Denise, Janice, Mary and Phyllis – Join Me for a Spring Style ME Challenge Link-up

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Howdy Fashioinistas/os,

Welcome to our last Spring Style Me Challenge link-up.

While the spring challenge is now officially over, some of the challengers are participating in a rewind of all of the outfits from spring 2015.  Others are revisiting the outfits from spring 2014.

Then there’s me.

I am still trying to get caught up on the outfits from 2015 that I didn’t style yet.  But slow and steady wins the race, right? Or is that just an old fable?

Here I am this morning, standing before my mirror naked.

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The horrified look on my face is because I have just realized that the challenge is officially over but I haven’t worn all of the outfits yet.  I am additionally horrified because I have a link-up post due tomorrow (Wednesday) and I somehow found myself wearing yoga pants and a too-big, men’s large tee shirt and tennies today.

Call it climbing back into my old, familiar shell.

I am sure you are equally horrified at the thought of that image.

I’ll spare you.

Instead I am going to continue my trend from last week by featuring a quartet of my favorite fashionistas wearing one of their favorite looks from this spring’s challenge.

I introduced you to Mary and Wendy last Wednesday.  You can check out their great looks here.  Today I would like for you to meet Denise, Janice, Mary and Phyllis, all equally virtual friends of mine who are also virtual friends with Wendy and Mary.  This week’s Mary is Mary M., last week’s Mary was Mary J. – just to help you keep everyone straight.

I asked the gals to share a picture of their outfit, the shopping details and a little bit about their experiences doing Alison’s challenges.  Their “quotes” are in a colored font just so you can tell who is speaking.  Denise is coral, Janice is green, Mary is blue and Phyllis is lavender.

First on the runway we have Denise who hails from California.  In my opinion, Denise has become kind of the heart of the challenges.  Even though there were over 1,200 participants this go-round, I bet everyone of them was familiar with Denise because of her kind comments and great support.  She is wearing a modified Day 3:

Day 3:  Cardigan + Black Tank + Printed Scarf + White Jeans + Hoop Earrings + Wedges

(P.S.  She is also a shopping enabler, BIG time)

This is my second time doing a Spring Challenge with Alison–my very first
challenge was Spring 2014, and since then I’ve done ALL of them! Each time I
learn so much–both from Alison and the other challengers.

This time around, I challenged myself to shop my closet and NOT buy any new
clothes (accessories didn’t count!) I had everything for this OOTD already
in my closet–coral cardigan (Old Navy) and navy tee (Target) were from last
Spring’s challenge; I subbed the light wash jeans (Walmart clearance last
summer) for white ones; scarf was from Target–pre-challenges; navy & white
striped flats (Dex Flex @ Payless) were a recent $10 eBay find.

You don’t have to spend a lot to do these challenges; the first thing I
always suggest to newcomers is to “Shop your closet!” Most of us have plenty
to wear, we just don’t know HOW to wear those items–and Alison shows us
how!

Denise may be a shopping enabler but she is also a great bargain shopper.  Doesn’t she look terrific? The coral cardigan is so refreshing and I love it paired with blue.

Now that we are between the spring and summer challenges, many of us have taken a mock pledge not to shop (accessories only) until the summer shopping list is realized toward the end of May.  Denise was kind of the gal who suggested the shopping ban.  I raised my right hand and took that pledge but found a great top at Steinmart today…don’t tell Denise.  I am just going to call the top an accessory for my bra.

Our second fashionista is sweet Janice from New England, oops, Northern California! But loves New England.  If Denise is the heart of challenges, Janice is the hair of the challenges.  She has the most fantastic hair.  It always looks salon-styled!  Gorgeousness.  People often ask me if it is windy outside when I come into their store, school, place of business.  Wonder why?

I somehow lucked into learning about the first GYPO Challenge last Spring 2014. At the time, I thought the Challenge was going to focus on young, stay-at-home moms and that although I am basically “young at heart”, at 63 and with a mature body type, I thought I might feel quite out of place. But I took the chance and signed up anyway and quickly found out the group members were all ages, all sizes and all body types. A whole new world opened up! Now I have girlfriends from all around the world who are positive, supportive, funny, kind, enthusiastic, and have beautiful souls. It’s not just about the clothes at all! I feel so lucky and honored to be included in this group of fabulous women.

Janice is styling Days 16, 18 and 20, from left to right.

Day 16: Cardigan + Black Tee or Tank + Printed Skirt + Wedges

Day 18: Cardigan + White Tank + Printed Scarf + Dark Wash Jeans + Sandals

Day 20: Chambray + White Tank + White Jeans + Watch/Bracelet + Sandals

Great segue to our fashionista next up.  Here we have the lovely Mary M.  If Denise is the heart (or at least one of the arteries) and Janice is the example of perfect hair for the challenges, Mary is the smile.  Can ya guess why?  Her smile is no doubt familiar to all of the fashionistas in the challenge.  Mary is my vecina…Spanish for neighbor.  She lives in New Mexico and I live in far west Texas.  We can almost wave to one another.

She is wearing Day 17.

Day 17:  Chambray + Striped Dress+ Stud Earrings + Bright Flats

Here’s my outfit.  My dress is from Ross, chambray is from Gap (2013), necklace is old, yellow flats are from Marshall’s. I found the challenges through Alison’s blog and I’ve done almost every one since Summer 2014. I love the sense of community and strong sisterhood that the challenges bring! I chose this outfit because I’ve struggled big time with chambray in the challenges, and this was the first chambray look that I just loved! Now I see just how versatile this blouse can be.

I just had to find the right look, and that’s the great thing about these challenges…they push you outside of your comfort zone, but you eventually find ways to take pieces that you may be hesitant about and make them “yours.”

This is one of the looks I haven’t tried yet.  I would never have thought of putting the chambray with a maxi dress but I love this look!  Alison styled a short, knee length striped dress with the chambray blouse but I haven’t done that either.  I like the way Mary has tied her shirt and the coral necklace is perfect.

Our last fashionista is Phyllis, another California girl.  I am so proud to be able to say that all of these great gals are now my Facebook friends and we do keep up with each other’s lives.  Sweet Phyllis went straight to the head of the class with her first challenge.  She has a such a fashion sense and takes every single outfit then splashes it with something uniquely Phyllis.  She is sharing two looks.  The first one is Day 8.

Day 8:  Cardigan + Gray Tee + Printed Scarf + Dark Wash Jeans + Bright Flats

Printed pants!

I really wasn’t sure but this turned out to be one of my favorite 2015 GYPO Challenge outfits! One of the best parts of the GYPO challenges is the Facebook group and getting to see all the pretty ladies as they grow in style confidence each day! So glad I found GYPO and Alison Lumbatis last year right before the 2014 Spring challenge began. 2015 Spring challenge was my sixth challenge and I can’t wait till the Summer challenge begins!

Gray tee, striped mint/navy cardi plus navy eyelet pants all from Target. Striped flats from Payless.

Oh, and the scarf also from Target but last spring.

Phyllis subbed in her patterned pants for the dark wash jeans suggested.  Many of the challengers are unable to wear jeans to work so great adaptations for denim are always popular.  That scarf is like an English garden.

Her second outfit is Day 12.  I am dying to try this OOTD.  Maybe tomorrow? Alison’s styled look featured camos and a chambray shirt.  Look how Phyllis just took that to an even more professional, work-appropriate level.

Day 12:  Chambray + White Tank + Patterned or Colored Denim + Wedges + Watch/Bracelet Stack

Floral pants are Faded Flory Jeggings from Walmart. Chambray shirt and tank top were old, straight from the closet.  Neutral wedges from Payless.

Isn’t that statement necklace absolutely perfect with these patterned pants?  I mean, really!  I think everyone was pleasantly surprised about how great the chambray shirt turned out to be.  A real fashion essential.

Posting all of these great looks has shamed me.  When I go to school tomorrow to sub at the Polk Elementary library, I will absolutely wear one of the challenge looks I haven’t yet tried.

I promise.

 If you haven’t done a Style Me Challenge with us, you just have to!  The Summer Challenge is right around the corner and I will share registration info here as soon as Alison emails the details.  In the meantime, please stop by the blogs of my Style Me Blogger sisters through the links above.

Thank you to Wendy, Mary, Mary, Denise, Janice and Phyllis for being such delights!  Love you all.

Hugs and kisses,