Windswept (The Fashionista Next Door)

Just over a year ago, I woke up at 7am to be the first in line at for the launch of Phillip Lim for Target. I just HAD to have this skirt (and a few other items, like my mini Pashli lookalike). Well, fast forward 1 year and 5 days, and this skirt that I haaaaaaaaaad to have, this skirt that I woke up at 7am on a Sunday to buy, was still hanging in my closet with the tags on collecting dust. Now, ain’t that a shame?

The thing is I love the skirt, but had the hardest time styling it…or at least I should say I had a hard time styling it in my own unique way. There was no shortage of inspiration on the interwebs…I mean this skirt was on every blogger and every blog…and it was even Solange’s pick to wear at the Phillip Lim for Target launch party in NYC. But, when I got the skirt home, I just couldn’t make it work for me. Has that ever happened to you with something you really love?

What I’m Wearing: Phillip Lim for Target Skirt (try eBay or similar style) // Old Navy V-Neck Cami // ShoeDazzle Pumps (old, similar) // JustFab ‘Jubilee’ Satchel // Jewelmint Rings and Necklace // Lips: Maybelline Matte Balm in Striking

So, a couple weeks ago I did a little fall purge and sold a bunch of stuff at Buffalo Exchange. I’m trying to get better about getting rid of stuff that I don’t wear (ugh!) because I really just don’t have the space. I sadly tossed this skirt in the pile of things to sell, but when I went to bag the stuff up, I decided to try the skirt for good measure…and at that moment, I remembered WHY I loved the skirt so much in the first place. The print…the fit…and the twirl factor are just amazing. I couldn’t let it go…but if I was going to keep it, I HAD TO WEAR IT. So, I hung it up in the very front of my closet where I could see it, and told myself that if I didn’t wear it before my next purge, it had to go.

Well, clearly I didn’t want to let it go, because here it is in all its leopard-y, twirly splendor. I now realize I was totally over-thinking the styling, which can sometimes happen with pieces at are super popular in the blogosphere. There’s this undeniable desire to have the super popular must-have items of the moment, but you still don’t want to look like everyone else in those items, ya know? In the case of this skirt, maybe waiting until everyone else was over it was all the inspiration I needed.

Have you ever bought something you loved, but couldn’t figure out how to wear it?