, I had a portrait done. I was plainly certain about its elements— naked and an empty bag. I can’t think of two better images to describe the end of this challenge. A blank slate and an empty bag –

Imagine if you were that blank slate and your bag was empty. How would you fill it?

What’s stopping you from attaining your authentic style and authentic collection?

The great thing about shopping nowadays is that you can accomplish a lot online. You and your kids can peruse through tons of clothes online with various styles and designs that reflect your child’s interests and personality – sure to get them excited to strut their stuff all the way to their classrooms. So what are the hot clothing items for your kids this season? And what does your child REALLY look for when selecting a new tee or hoodie?

Party Topic

This Tuesday, join the #gno Twitter party from 9-11 ET (8-10 CT, 7-9 MT, 6-8 PT) with Threadless Kids and chat about back-to-school, your child’s personal style, shopping trends and more for the upcoming school year.

Be sure to click here to check out this week’s giveaway where you can enter for a chance to win one of FIVE $50 gift certificates to Threadless Kids, a new kids’ t-shirt line from crowdsourcing poster child Threadless.

Party Details

• What: Girls’ Night Out (#gno) Twitter party (Click here to learn about #gno!)
• Sponsor: Threadless Kids
• When: Tuesday, September 7 from 9-11 p.m. EST (8-10 CT, 7-9 MT, & 6-8 PT)
• Where: Party with us on our very own Custom Tweetgrid! http://bit.ly/TKgrid (Use hashtags #gno and #ThreadlessKids.)
• Topic: Back-to-School Tips for Success
• Who: Brand Panelists: @ThreadlessKids @ThreadHelp @ThreadMom Community Panelists: @childhood @digitalkadi @hoo_dee_hoo @juliecole @mabelhood @soulfulparent @momtrends Moderators: @jylmomIF @Dadventurous @troypattee and @momitforward
• Party Favors: Enter for a chance to win one of FIVE $50 online gift certificate to Threadless Kids: http://bit.ly/bflPMz.

RSVP

Use Mr. Linky below (enter the twitter URL and your twitter ID (e.g., http://twitter.com/jylmomIF).

Note: Mom It Forward accepts paid sponsorships for most #gno Twitter parties. During the parties, brand sponsors provide tips, techniques, expert advice, and information on party topics. Mom It Forward is grateful for the giveaway prizes, coupons, and discounts that sponsors also provide to the Mom It Forward community in conjunction with #gno Twitter parties.

Looking to find a stylish steal of a deal and have fun while doing it? Don’t take it from me, learn a few tips from the pros, my USFs—Allison from Petit Elefant or @petit_elefant, Carina from Jet Set or @jet_set, and Melissa from Isly or @melissapher.

Here is what I learned this past weekend while thrifting in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah!

1. Get Organized and Connected!

While the actual shopping was fun (yes! I admit it!), the whole thrifting experience would have been void without friends. Sharing your finds is half the fun, so having one person organize the event—invite people, create a schedule, e-mail information—was extremely helpful. Before the outing, I loved knowing who was going, getting pre-shopping tips, organizing carpools, and chit chatting back and forth on e-mail to generate excitement.

(From left: Allison, Marie, Emily, Carina, and Melissa)

2. Prepare an Itinerary.
Receiving a schedule of the thrifting events was awesome, because it gave us a play-by-play of the day’s activity. That way, if we had to arrive late or leave early or only had a certain amount of time we could be there, we could plan accordingly.

3. Provide Pre-Shopping Tips.

For non-thrift-shopping gals, receiving a few helpful pre-shopping tips like these made the whole experience easier:

• If you’re looking to buy furniture, measure the space in your house and bring the dimensions with you so you don’t buy a piece that is too large or small for the space.
• If you’re looking to buy clothes or shoes, wear clothes that can easily be removed and put back on.

4. Choose Vintage Stores Close in Proximity But With a Variety of Products.

When shopping with 10+ gals, especially on a snowy day, make sure to schedule your stops close together. We went to several stores within walking distance and then drove to another two also within walking distance. I loved the diverse mix of products in each of the stores. I bought a red hat in Retro Rose and a cute silk dress at The Green Ant. Other stores sported bottle collections, furniture, a vintage Jack-in-the-Box, and extensive jewelry collections.

5. Tempt the Palate.

What’s an outing without food? Starting and ending on a delicious note not only kept everyone’s tummy’s full and happy, but also provided an extra opportunity for socializing.

Choosing the eateries also played a role in both setting the tone and wrapping things up in savory style. We went foreign for breakfast with Belgian Waffles from Bruges and to Gormandise Bakery “famous for its spectacular desserts” for lunch.

6. Open Your Mind and Your Pocketbook, But Not Before Haggling.

Being a non-thrifting gal myself prior to this event, part of its success for me was simply being open minded. I didn’t think the silky number would fit and wasn’t in the mood to try things on. Peer pressure got me into the dressing room and out of the store with a cute dress perfect for me at a great price ($20 folks!). Of course, I had to be willing to pull out the pocketbook. Frugal isn’t free! But, I did learn the price is always up for negotiation—a little friendly haggling!—one thing I wouldn’t dare do at Nordie’s.

7. Capture the Event!

One of the funnest parts of the experience was taking pictures as we went from store to store. Check out the entire activity on Whrrl by clicking here!

A seasoned thrifter? New to the game? Leave a comment with your tips, questions, or advice.