Wear Your Joy Project : Week 4

Wow! We made it! It's been thirty days of wearing my joy, dressing in happiness, and what a ride it's been. (You can read more about the idea behind the challenge here.) Some days I struggled to put that extra bit of effort in, and other days, I was eager to pair some funky combinations of patterns, cool colour combos, or add one more fun accessory. In the end, I found that the days that I took the time to thoughtfully choose an outfit, I felt more at ease about my garments as I went about my day. Taking the extra time is something that most of us struggle with, as busy women and mamas, but we're so worth it. Everyone in our lives benefit when we're feeling confident!

At the beginning of the 30 day challenge, I contacted my inspiration for the project, Kelly Rae Roberts to let her know about what I was doing. Here's what she had to say:

"Since starting the Wear Your Joy Project, and the following series on my blog, I've found that it's a fantastic prompt for people to step into their joy! So glad you're stepping into your joy!"

As part of the project, I have had friends joining me each week here on the blog. From week one, to week two, to week three there have been posts full of smiling faces. Now for the final week, we're going out with a bang: there are three special women that are participating. Ladies, take it away! 

"Hi, I'm Leah! I'm a blogger and a graphic designer. I work at the Horizon Achievement Centre in Sydney, and I live in North Sydney, although I grew up in Baddeck. I loved doing the "Wear Your Joy" project. Thank you, Katie, for the chance to think about what it means to "wear one's joy" -- I found that more so than the clothes I wore each day, I found myself thinking about how a smile is wearing joy on the outside. I also thought about taking my selfies in places that bring me joy: the woods, outdoors, my sunny dining room as I worked one Saturday afternoon. I only took one full-body selfie, but really, my bottom half of outfits doesn't change much on a day to day basis, as I wear a lot of jeans or dress pants. I do love skirts and heels but I also like to sneak walks into my lunch hour, and those articles of clothing don't make that easy to do. I also included my favourite jewelry these days. To sum up: for me, joy (in clothing and in life!) is simplicity, colour, and natural textures. "

This is Ashley, a mama in her mid-twenties.. She's a Canadian that's been transplanted to Boston where she lives with her hubby, toddler, and soon to be born little baby.

"I have a blue problem! It's important to me to add special touches to an outfit, which for me means a fun scarf, belt or earrings! With the cold weather this week, I incorporated my warm knit scarf and my super warn rubber boots that go perfect together!
I had fun thinking of ways to add a little bit of splash to my every day outfits."

"Hey! I'm Heidi and am lucky to call Katie one of my very best friends. I'm a blogger over at Idlehide and feel free to stop by and say hi! I liked this challenge because it made me step out of my usual clothes (work out gear or scrubs) and try to accessorize a bit. I am a very casual dresser so this was a good challenge for me!" 

That wraps up our 30 days of Wear Your Joy! Thanks so much for following along, and I hope it inspires you to dress in happiness daily. Feel up for the challenge? I'd love to hear from you if you took part in the project. "Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces." Psalm 34:5

Wear Your Joy Project : Week 3

I am on the final stretch of the Wear Your Joy project! The past three weeks have flown by, and I have had a great deal of fun. Curious to learn more about the project? You can catch up by reading my introduction to the Wear Your Joy project as well as week one and week two of the challenge. Essentially:

"Inspired by Kelly Rae Roberts' "wear your joy" photos on Instagram, I decided to challenge myself. For the next month, I'll be incorporating bits of happiness into my wardrobe. It's easy when you're staying at home, running to the grocery store, or working at the same old job, day in and day out, to fall into a routine when dressing that takes the fun out of things. Why not spice up your daily ensemble with a fun colour palette, a playful scarf, or an extra layer or two? Even a necklace that you've been saving for the perfect occasion would be a great addition to your daily garb. 

… Each Thursday for the next month, I'll be sharing what I wore that week, along with a few guest appearances from friends who are up for the challenge. I've started a Pinterest board for the Wear Your Joy Project where I'll be pinning inspiration for my spiced-up wardrobe, along with the weekly photos that I'm sharing here on Polka Dot Soup. I would love if you played along! What's the worst that could happen?" 30 Day Challenge 

I enjoyed getting dressed over the past week! Trends that I noticed when reviewing my outfits: I wear leggings a lot. I wear black and white a lot. Boots are my favourite. I adore a good pattern. And guess what? I actually like a lot of what's in my closet! Over the past week, since I was choosing my pieces more carefully, I noticed several items that don't fit as well as they used to, and instead of sticking them back in the closet, I put them in a bag to give to a friend. My closet's looking a lot tidier this week!

Today, I have two friends joining me for this week's challenge. Meet Jacquie:

"Hi, my name is Jacquie Blanchard, I'm 24 & the Creative Director at Pure Project Relations Inc in Sydney, Nova Scotia. I did not realize how much black I wear! I do love shopping and finding a good bargain or a hidden gem (ex: beige shirt on clearance was $79.00, got it for $15!!) I love shoes and scarves and definitely Halloween. I did put a little more thought into getting dressed in the morning knowing I was documenting my wears but I think I could have gotten a little more creative in selfie-taking than my new semi-bare apartment."

This is Meghan, she is a mother of a 10 month old and expecting her second child in the beginning of February. Her and her husband live and run a 35 cow dairy farm.

“I thought the challenge was a lot of fun! It made me more productive in my daily chores. There was one day where we were in the barn all day but it allowed me to show off my new pink boots!”

Thanks so much, girls! This month has been an adventure in dressing in happiness. There's one week left! If you would like to join in, pop me an e-mail at littleohme@hotmail.com - I'd love to have you here with us. Regardless, you can wear your joy just as you are!

Happy Thursday!

Wear Your Joy Project : Week 2

I made it through week two of the Wear Your Joy project! Don't know what I'm talking about? You can catch up by reading my introduction to the Wear Your Joy project as well as week one which was last week. Essentially:

"Inspired by Kelly Rae Roberts' "wear your joy" photos on Instagram, I decided to challenge myself. For the next month, I'll be incorporating bits of happiness into my wardrobe. It's easy when you're staying at home, running to the grocery store, or working at the same old job, day in and day out, to fall into a routine when dressing that takes the fun out of things. Why not spice up your daily ensemble with a fun colour palette, a playful scarf, or an extra layer or two? Even a necklace that you've been saving for the perfect occasion would be a great addition to your daily garb. 

… Each Thursday for the next month, I'll be sharing what I wore that week, along with a few guest appearances from friends who are up for the challenge. I've started a Pinterest board for the Wear Your Joy Project where I'll be pinning inspiration for my spiced-up wardrobe, along with the weekly photos that I'm sharing here on Polka Dot Soup. I would love if you played along! What's the worst that could happen?" 30 Day Challenge 

The easy part is making fun choices when getting dressed for the day. The difficulty? Taking selfies. My favourite pictures every week are the ones where I've asked someone else to snap the day's photo. We are our own worst enemies and scrutinizers. Being conscious of what I'm putting on each day is a serious confidence booster for me. If I love the pieces when I put them on my body, I feel good in the clothes. When you feel good in your clothes, you feel goo about yourself. Win-win!

This week, I have two awesome friends joining me:

"Hi, my name is Jacalyn and I work as a transcriptionist at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital.  This project made me realize that I tend to dress very simply. Over the next little while, I hope to pick up a few accessories to spice up my outfits!"

"Hi! I'm Kelsie and currently in school working towards my dream career. Although I'm probably the world's worst selfie taker, I was really excited to be a part of this project. I think it helps to boost confidence and create a positive self image - two things that can be very difficult! Although this week was kind of dreary in my city, I tried to wear cute earrings, a nice scarf, fancy shoes and a colorful sweater. The first night I forgot to take a picture, so I snapped one of my new hair color after a shower. Also, the cat ears are my usual Halloween getup :)"

So fun! My gals look adorable, and their inner beauty is really what shines in each photo… although they're gorgeous on the outside, too. I'm so excited to have them share this experience with me! Want to join in? It's never too late! There's still two weeks left of the challenge. If you're interested in appearing on the blog, drop me an e-mail at littleohme@hotmail.com - I'd love to have you here. Regardless, you can challenge yourself to Wear Your Joy and dress in happiness daily.

Don't forget to check out the project on the Wear Your Joy Pinterest board. Happy Thursday!

Wear Your Joy Project : Week One

One week down, four more to go! It's time to recap my "Wear Your Joy Project" for this week. Curious about what I'm talking about?

"Inspired by Kelly Rae Roberts' "wear your joy" photos on Instagram, I decided to challenge myself. For the next month, I'll be incorporating bits of happiness into my wardrobe. It's easy when you're staying at home, running to the grocery store, or working at the same old job, day in and day out, to fall into a routine when dressing that takes the fun out of things. Why not spice up your daily ensemble with a fun colour palette, a playful scarf, or an extra layer or two? Even a necklace that you've been saving for the perfect occasion would be a great addition to your daily garb.

… Each Thursday for the next month, I'll be sharing what I wore that week, along with a few guest appearances from friends who are up for the challenge. I've started a Pinterest board for the Wear Your Joy Project where I'll be pinning inspiration for my spiced-up wardrobe, along with the weekly photos that I'm sharing here on Polka Dot Soup. I would love if you played along! What's the worst that could happen?" 30 Day Challenge 

Things I've gleaned so far from the experience:

• It's challenging to take selfies!
• I don't have a single blank wall in my home.
• Bring back the bangs. Stat. That ol' forehead needs to stay hidden.
• Outdoor photos are squinty, but the lighting is divine.
• It's awkward being in front of the camera, but practice makes perfect.
• I wear a lot of stripes and polka dots.
• Scarves and necklaces are where it's at for me.
• Neutrals, pop of colour or pattern. Done.
• Second day hair sometimes looks better than freshly washed.

If you scrolled through my phone right now, you would find a large number of outtakes. I'd like to say that by the end of the week, there were fewer mishaps, but I think I gained extra photos each day. Photos taken by other people turned out much better than snapping one of myself (surprise, surprise!). It's been a hectic week, one where I'd gravitate towards yoga pants and comfy clothes, but I resisted. The second day, I was stuck in the house, feeling under the weather, so I didn't snap a photo. I did, however, shower and put on a clean pair of pyjamas :)

Updated!

Here's my special guest this week:

"Hi, my name is Rachel and I live in beautiful Cape Breton Island! I work as a ward clerk at a local hospital. This project made me realize that it's the simple additions to an outfit such as a scarf, necklace, bracelet and earrings that can add finishing touches to your outfit!"

Isn't this fun? What are your favourite ways to add joy to your wardrobe? Want to join in on another Thursday? Pop me an e-mail at littleohme@hotmail.com - I'd love to have you. Happy Thursday!

30 Day Challenge : The Wear Your Joy Project

I have a fun project to share with you today! It's a 30 day challenge: the wear your joy project. 

Inspired by Kelly Rae Roberts' "wear your joy" photos on Instagram, I decided to challenge myself. For the next month, I'll be incorporating bits of happiness into my wardrobe. It's easy when you're staying at home, running to the grocery store, or working at the same old job, day in and day out, to fall into a routine when dressing that takes the fun out of things. Why not spice up your daily ensemble with a fun colour palette, a playful scarf, or an extra layer or two? Even a necklace that you've been saving for the perfect occasion would be a great addition to your daily garb.

One month from today is my 28th birthday, so why not go out with a bang? Each Thursday for the next month, I'll be sharing what I wore that week, along with a few guest appearances from friends who are up for the challenge. I've started a Pinterest board for the Wear Your Joy Project where I'll be pinning inspiration for my spiced-up wardrobe, along with the weekly photos that I'm sharing here on Polka Dot Soup. I would love if you played along! What's the worst that could happen?

Join me in my newest adventure!