By Aarian Frye
It’s no secret that I have a whole lot of clothes – they live in two closets, dressers and, somehow, always in a pile on the floor. Don’t even get me started on my collection of bags, shoes and accessories! To help me sort through my overflowing wardrobe, I enlisted the help of my boyfriend, Dylan. He picked out my outfits for a week and, as a result, helped me realize that I needed to part with a few of my well-loved pieces and bring them in to Buffalo Exchange to sell!
Day One
What I wore: Free People dress with embroidered sleeves, vintage basket handbag, strappy Topshop sandals, Universal Threads mules, Forever 21 earrings
Why he picked it: He knew it was my favorite dress and he also knew I never usually end up wearing the strappy sandals or vintage handbag (spoiler alert: both, while very cute, are also very impractical).
How I felt: I love love LOVE this dress. What I didn’t love were these sandals. After brunch and an afternoon of thrifting, my feet were screaming for comfort. I had to go home and change into these mustard mules. The bag, too, proved to be difficult – it was too delicate for everyday use and, while I love vintage, I am more concerned with function over fashion (at least when it comes to handbags). These ones both went right into the bag for Buffalo Exchange!
Day Two
What I wore: ASOS floral and zebra print blouse, BDG jeans, Dolce Vita sandals, cheetah print earrings, GAP tote
Why he picked it: I rarely wear jeans and I’ve never worn this blouse. This probably won’t come as a shock, but I often shop for an idealistic future – “Maybe I’ll wear this if I’m at this place at this time and the moon is in this phase.” It’s not realistic and I’m left with an abundance of clothes I never wear – thank goodness I can trade them for store credit Buffalo Exchange! I’d been holding onto this blouse for a special occasion, but Dylan showed me that I don’t need a specific reason to wear an outfit. If I love something, then I should wear it – who knew it could be so simple?
How I felt: I have to admit – I was hesitant to walk into the world in this look. A floral AND zebra print blouse with distressed kickflares, cheetah-print earrings and banded sandals?! At the end of the day, though, this turned out to be one of my favorite looks
Day Three
What I wore: ASOS flower-striped dress, Universal Threads mules, vintage beaded bag, resin cherry earrings
Why he picked it: This was a hot day (here in Tucson, it stays warm a good chunk of the year), so Dylan paired this cotton dress with backless shoes and a minimal bag. A pragmatic choice that led to a super cute, put-together look!
How I felt: This was such a fun outfit and satisfied my craving for color coordination! It was just another day at the office, but the retro floral dress with the side tie reminded me of a sarong I’d wear on a tropical cruise. V refreshing! Also, I have to give Dylan props for the cherry earring selection. I wouldn’t have paired florals with fruit, but it works so well!
Day Four
What I wore: Urban Outfitters smock-top, Forever 21 light-wash denim skirt, resin circle earrings, ASOS tiger mules, GAP tote
Why he picked it: Casual Tuesday, anyone? We were in a bit of a rush to get out the door this morning, but this outfit doesn’t show it. A denim skirt paired with a cotton blouse is simple and always stylish. For a bit of fun, Dylan decided to add these tiger print mules I could easily slip on and matching orange and black resin earrings. I was ready for the day in no-time!
How I felt: I love any and all smocking and the denim skirt is a staple of my closet (I have this same skirt in a medium-wash denim). However, my love for fun shoes proved to be incompatible with my achy feet! Although I didn’t have to change footwear mid-day, I think these shoes should go to someone who’ll wear them waaay more frequently, which means they’re going right into the Buffalo Exchange bag!
Day Five
What I wore: Striped apron dress (brand unknown), navy camisole (brand unknown), ASOS gold bamboo earrings, Dolce Vita Sandals, vintage handbag
Why he picked it: Taking some advice from the times I’ve styled him myself, Dylan wanted to try out a fully neutral look without going monochromatic.
How I felt: While it’s true that all neutrals go together, I wasn’t so sure about this one. For some reason, the beaded bag with bamboo handles and two-strap sandals didn’t quite feel right with the look. I’m definitely still going to hold onto this dress, but I usually reserve it for fall when I can layer it over a black turtleneck, tights and booties – picky, I know. I learned that maybe I should stash this piece away with my fall/winter items. Still, I commend Dylan’s concept of tonal dressing!
Day Six
What I wore: Forever 21 zebra-print button down, Target denim skirt, Converse high-tops, vintage woven handbag, Forever 21 marbled resin earrings
Why he picked it: Feeling inspired by the 80s revival, Dylan went for a graphic black and white look with a bold pattern. Then, he added the neon green bag for a pop of color.
How I felt: This was fun! I have a ton of animal print in my closet, and this button-down is something I routinely pushed back because I wasn’t sure how I wanted to style it. Who would’ve known all I needed was my dependable denim skirt? This is a great outfit to take me from my 9-5 to happy hour!
Day Seven
What I wore: Free People dress with embroidered sleeves (this time in blue!), Universal Threads Mules, retro belt, blue tassel earrings (brand unknown), vintage beaded handbag
Why he picked it: Another thing about me: when I love something, I buy it in every color I can. Knowing this, Dylan wanted to end the week with something familiar but really jazz it up with metallics, beads, tassels and rhinestones.
How I felt: Great! In retrospect, I feel like I need to invest in a steamer, but wrinkles aside, this is a go-to look! While I was initially unsure of wearing so many sparkly accessories at once, everyone I interacted with today complimented me on how the whole thing came together, to which I gracefully replied, “Thank you, my boyfriend is my stylist.”
All in all, I feel great about this week of outfits. Even though I was a little nervous at the start, it was such a treat to see what my boyfriend really thought about my clothes — not to mention how nice it was to not have to pick out my own outfit every morning! It also helped me realize which items I really don’t need to hold onto (wonderful as they may be!) Now, I’m taking my reusable tote filled with goodies to sell at Buffalo Exchange. If you’re feeling inspired to have your partner, friend or roommate sort through your closet and pick your looks for a week, I say go for it! You’ll probably end up with some great new outfit ideas and a bag full of items to clean out. Your local Buffalo Exchange buys the best of all seasons year round and your closet cleanout could be worth cash or trade to spend on a wardrobe refresh you’ll really love!
Sequins at NYC Pride
