I can probably count the number of successful New Year's resolutions I have made on one hand. OK, probably more like one finger, which means this list of eight style resolutions I have come up with is likely too ambitious. Still, it's important just to try, right? Don't I get brownie points for that?
1. Buy a pair of TOMS shoes - This is something I can't believe I haven't done yet. My friends have raved about how much they love theirs and I have tried on my sister's pair, and they are extremely comfortable. Plus, there's the added incentive of supporting a great cause. Clearly, there is no excuse for me not having purchased a pair yet.
2. Stop buying dresses that I have no occasion for - Dresses are my one weakness. Whenever I go shopping, I gravitate toward them. When nothing else fits or looks good, I can always fall back on dresses. I'm sure everyone has that item they always turn to when they need a pick-me-up. For some, like Rose from "In Her Shoes," it's shoes. Or if I fail at overcoming my weakness, I must promise myself to find an occasion to wear it.
3. Shop at the local boutiques in Charlottesville and the merchants on the Downtown Mall - I have to admit most of the time, I do not take advantage of all that Charlottesville has to offer. This year, I'm going to shop at Bittersweet, which always has fresh, one-of-a-kind clothing, more often than I have in the past.
4. Start wearing jewelry more often and have more fun with accessories - I am really jealous of all the girls I see across Grounds who are always wearing the perfect matching jewelry and accessories with their outfits. When it comes to jewelry, I have always tended to follow the Calvin Klein minimalist style mantra because it's easy and practical. This year I'm going to challenge myself to make my look more interesting.
5. Choose quality over quantity - Sometimes I find myself slipping back into my middle and high-school phase of always having tons of clothes and never wearing the same outfit twice, which often meant sacrificing quality for quantity. It's easy to justify buying a poor-fitting shirt or skirt just to have more clothes, rather than taking the time to find clothes that flatter me. To avoid having piles of clothes that I never wear after realizing I hate how they fit, I'm going to take time to shop around until I find clothes I genuinely love and will wear more than once.
6. Buy a denim shirt - Or maybe just steal the one hanging in my mom's closet. This is a trend I never thought I would embrace. If you had told me year ago that one day denim shirts were going to be the in thing, I would have rolled my eyes and laughed - not to mention I probably teased my mom at some point for even owning one. But now after seeing them all over magazines, I have to admit they are pretty cool and I'm already searching to find the perfect one.
7. Do It Yourself - OK, I'll be honest I don't know when I'm going to have time to do this, but I'm going to try to make some clothe for myself. I truly admire people who are able to make their own clothes. It seems like you would feel such a sense of pride and accomplishment to say that you made the dress or skirt that you are wearing. When I find the time, DIY projects are definitely on my list.
8. Be thrifty and frugal - Much to my mother's dismay, I have expensive taste in clothes, and oftentimes we do not see eye-to-eye. As I have gotten older, I have come to appreciate her wisdom, and as a result have combined our opposing philosophies. When it comes to clothes that are classic staples and never go out of style, I see no harm in buying more expensive items, but when it comes to trends that will probably be out of style next year, I agree it's probably best just to hit up Forever 21 or Target.
Kristin's column runs biweekly Thursdays. She can be reached at k.ulmer@cavalierdaily.com.
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