What? Chaco sandals

How long have I had it? 2 years (but they’re replacing a pair exactly like them that I had for about 5 years before that)

Where did I get it? REI

What do I love about it? They’re super comfortable and versatile. I love how rough and tumble they are. I needed to find my kids at the park one day, and I was able to slog through a creek in my skirt and sandals to track down my charges. I love that. They’re just super comfortable and supportive. I love the utility of having a shoe that feels like a tennis shoe. I love that I can get my feet in the water- but I don’t have to deal with having uncomfortable, wet shoes all day.

What? Black evening shoes

How long have I had it? 17 years

Where did I get it? Nordstrom, I think.

What do I love about it? The main thing is that they’re dressy black shoes that I already have, so I don’t have to shop for another pair. I think they’re cute shoes, and they look great with my black evening dress. Frankly, they hurt my feet, which I hate. If I had to attend formal functions regularly, I would probably get a more comfortable pair of shoes.

What? Black cocktail dress

How long have I had it? 17 years

Where did I get it? Nordstrom

What do I love about it? I love that I’ve had it for 17 years! It fits very well, and it’s timeless. It was cute 17 years ago, and it still works. I feel great in it. It works for anything from an office Christmas party to a black tie affair- neither of which I really attend! But, that’s another story. I have a function already planned in the next year which requires “cocktail” attire, so I decided to keep it.

What? Black belt

How long have I had it? 3 years

Where did I get it? T. J. Maxx, I think.

What do I love about it? Well, I don’t really love it. But, I think that it will come in useful this winter for belting sweaters. We’ll see . . .

What? Rust Scarf

How long have I had it? 2 months

Where did I get it? Eileen Fisher

What do I love about it? I love the crinkly fabric. I love the sort of messy unstructuredness (I just made the word up) of it. I love that it’s long and works with all my clothing.

Reader Marcy asked me how the project was going this week, so I thought that I’d catch you up. While I’ve been neglecting the blog, I haven’t been neglecting Project 36/365. It’s been serving me; not the other way around.

I’m in my fifth month, and it’s going really well. In fact, I’m loving it. What you see to the side is one of my uniforms. You’ll find me in some variation of this outfit at least a couple of times a week. I don’t mind wearing the same thing all the time. In fact, I kind of like it. I don’t have to worry about what I’m going to wear, and all my clothes match. Marcy asked me in my last post if I had been tempted to cheat. Only once. When I wore my big Keen messenger bag to a cocktail party, I was tempted to take my great grandmother’s evening bag instead. I resisted the temptation. I was at a fundraiser for a cause that I care about deeply. My guess is that in that crowd, no one either noticed or cared about my purse.

Other than that, what’s changed? I’ve taken two scarves out of the mix. One I didn’t wear because it was itchy. The other was out because the size was awkward. I added my tennis shoes. I was working at a fundraiser in November, and it became very clear that I would need my tennis shoes in order for my feet to take the long days. Then, I worked at another fundraiser for all of December. Again, I had long days on concrete floors. I decided that I really needed my tennis shoes to live the life in front of me. Loving my boots. But, when I work for days in a row, my feet need a break from my boots.

How’s it going for everyone else? I would love to hear from you!

What? Black and rust feather scarf

How long have you had it? 13 years

Where did you get it? Talbots

What do I love about it? I love that I’ve had it for a long time,and it still works. It goes with all my clothing. Works with everything from jeans to dressy skirts.

What? Green Mata Traders Dress

How long have I had it? 4 months

Where did I get it? I bought it from Mata Traders at the Fair Trade Federation conference.

What do I love about it? I love so many things about this dress. I love that it’s Fair Trade. I love that it’s made from organic cotton. I love supporting Maureen Dunn and Michelle King, the owners of Mata Traders. Then, there’s the dress itself. It’s cute and comfortable. I love the color, and it’s a really flattering cut. Perfect for a warm day. It’s so comfortable that it feels like I’m wearing a night gown. And it washes like a dream.

What? Black travel dress

How long have I had it? 1 year

Where did I get it? Thrift store

What do I love about it? I love that I bought an Eddie Bauer dress at a thrift store. Eddie Bauer manufactures their clothing in free trade zones (at least, that’s my understanding), so I don’t shop there. It was wonderful to get this comfortable, cute, versatile dress at a thrift store. It works on a hot day because the air moves in and around it. It also works under other clothing in the winter. It’s a great piece that I can wear with sandals in the summer and boots in the winter.

What? Rust short dress

How long have I had it? Maybe 3 months?

Where did I get it? Eileen Fisher

What do I love about it? I love almost anything Eileen Fisher. While spendy, her clothes are also ethically made and timeless. I love her sense of “slow fashion”. Her core pieces don’t change dramatically from season to season. I love the quirky/funky aspect of this little dress. So fun to wear over jeans or leggings. In the summer, I can wear it over a tank, but I plan to wear it in the winter over a long sleeve t-shirt. Having been raised in the south, I feel a wee bit rebellious (in a wonderful way) wearing linen in the winter.