Dana's Outfits - September 7, 2010...the perils of bike riding

Despite the cost and environment saving benefits of bike riding to and from campus...there is one serious downside...sweating. This has forced me to wear multiple tops in one day...not good. I need to figure out a better system. At any rate, I had two "outfits" today...really just a t-shirt change.

In the Absence of Real Paul...

...I have conjured up what I imagine Paul is wearing today or yesterday or...well, any day really.

Day (whatever) of Paul - The Better/Dana Version

In case you can't read the captions, here is a link to a larger version of the picture.

Let this be a lesson to Paul...handle your shit. (and, for the record...this was Katie's idea.)

Dana's Outfits - Random First Week of September

Ok, I am super sorry about the hiatus...this past week has been a little hectic and I had forgotten to take pictures everyday...but I promise I have remained faithful to the diet! While I didn't take daily pictures, here are my outfit combinations for the past week...I am probably missing some and I don't know exactly which goes with which days...but it is something. So here you go...

This was a very blue day...i didn't realize my shirt and shoes matched so well...hmm. Not sure how I feel about that...who am I? Alice Motes? :P

Ok, yes, I wore the same pair of jeans a bunch of times...but sometimes I didn't wear them all day...and It wasn't like I was sweating profusely in them...nor did I spill on them (I know, I was shocked too!).

As you can see, its all been pretty boring. I haven't had the need nor the energy to spice things up...but hopefully that will be a post-Labor Day phenomenon. But not promises....to be honest, I am kind of enjoying the simplicity. It's kinda like shaving my head...it can be a little harsh, or maybe just boring and simple...but I think it can help to accentuate other assets. Or, maybe I am just fooling myself. Either way...it is what it is.

I do, however, promise to be better about posting...hopefully Paul will too!

Dana's Outfit(s) - Day(s) 7 and 8

Ugh, sorry. I have been taking pictures, just not uploading.

So, on Thursday, Katie and I went on some shopping errands (note the plural) and so I got dressed. Mind you that this is the same day that I bought a bike and had to ride it to the Bart station from the store (reference other blog), so I got a little sweaty...but rules are rules. The day's attire was kept simple with my dark blue jeans and by gray v-neck t-shirt. Too add a little somethin' something, I added a belt (shown in detail). I figured it would at least marginally help with my woefully boring clothing of late.

On Friday, I had to go to class and had my first meeting with Dr. Michael Omi (of Racial Formation Theory fame with Howard Winant). So I thought I should be a little dressed up, so i went with the buffalo checked shirt (and yes, the same dark jeans). The shirt is tucked, because, yeah...I am classy like that.

some gifts to make up for my absence

Well, I guess I'm the life blood of the blog right now.
To make up for my absence (and to fill your time) I figured I'd post some of the fashion related blogs that I enjoy reading as well as online fashion inspiration I pull.

First and foremost, I'm a big ol' fan of Threadbared.  Academics looking at fashion?  Yes, please!  While their posts are generally fantastic, I especially love their entries looking at the politics of vintage, thrifting, and labor. 

Threadbared also turned me onto lipstickeater which is hard to describe but thoroughly addicting.  Expect ruminations on issues of femininity, sex, sexuality, gender, the body, clothing, and too many literary references to count.  It is one part critical observation, two parts personal documentation (complete with intriguing comments, personal experiences, erudite ruminations, and one probably NSFW drawing).

I generally like StyleLikeU because it's video interviews of people talking about their approach to dressing.  I've been a bit bothered by the hipstery, Native appropriation love through many of the more recent videos (if you're interested in the politics surrounding this, Threadbared has you covered with  six posts on the subject).  Overall all, though, there's some great ideas about basics and approaches to dressing that I found intriguing, if not replicable by me: Ladyfag (NSFW), Joanne, Nikki, Craig, Gregory, Mario, Taylor, Sammy K., Jermaine, Hunter, Alex, World Famous BOB, Zamari, and Jenny.  Granted, much of this is antithetical to the idea of a minimized wardrobe but I do find myself enjoying the videos of people with an extremely simplified color palate and an emphasis on drape.  Also, there are many other videos I like, this was the quickest list I could build with people who I explicitly have sought out their videos to watch and rewatch.

The voyeurism of street photos and the enjoyment of editorial repetition get me here: Street Hearts, dirtyflaws (occasionally NSFW), Street Peeper, nerdboyfriend, The Sartorialist, Hel Looks, Copenhagen Street Style, The Urban Gentleman.

Finally, if the like the idea of the discussion of an outfit without a photo, you may thoroughly enjoy The Considered Ensemble.

Overall, these are the primary blogs that appear in my blog reader, that I get excited when there's an update, that make me think of things that I may want to incorporate into my approaches to dressing. 

Days 7 and 8 of Paul

My apologies for not posting on Thursday (I know y'all have been impatiently waiting).
Yesterday I was hunched over a computer all day grading and editing some spreadsheets, not getting home until almost 9pm.  Long day led to immediate exhaustion and changed immediately when I got home.  So, yet another outfit not on my body.  Oh well.  I wore the selvage jeans with the dark blue shirt.  Comfy with a bit of "dressiness" since the shoes I topped the outfit off with were some matte, black leather, dress shoes I picked up at H&M.  Positives: since they're cheap they've already creased on the upper but I like it helps them to look worn in.  Negative: the right shoe gives me a blister on the heel.  I'll be figuring something out post haste since I like them too much to avoid them for a measly blister.

For today I went extra comfy: black denim, athletic grey t-shirt, black Toms shoes.  I added a wee bit of glitz with my necklace that you can also see here.  Overall, comfy day with a little surprise in the necklace.  Wow, I'm pretty boring today (and somehow my poses have become more atrocious!).  My apologies, I'll try to be more engaging (and more modelesque) tomorrow.

Dana's Outfit - Day 6

I didn't go anywhere today, save the wholefoods to buy a tea infuser, juice, and get some coffee. I spent most of the day working from home (writing on whiteness, reference my other blog) and reorganizing the common room so we can actually use the couch and coffee table. As such, I do not have anything to add to the blog today. Not sure what I have on the docket for tomorrow...only the morning will tell.

Day 6 of Paul

Today was a pretty low key day (which, apparently, is the only kind of day I have).  Meh, whatever.  Today's big goals included: trip to the barber, hang out with a friend, grade.  And, other than the barber and needing to grab some coffee, I did not shop!  I know, this shouldn't really be surprising but a trip through the stores with said friend obviously presents me with many an opportunity for consumption.  I actually turned down two records I was interested as well as a vintage, 70s, western shirt in a lovely chambray with contrasting orange stitching because one part of the fit wasn't good.  Do note, a mild annoyance with fit was, historically, not something that would dissuade me from purchasing clothing if I liked the concept enough.  Today, I said no because it wasn't perfect.  This is good news for both my closet and my wallet.

It might seem odd that I just mentioned that I considered purchasing a clothing item during this experiment.  The primary reason this even occurred was because finding vintage clothing in my size is difficult as all hell, unless I'm down for rockin' the muu-muu.  And while it's comfortable (I have considered wearing one around the house on extra hot days), it doesn't really work for my day-to-day life.  As such, when I'm presented with vintage in my size, it's hard to turn down because I don't see it that often.

Anyway, enough with my day of restraint and on to my day of clothing.  I wanted comfort and a get-up-and-go look on the clothing, classed up with the additional components.  I pulled out the 501s, the athletic grey t-shirt*, and the black cardigan.  I topped it off with the oxblood penny loafers and the briefcase since I was only carrying books in case I had downtime in which to read/reread (Purity and Danger and The Power Elite if anyone is interested).  Well, now you can see them all.  Hopefully these photos are better then the prior ones, I even moved a mirror around to see if that would help.

Today was a classy-comfortable day.


* I initially had on the beige polo but after the barber my collar was wet so I changed shirts into the athletic grey t-shirt that you see here.

(Semi) Day 5 of Paul

Today I wanted a slight repeat of yesterday: button up with jeans.  But, I adjusted some things out.  I've been needing to wear my dark navy jeans because they cuff so well.  And when I say need, I mean need as I have some heat rash on my lower legs that just hasn't been helped by the continuing that full length pants brings (apparently much like Dana I am regretting the non-inclusion of shorts).  I wanted to keep a nice color combo and went with my light blue button up and decided to keep it all casual with my black PF Flyers (which I have cut the tongue out of and wear without laces).  Kept it simple with no accessories (but I did rock the briefcase again).  In the photo, you can see my belt.  It's actually my go-to, everyday belt: some cheap, canvas-and-plaid from Target I bought on clearance.

Anyways, the reason I call this a (semi) day is because, post working at the coffee shop, I decided to hit up the Women's Auxiliary up the street from me, to see if they had any tidbits of wonderful to oogle.  Well, they didn't disappoint and had apparently received a bunch of records recently.  Crates of records for $0.25 means I'm down for some diggin' for new hotness.  I lucked out (long story short: Tommy Dorsey and Count Basie were in no short supply, a near mint copy of Thriller... I walked away with 35 records).  I had spent so much time in the store that everything had fully warmed up by that time and I had to walk home in full sun (the high was in the 90s today).  Needless to say, I was a bit overheated when I got home because, really, I just hate being in the sun.

As soon as I got home I quickly changed into some gym shorts and an undershirt and I just haven't had it in me to change back into my clothes for a photo shoot.  To that end, I give you my outfit (sans shoes) in repose..  Yeah, I know, my clothes are awesome, even when I'm not in them.  I'm that good.

Dana's Outfit - Day 5

I was informed by Katie that there was a heat advisory in effect today. I am more and more regretting my decision to abandon shorts for the next 90 days. But I must peservere. As the nisei would say...Gaman! (I am so JA.)

So, today I bust out with my old reliable. The tank top. I have recent reacquired a farmers tan...but not too bad...and I think the avoidance of heat stroke trumps the embarrasment of tanlines...I think.

I am also wearing my mid-range blue jeans and my white hemp flip flops...no other accessories.

Day 4 of Paul

So, to reduce my black/grey combo that I have been rockin' these last couple days, I decided to opt for color  today but in a very simple way.  I knew I wanted to wear one of my light, button ups because it's been pretty damn warm here in Long Beach (sidenote: what happened to the fabulous, 70s summer???!!?) and that I also wanted to wear the 501s because I need to break them in to my body.
While they're great in terms of comfort for me, there is one spot where the prior owner differed (beside being slightly taller than I): he had a slightly smaller waist (apparently I'm not as curvy as I thought).  After every washing, that waist seems to nip back in and the the rivets right near the waist band give me hell.  I look forward to the day when they finally relent and give into to my waist and upper hip.

Anyways, today was a pretty low key day: grading in the coffee shop, help move some furniture, do some more work, and then a quick birthday kick back.  I decided to the keep things simple since I was wearing the broken in jeans and the light shirt and decided against any accessories.  The shirt was worn out and loose, the pants were given a peg/tight rolled (first link: how-to, second link: wiki article** but note that I don't use the safety pins they reference), and the shoes were my ox blood penny loafers.

Thumbs up!  I seriously need to find my camera cord because these photos are ridiculous and leave a lot to be imagined.  Next time I wear these pants, I'll most likely wear them with these same shoes and I always peg them, I'll get an upclose shot so you will have to wonder no more!
And, in response to the reference to last August, I guess I butched this up by carrying a briefcase to the coffee shop, and not one of my normal bags (even though I'm still on the hunt for the perfect oversized, black, leather tote).

**I would like to point out, though, that the photo on the wiki article is ridiculous.  Nike trainers with a pegged leg?  Really?

Dana's Outfit - Day 4

Holy crap. It is hot in Oakland today. I am beginning to think that the exclusion of shorts from the fashion diet might have been a mistake. But I must be strong...as must my deodorant. Just kidding, I don't really sweat that much...unlike some people I know (I think most of use know who those people are ;P).

In the process of all of this, I am also realizing that I am kind of a boring dresser on a day to day basis. Don't get me wrong, I always look good. It's just a simple good. I also seem to put less thought into what I wear in the morning than my compatriot Paul...which I actually find a little surprising. But then again, as we found out last year at ASA, nobody is gay-er than Paul. I guess this just means that I will have to try harder with the accesorizing. This will probably become more imperative as the challenge continues and I start to bore of the bare essentials.

At any rate, today I am wearing the heathered american apparel t-shirt, light blue jeans, and brown page boy hat....on, and brown leather flip flops (rainbows, bitches!).

I am really enjoying the brown on brown combination of the hat and t-shirt. simple pleasures....also, why am i sticking my ass out in this picture?...don't answer that.

A new perk of the project

Regardless of the fact that I am no longer in elementary/middle/high school, every year I have the urge to buy new clothes for the new school year.  Yes, I understand that, as a grad student, the purpose or reasoning for my historical back to school isn't really necessary (I'm grown and, since I'm content with my size, don't foresee the need to replace my wardrobe because I no longer fit into it).  That hasn't mattered for the past 3 or 4 years and yet like clockwork, every fall I head out to purchase new clothing items so that I can make sure that I have some new items for the new year.

This year, because of the timing of this clothing challenge, I won't be back to school shopping.  My clothing is stabilized (at least for the time being) and I don't feel the need to make sure that everything has been replaced.  Granted, I now eye accessories like a fiend but, for the most part, have been pretty tame.  I know my sartorial limits and even though I love the idea of putting a vintage, oversized, gold flower pin on my cardigan, I'm pretty sure I won't be there any time soon.  But I think this is a good step forward, the reduction of the consumption urge.  (Do note, though, that this in no way has reduced the urge for music/records or home goods, those would need to be tackled by another project on another day.)

Dana's (Non)Outfit - Day 3

So, I didn't go anywhere today (save the grocery store, see previous post on point of clarification regarding rules of attire). I spent the majority of the day lounging around in portion of the common room and helping Katie paint. So, I don't have any picture to post as I spent the day in some gym shorts and a t-shirt. Now, I know you are all dying to see me in this get up...but I must resist.

Additionally, Paul is apparently upset about the brevity of my posts. In a strange turn of events, I had very little to say about my clothing choices. I didn't realize I was expected to perform. Now that I know...I will work on it.

Tomorrow, I for sure have places to go, so expect an outfit.

Day 3 of Paul

So, apparently I'm going more toward my black and grey right now, regardless of the weather.   Oh well.

This morning was simply a trip out for brunch.  At most, the only other trip today will be to do some work at a coffee shop or grab some groceries but, more or less, my "going out of the house" day is done.  Luckily, a friend had an iPhone and obliged me by being my photographer so we have some accessory shots today (you're welcome, Katie).

I've been avoiding my selvage denim recently because they are somewhat stiff and can get somewhat warm.  Unfortunately, not wearing them also reduces the time spent breaking them in.  My current goal with breaking them in is influenced largely by the gents at Put This On and their video on denim.  While I don't think I can go the six months (or would even want to, the idea of wearing something until the stink is too awful for me to stand makes my stomach turn), I'm doing my best to wear them as long as I can (apparently putting them in freezer helps with the stink...).  I'm intrigued to see how long it takes me to finally break down and just wash them.  Think of it as a challenge within a challenge.  Whenever I post that I am wearing these, it means they haven't been washed until I explicitly say so (I think today is wearing number 4 since I got them).

I was in a collared shirt mood and pulled out my black polo and, since I love my polos with a cardigan, athletic grey made an appearance.  After that, to jazz things up, I pulled out my Generic Surplus Drury shoes in their current fabric combo (wool and suede) which gives me somewhat of a saddle shoe appearance.  Finally, because it's Sunday, I figured the H&M faux-rosary would be fun (for me at least) worn under my collar and tucked into the cardigan, tone-on-tone with the shirt so it would be subtle.  I'm still not sure about my posing choices.

Point of Clarification

If I just need to run to the grocery store, do i need to change into some of the 18 items and take a picture? Or, can I remain in my non-18 item lounge wear?

Thoughts from the peanut gallery?

Dana's Outfit - Day 2

So, I didn't really leave the house today until about 8:30 PM to go to a friend's house party...this is what I wore. I was trying to wear a scarf, but it just wasn't working. Maybe tomorrow.

Day 2 of Paul

Today, I was really wanting a darker, simpler color scheme with black predominantly coming into play.  Unfortunately, the sun is intense and made things a bit difficult.  I hate the sun for this reason and I don't like that that's why Yuma is in the Guinness Book of World Records (but I do miss that show).

So, for today, I went with my overdyed black 514s, my athletic grey shirt, my black cardigan, and (for the second day in a row) my black mesh slip-ons.  For fun, I decided to bring out my knuckle duster.  End result, comfortable but a bit too fall bordering on winter (if only because my outfit was too much about absorbing the sun, ugggggggh).

Here you can see the ring on my left hand, part of my face, and the fit of the pants.  The tops don't really do too much but the sleeve of the cardigan is picking up a shadow from the background, it is not batwing (regardless of how great that would be).  At some point I'll get a good shot of the shoes.  Oh well.

Oh yeah, how great is my sofa?  Answer: pretty damn great.

Day 1 of Paul

My apologies for posting late.  Considering I didn't get dressed to leave my house until 3ish and only had a bit of time to actually take a photo between where I needed to go, the posting had to wait until the end of the day.  To that end, I give you the outfit for day one.

The original plan for evening was a beach bonfire (that actually never transpired).  Since it has been somewhat warm during the day, I decided that the black v-neck and navy jeans (cuffed) with my Zig Zag mesh slip-ons would keep me cool and then my heather grey cardigan could keep me warm at the beach.  Since the beach never happened, neither did the cardigan but I was cool as a cucumber through the (latter half) of the day.    Much like Dana, my lighting leaves much to be desired.  Also, the webcam apparently is not so good with some movement.  Basically, you can see the shirt and pants, sadly the cuff and shoes are missing.  Additionally, I am also wearing a necklace (from H&M, built like a rosary but with what appears to be a fake fang in place of a crucifix, matte black overall, metal). Here you go, interwebs, Day 1 as somewhat blurried and with wishes of better lighting.

 

Dana's Outfit - Day 1

Ok, so let me start by apologizing for the photo quality and content. I have limited mirror access making it difficult to take a full length picture. I am sure Paul will have some snarky comment about how you can't see my face, so how do we know it me wearing the clothes...blah, blah, blah. And you know what? You're right! It's not me! I got a body double and paid him to wear my clothes while I gallivanted around in non-fashion diet attire!!!! No, I did not. I will, however, try to work on a way to take a better picture. I think I might have to utilize the self-timer.

At any rate, this is the outfit for day one. Basic, yes. I went to campus and class today. Part of my choice to wear this was because it was kind of chilly and I didn't know where the iron and ironing board were. I will ask Katie about this.

Oh, and Paul...get with the program. Post some goddamn pictures already!

The 18 facets of Paul's wardrobe.

As is often the case, Dana is much further along than I, having already taken his photos and posted them well before I had even finished my laundry.
My interest in undertaking this project is similar to Dana in that I am an avid consumer of products and own way too much stuff.

I've also gotten worse in the last couple years, identifying clothing styles that I enjoy, becoming a better shopper in relation to my body, and being generally less concerned with the (negative) judgment of others.  I have also become extremely addicted in having a cohesive life whereby my wardrobe and the items in my house represents me, yet I have been unable to fully complete either look to my satisfaction, which means new things must be added to what I have (and it doesn't help that I'm back to enjoying thrifting like I did in high school, especially since it can be so cheap).

So, for me, this project serves to really hone in on what I need to fulfill my enjoyment of the way(s) in which I present myself, hopefully getting me to a cohesive wardrobe that is simultaneously "Paul" and doesn't require constant additions, but gladly expands with the occasional new purchase.  Yes, this project isn't about stopping my consumption, but to really make my consumption about things that I truly like, actually need, and will wear rather than simply consumption for consumption's sake. 

Sadly, I can't find the cord to upload the photos from my camera, so for now the 18 items will be in verbal description form with links to photos of the item when I can find them.  (Though I'll do an outfit post tomorrow using the camera on my computer so the outfit can be seen.)  To that end, I give you my 18 items.

Pants (5)
     (Overdyed) black Levi's 514s*
     Vintage worn-in Levi's 501s
     Gap grey skinnies
     Gap navy skinnies
     Gap selvage skinnies
I wanted to make sure I cover a broad range of color in my pants so I have an overdyed black, a selvage denim which is heavy in indigo, a navy skinny that is solid and even in color.  The comprise my dark pairs.  For the lights, I like my light grey skinnies because they pass as non-denim but still have the comfort I find in denim.  Finally, my new vintage 501s are extremely light and broken in.  I actually think of them as my version of the boyfriend jean since they were broken in by someone else and oh so comfy.

Shirts (4)
     Light blue Old Navy button up
     Deep blue Old Navy button up
     Black American Apparel polo
     Beige American Apparel polo
I've been on a kick to make sure I wear more collared shirts, starting mostly with the polos and recently adding some button ups.  I wanted a dark and a light collar of each shirt type but with the colors all staying pretty close to neutral (yes, even the blues).

T-shirts (3)
     Black Forever 21 v-neck
     Basic athletic grey crew neck (from Target?)
     Heathered taupe Forever 21 crew neck shirt
For tees I wanted them to be extremely basic and neutral, easily worn in, and extra soft.

Sweaters (2)
     Athletic grey and white striped Old Navy crew neck sweater**
     Black Old Navy v-neck sweater
Sweaters for me ended up taking two forms: a v-neck for layering with a collared shirt and offering some classing up with a tie; a crew neck for the get up and go sweater mornings.

Outwear (4)
     Black jersey Calvin Klein cardigan
     Navy H&M cardigan
     Athletic grey H&M cardigan
     Basic black zip-up hoodie (from Target?)*
Finally, my cardigans.  I need them, it's like they complete me.  I decided I need 3 because I love them so much.  But, they tend to not offer much warmth so I added in a basic, black hoodie for warmth on those chilly desert nights.

Overall, these items all work together in some form, giving me somewhat of uniform where all the tops and bottoms are interchangeable, allowing for easier rotation and yet giving a different twist on the same item.  This has actually been something I've wanted to do with my wardrobe so this will hopefully allow this to occur and let me know whether I enjoy this type of dressing.
Mind, I don't know if I have an "endless supply" of accessories (I'm pretty sure Dana's tie collection alone outnumbers my t-shirts).  But, since I've wanted to regularly incorporate more accoutrements, I'll be actively jazzing up my outfits with various bits of flair and fun. 

Alright, t-minus 12 hours until The Dana and Paul Project is a-go!

-----------------------------------------
*pretty close.
**stripes like this, this is not the sweater.

Dana's 18 Items

In moving back home and trying to fit three-years of apartment living into a single bedroom, I realized how many material possessions I have accumulated over the years. I felt it was time to simplify and minimize…hence, the shopping embargo and clothing challenge.

Holy crap, I have a lot of clothing…among other material things. So all this, is a good idea. Granted, in embarking on a wardrobe of 18 items doesn’t really reduce the number of worldly possessions (I am not getting rid of the other clothing). But I am hoping it will teach me to live with less. We will see how well it takes.

Given that I have so much clothing…winnowing it down to just 18 items was no easy task. Beyond the many options I had available to me, I also had to take into consideration that all 18 items I chose were actually interchangeable and wouldn’t be so ostentatious that would make frequent wear too noticeable and annoying. As such, you will notice that the clothing I chose are a bit more muted that what you might normally expect me to wear. But don’t worry, this is where the accessories come in!

Additionally, I had to take into consideration the bay area weather. For those of you unfamiliar, fall is actually the warmest season. As such, I was torn as to whether to bring shorts. In the end, I thought it would probably best to just stick with pants. Not to worry, many of my clothing trademarks are still included (read: tank tops).

So, it comes down to this. The 18 items. Hopefully this all works out.

(4) Pants:

I have chosen gray jcrew khakis, dark blue jeans (cut long, so they have a cuff), regular blue jeans, and a light blue jean. All are cut fairly slim, but not skinny.

(4) T-Shirts:

Here we have a lot of heathered colors...which some may realize is also a common trend in my clothing. On the top, I have selected a heathered brown american apparel 50/50 blend crew neck, a sorta deep-v gray and white stripe from american apparel (gray stripe is heathered), and a heathered gray pocket v-neck. The second picture is the front and back of the same t-shirt, its a steel gray blue color with a large screen print on the back.

(4) Shirts:

Shirts were a little tricky. I figured, to be safe, I need to have at least one shirt I could wear to a more formal occasion, hence the white shirt on the bottom left. However, it was also necessary for that shirt to be able to fit into a regular rotation. This is a fairly slim-fitting shirt, so I think it will work. The other shirts include two flannels (both on the top). One is a light grey snap-button in the style of a western shirt (Club Monaco). The other is a blue and yellow plaid, like a more traditional flannel (american eagle). The last shirt is navy oversized buffalo check (also from american eagle).

Other Tops ((1) Thermal, (2) Tanks, (1) Sweater):

Thermal Henley with snap-buttons and a slight v-neck. Also heathered.

Red tank (heathered from american apparel) and a yellow tank with red, white, and black stripes...maybe some blue in it too.

Club Monaco sweater, light wool knit. Gray and white stripe with a navy waistband.

The Jackets ((1) Hoodie, (1) Blazer):

Blue heathered hoodie.

Navy blazer. Here, I again wanted something formal enough for dress-up occasions, but not so fancy that I couldn't wear it in every day situations.

So, there you have it. My 18 items. Of course, there are accessories...hats, scarves, shoes, belts, ties, etc. But I figured those can be little surprises along the way. Not to mention that Paul will have an nearly endless supply of accessories, which makes posting pictures of them individually difficult to say the least.

If you have any clothes combination suggestions, feel free to comment. Or comment on the wardrobe generally. Be on the look out for the daily images posted of our outfits!

What's to come...

This blog will be comprised of the daily sartorial decisions of Dana and Paul, Ph.D. students who have too many clothes and not enough daily distractions.

Originally inspired Dana's shopping embargo, a temporary move to East Bay for the fall quarter, and his discovery of six items or less, he decided to undertake a challenge that would reduce the amount of items he would need for his short-term stint.  Knowing that Paul like's a good challenge, could use the space, and should probably wear fewer cardigans, he approached Paul with the idea and terms were set.

While the goal of six items or less is admirable, they quickly knew that six items is far too few, especially since they had decided upon a time frame of three months, 3 times as long as their original inspiration.  To address the time difference (and the fact that they do, after all, like dressing) a total of 18 items were decided upon and that is how The Dana and Paul Project has come into being.

In short order, both Paul and Dana will do posts featuring each of their 18 items so that all viewers know that they are following the guidelines they have set forth.  Other than the 18 item limit, they are utilizing the same rules as set out by six items or less: shoes, accessories, and clothing necessary to combat the elements do not need to be counted (winter coats: okay; cardigans/blazers/hoodies: must be in the original 18); workout clothes aren't factored in.  As we do not have a requisite work uniform, that rule is unnecessary for us.

Every morning we will be posting our outfits of the day so that readers will see how we combine and recombine our items of choice.  Moreover, since we will be in different locations (NorCal for Dana, SoCal for Paul), it is also so that we are accountable to each other.

Hope you enjoy the upcoming exploits.