Remember that burst of rejuvenated energy that suddenly came over you as a new year approached? Like everyone else, I used that motivational burst to create resolutions. Looking back, I tend to fall off my resolution wagon before I can even get started. This year, I’m taking a new approach and holding myself accountable with quarterly check-ins.

While you read the progress of my style resolutions, start to reflect on the past few months and ask yourself: Are you any closer to your goal? Have you made progress with your resolutions? If not, what challenges are you facing and how can you overcome them? Since this is a fashion-centric blog, I’m focusing these check-in posts around my style resolutions. If you missed the original post, be sure to click here and check it out. 

Resolution #1: Find a good skincare routine.

• Status: In Progress. Since the new year, I have tested out one new skincare routine that consisted of swapping my regular cleanser with a primarily natural soap. After about two months, I reverted back to my old routine due to lackluster results. That routine actually dried out my skin which caused me to become even more oily than usual. Right now, I’m giving my skin time–until May–to adjust back to my older routine before trying out another product. (P.S. Click here to read all about what my starting point was for my skincare routine.)
• Challenges: The main challenge with this resolution is time. Skin care products require consistent use for at least 4-6 weeks in order to really grasp how the products are altering the condition of your skin. Because of that, I’m limited to a certain number of tests throughout the year so I don’t cause a major skin freakout.
• Reflection: I realize I most likely won’t have a new skincare routine nailed down by the end of this year, but the main goal here is to continue my search. With the time challenge, I’m overcoming it by spending that waiting period doing various research on potential products. At the very least, I expect to be well-informed about what I should and shouldn’t use on my skin.

Resolution #2: Invest in a quality foundation routine

• Status: Possibly complete. I say it’s possibly complete because I really believe I’ve found my go-to high-end foundation with Lancome…of course, I’m always up for trying a new product.
• Challenges: The main challenge here was finding options that not only matched my undertones, but also satisfied the mattifying needs of my skin.
• Reflection: I should have indicated in this resolution that the quality foundation routine is for fall and winter only. As we enter spring and inch closer to the summer months, I plan on reverting back to my usual lightweight makeup choice: BareMinerals.

Resolution #3: Put more Business in my Business Casual

• Status: Not started. Looks like I let this one slip through the cracks, but that’s exactly why these check-ins are a necessity!
• Challenges: The challenge here is comfort. My style is very much centered around being comfortable, which doesn’t exactly coincide with an office setting.
• Reflection: For this next quarter, I want to focus more on finding comfortable ways to professionally dress. My outfit posts are primarily things I wear on the weekends, but incorporating workweek looks would aide in satisfying this resolution.

Resolution #4: Shop my closet more often

• Status: In progress, but on hold. Let me first say that I have done an excellent job of wearing things in my closet these past few months. It’s on hold right now because as we transition into warmer seasons, my wardrobe needs a refill to appropriately match the weather. I recently purged my closet of things I either can’t fit anymore or don’t reflect my style, so my closet is very bare.
• Challenges: The challenge here is ignoring the impulse urge to shop whenever I pass a cute storefront display, or scroll through an inspiring fashion blog, or watch a lookbook video on YouTube. It’s also a challenge to keep outfits interesting here on the blog when I am simultaneously working to shop within my own closet. Outfit repeater, anyone?
• Reflection: One thing I’ve noticed with this resolution is that it really has helped with recognizing my style, and identifying holes in my wardrobe. Also, my fashion shopping has decreased from every other week to 1-2 times per season. Bonus: Stating the obvious here, but the decline in shopping has definitely saved me money as well.

Resolution #5: For every new item, donate an old one.

• Status: In progress. I mentioned previously that I completed a closet purge that basically stripped down my wardrobe to a few key pieces. Although I took the older items to a consignment shop rather than donating, the purpose was still fulfilled: avoid hoarding clothes. Now the fun begins, where I get to shop for newer items to replace the old things.
• Challenges: I actually didn’t have any challenges with this resolution. I feel a bit bad for getting money for my older items rather than donating them for free, so perhaps I’ll alternate it each time and drop off my next closet purge at the local Goodwill.
• Reflection: I wish I would have implemented this sooner. It’s always in the back of my head to do this since it makes logical sense to do sort of an “eye for an eye” shopping trip, but I was always a pro at thinking of some reason why my older items needed to stay.

Overall, I’d say my style resolutions are coming along nicely. My weak link is definitely the attempt to dress more business casual. This issue actually parallels with a fashion challenge I face in my mid-twenties quite frequently, but I won’t go into detail as this post is already long. I may write about some fashion challenges for a future blog post, though!

How are your style resolutions holding up?