Did you hear that? That was me giving myself a round of applause for finishing my 30 for 30 challenge. (It was a standing ovation, if you were wondering. Not a dry eye in the house.) I also bought myself a trophy, a dozen roses and a chocolate milkshake. Then I told myself “I’m really proud of you, son.” in the voice of my father.
If you can’t tell, I’m very proud of myself for finishing this challenge. Although you only got to see the happy side of it, I pretty much complained my way through it. But in the end, I finished and that’s what matters. All in all, it was a great experience and the “mine mine mine” syndrome I suffer from when I go shopping has been slightly diminished. I have to tell you not shopping was very hard. As reader Renee pointed out, I shouldn’t have limited myself to no shopping at store and no shopping in my own closet. Renee — are you a life coach? Do you want to be mine? That, my friend, is brilliant. If (and I mean if) I ever do this again, I will most likely only restrict one thing at a time.
After the first two weeks of not shopping, the shakes finally went away. After week 3, my cravings weakened. After week 4, I started drinking a lot more wine. After week 5, I started window shopping and polishing up my credit cards. But if there is one thing I’ve learned, it’s that if I am going to buy anything I better be able to re-mix the crap out of it. Otherwise, it has no business being in my closet.
I wanted to say thanks to all of you guys who continued reading my blog AND who offered support and encouragement. I wanted to pay you back for your kindness, so if you would all look under your chairs…just kidding. My husband hates when I pretend that I’m Oprah and I give away fake things. But seriously, thank you for the encouragement, if you guys wouldn’t have been reading I would have quit the challenge on day 2. (I have zero integrity.)
I would also like to thank my accessories. I mean where would I have been without my necklaces, scarves and hats? And of course, the greatest accesory of all — my wedding ring. (We got in a fight today so I’m giving out a shameless plug to win my husband’s love back. I think it’s working.)
So I’m going to be really sad to quit my blog. JUST KIDDING. But I am going to be really sad to burn all of my challenge re-mix items. I started to really like some of those things. JUST KIDDING. Seriously though, who wants to go run up some serious debt with me? just kidding, kind of.
Here are my last ten outfits from this challenge. I’ll try to post all of the outfits tomorrow sometime while wearing a brand new outfit that you’ve never seen. Can I get an amen? 
70 Responses
WHEEEE congrats on completing your challenge! Definitely enjoyed all thirty looks, if that's any comfort. Enjoy rejoining the shopping/wide-open closet world!
Congratulations! It's been a wild ride reading your posts, but I'm quitting being a reader JUST KIDDING! How's that for a taste of your own medicine! You're like my number #2 blog JUST KIDDING! You're my fave 😛
Oh and if my comments are witty enough for you, you should discreetly let me know, lest I continue to make a fool of myself on your blog 🙁
Congrats! I enjoyed seeing you see the challenge through to the end, and am even more excited to see something different now.
congratulations on your completion of this challenge! you did a fantastic job, if i do say so myself, and you saved your best outfit for last. it has been a pleasure reading your posts during this difficult time – hopefully your shakes have gone away? 😉
xo.
princesspolitico.blogspot.com
*not witty enough
**now i feel really dumb 🙁
Liz — Totally witty enough!
you are a crack up! I loved your challenge! I bet you feel fab for sticking with it!
great job girl! that was quite the challenge. I loved the spool pictures from yesterday!
Congrats! Good job.
Not to make you suffer, but you should do something like this again. I'm totally saying that for selfish reasons as it inspired me to remix and NOT impulse buy. Congrats on finishing and I can't wait to see what you wear tomorrow!
Your posts have been so fun and inspiring. Can't wait to see more of your closet!
AMEN, sister, you rock! It must've been daunting for you at first… was this whole ordeal a bit like celebrity rehab, only a lot less gruesome and a lot more fashionable? OK, so it's nothing like rehab… I'm dumb.
Either way, I hand you a bouquet of roses for your good deed and endurance! Congrats on sticking it through! 😀
Toast with Charmalade
Bravo Kendi. Job well done. 🙂 I hope as a reward you bought yourself something fabulous!!
xx Love & Aloha
Congrats Kendi!! You did it! Way to make it through 30 days past all the temptations…I really enjoy reading your blog and you are a great inspiration for me to start shopping my own closet too 🙂
woohoo congrats kendi!!:) thats so awesome to see you get through this challenge! its an inspiration to see how you remixed so many outfits out of so little clothes, it definitely makes me want to look at what I have and be more creative and remixy with my outfits. and lol this blog post also made me crack up heaps too, you're a comedian hehe:D:P
*Congrats* Kendi, yay!! (And also yay because I just realized we have the same cute Target sandals!) It took a lot of fortitude to stick to only those items, I would have gone insane. And also, you are hilarious, I think I may have actually chortled reading this post 🙂
yay WELL DONE! really great effort. I have some ideas on ways I can challenge myself. I need to do something about my tights addiction.
I can't wait to see your brand new outfit tommorow!
Even though you were re-mixing, every look was completely new. I really enjoyed reading your blog this month!
Don't forget to enter my giveaway of a custom made T-shirt skirt at schoolmarmstyle.blogspot.com.
congratulations!!! i really don't know if i could do it!!
i'm on a shopping ban myself at the moment, but don't know what i'd do if i could not have the choice of all of my current clothes! i change about 6 or 7 times every morning before leaving the door. you are immensely brave!
jp xx
http://www.thishopefulheart.blogspot.com
http://www.hopefulheart.etsy.com
Woo hooo! Congratulations!
Outfit number 30 was so original, I almost thought you HAD quit before it was done. That scarf is the kind of thing I'd love to have, mainly because whenever I wear a scarf, my coworkers tell me I look nice today (even when I'm wearing ill-fitted too-light ugly-ass chinos and a sweater I got at the old lady section of SEARS. Scarf = YOU LOOK NICE, ACCEPT IT.)
Wow, rant over. Congrats on finishing the challenge; you're the best!
Good job! I'm feeling very inspired by this – maybe I should stop with the shopping too (it's not like I need any more clothes).
Looking forward to seeing outfit 1 when you have free reign again.
Congrats on a job fabulously done! I think it will be great to see all 30 looks together 🙂
You have inspired me to try something like this at some point (I am just a little scared)…
Can't wait to see your "new" outfit!
Congrats on completing your challenge! Here's hoping your credit cards don't lose their shiny, polished gleam all in one day!
Congrats! It's been so much fun to see how many completely different outfits you managed to make with so few pieces. 🙂
Yay- congrats!! I'm a new reader (Already Pretty sent me over here!) but I went back to check out all of your 30 outfits and you did a fantastic job!! Pat on the back and gold star for you. 🙂 Now go shopping! Because I'm not going anywhere, so you better have some more cute outfits for me to read about/look at. 😉
way to go kendi!! i'm a regular lurker, but wanted to come out of lurk-dom to tell you congrats! i usually get stuck in a rut w/ my clothes and stick to easy outfits..especially work-appropriate ones. you've definitely inspired me, so thanks!
i am wondering if any of you conservative co-workers noticed you wearing the same things over and over?? honestly, it was hard for me to tell sometimes!
Everybody gets a CARRRRRR! (My fiance also hates when I reference Oprah). Anyway, congratulations. This is a big day. I love today's outfit but I can't wait to see new things! So exciting. And I am always ready to rack up debt. I mean shop.
flnw.blogspot.com
congrats girl!! What an accomplishment! I'm excited to see more looks with other things in your wardrobe 🙂
AMEN!
You did it!
I like this last outfit 🙂 Cute little scarf!
yaaaaaaaay! you win!
and i love the dress with scarf and belt–how fabulous and fresh.
You're a total star, Kendi. In retrospect, are there any items you wish you'd put into the remix mix that would've made the challenge easier/better?
Amen!
pshhh i have a whole tag on my blog titled "complaining" lol! congrats on finishing your challenge!
I just found your blog a few days ago and I love it! Congrats on completing the challenge- you did a fab job mixing up the pieces. I don't know that I could have made it myself without completely losing my mind.
http://www.fashionfoodfrivolity.blogspot.com
bravo! bravo!
great job! It was fun to follow you on this challenge!
CONGRATSSS GIRLL!!! You ROCKED It.
Booya! xo, Kim http://www.crowded-closet.com
yay!!! so glad you made it! you are an inspiration (to not do a thirty day challenge, haha) and i've enjoyed looking at your remixes this month. you make everything look so adorable that we all forgot that you were wearing the same things all the time. what were your favorite outfits from the month? would you consider doing a post about that? what are you going to buy (or have bought) first? sorry i'm kinda nosy.
Wooo you did it! You go Glen Coco!
just starting reading your blog—love your 30 on 30 challenge!! i'm thinking now of trying it myself
Congrats! This is a pretty huge accomplishment. I have items in my closet that I bought months and months ago, and there they hang…never having been touched. Yet. You kind of inspired me, but I still can't talk myself into doing what you did hah.
*Applause*
Whoooo-hoooo!~ Go Kendi, Weekendi, It's your bithday! Or not!~
Congrats!~
HOORAY!! Congratulations on finishing your challenge – loved seeing how creative you were every day and looking forward to seeing your creativity with your reclaimed closet!
Congrats on completing your challenge! I'm inspired by your continued stylish and individual looks while using a small rotation of clothing. It's got to be easier said than done. Congrats, again!
Work. It. Out. I'm so impressed that you made it though 30 days! It seems to have gone by really fast–though I guess not so much for you! This outfit is lovely. Glad you made it all the way through. It's really cliche sounding, but you've really inspired me to shop my own closet instead of the mall's.
Melanie @Unravelled Threads
Don't forget to enter my custom elastic waistband skirt giveaway!
*coffeehouse snaps* go kendi go kendi go. i've been kinda silent through your 30 challenge but i've been enjoying it, i promise. like you, i have zero integrity – i wouldn't have lasted through the shakes. 🙂
Congrats congrats congrats. I love the outfit – dull and grey with the pop of teal. Lovely!
P.S.~ I bought those target cork wedges after I saw then on you!
yay you did it, you're a winner. i do want to rack up some debit card debt.
First of all congrats on finishing this project! I never once found myself bored. In fact I was always surprised to see you remix these pieces into amazing outfits everyday.
Also when you were pretending to be Oprah did you do the voice? Because my boyfriend and I think it's really hilarious to use the Oprah voice and yell "You get a car, You get a car, you get a car!" Hilarious.
YAYYYYYY! Good job with all of your creativeness and ingeniousness. Can't wait to see what you wear tomorrow!
Way to go!!!!! Thanks for now proving it can be done because I have told my hubby for years "That's just not possible. A girl needs new things daily or atleast weekly" And he wasn't buying it! Now I have to delete your blog so he won't be able to see who I've been stalking in cyber space!!!! But serioulsy Great Job! And make sure to pack the linen skirt, t and coffee for Seattle!!!
Well done!
You should be really proud of yourself!
I hope I will be able to challenge myself sometimes in the same way! 🙂
You have a great sense of humor and a beautiful smile and that's your nicest accessory.
Can't wait to see your new outfit!!
Congratulations my darling. You rocked this challenge out like it was nothing. Amazing. And you looked hot doing it the entire time. No one would have guessed you complained one time if you wouldn't have admitted it.
And BTW you are frickin' hilarious. Love reading your posts 🙂 Happy Monday!
Yay…congrats Kendi!!!!! I bet you are soooo proud of yourself, I know I would be if I could pull it off.
http://www.afashionfixation.blogspot.com/
Congrats! I'm sure that was no easy feat… I look at my wardrobe and picture myself only wearing 30 pieces of it… and I'd probably fail the third or fourth day.
Great job and lovely outfit! 🙂
Just wanted to let you know I only discovered your blog part way in but I have really enjoyed watching you remix things. You seem to do that a lot anyways looking back at the earlier posts. Seeing you use things again and again makes the idea of having a bit more style less daunting since as much as i would love to wear a totally new set of clothes almost every day that is not so much of an option for me.
Yay! Way to go! You looked adorable each and every day!!!
Wahoo! Ya made it! I would've given up already…I have a short attention span and would've forgotten.
So what's your next trick?
Loved your few previous posts! Nice Blog 🙂 This look was rocking.
Yay for you!!! I don't think I could have done this… limiting myself to 30 pieces would have been way to traumatic… as of right now, you are my hero 🙂
milkshakes are good rewards
SUCCESS!!
Your mix n matching abilites are truly astounding ~ I couldent do this for a week let alone a month! Cant wait to see all your new finds – happy HAPPY shopping.
you, dear woman, deserve a legit high five for this accomplishment (and for this entertaining post). I would have given up by the end of week one. 🙂
I loved this challenge…and I can feel your pain about remixing pieces but I thought you did an awesome job and I bet the rest of your closet looks amazing, fresh and new now 🙂
Congrats! this is an amaaaaazing accompliahment!
First of all, congrats on finishing- I knew you could do it! And as for being a life coach- I'll be yours if you'll be mine! lol
But seriously, thanks for the plug- I was wondering why my blog had so many hits today! 🙂
big congrats Kendi, you inspired me to quit shopping for a little while and to work with what i have got.
BRAVO! I couldn't do it. I started selling on etsy, just cause I liked shopping so much. Good for you though. and your outfits were wayyyyy cute!
You are a true inspiration, indeed! I can't wait to see what you do next 🙂
I quite like the way you tucked your scarf into your belt. Such a simple way to wear your accessories, and yet I never would have thought of it. This is why I love fashion blogs!
All I can say is that, you're good in mix and matching your old clothes to your new clothes. 🙂 Sooo love it! 🙂
http://ellenreviews.blogspot.com/2010/05/how-to-mix-and-match-your-old-and-new.html