My fashion funk

I've been in one for years. Part of the problem is that we spent our first 2 years as poor college students (well, Tips was the one in college, I was the one working to support us) and then we spent the next 3 years budgeting and being tight with our money. I didn't even feel like I had money to buy fabric and patterns for myself to make new clothes for myself, let alone go shopping like so many of my friends and family did!

Plus, the few times I would go shopping I would experience one of the following two scenarios: 1) I have money but most of the clothes in the stores aren't cute enough or the type of style I am looking for; or 2) I don't have any money but still go 'window shopping' and there are TONS of cute clothes I want!

Why oh why can't I find the clothes I want when I actually have money to buy them?!?!?!

Most of the clothes I have received over the years have been hand-me-downs from the following three sources: my younger sister who worked at American Eagle for quite a few years, my sister-in-law who buys lots and lots of clothes and ends up not wearing some of them because she realizes she doesn't love them as much after she brings them home, and my mother-in-law who has given me a couple of pairs of shoes that were too small for her but that fit me.

The result? Most of my wardrobe wasn't something that I actually designed or sought out for myself.

I realized the inconsistency I had in my life a couple of months ago after we moved into our home. I had created a 'dream home' binder with tear out sheets from interior design magazines (dating back to my interior design college days) with features of things I wanted in my future home. Like beadboard paneling in the bathroom and kitchen, crown molding and chair rail molding, wood/laminate floors, even rose bushes outside! But I haven't ever taken the time to create a style portfolio for myself - and that has led to my wardrobe being acted upon by forces outside of myself rather than me creating the wardrobe I truly want!

So this blog is going to become my style portfolio so I can create the look I want first on this blog and then be able to realize it in the physical form!