It’s Day 27 of my 31 Days of Fall Fashion and I’m absolutely giddy about my exciting announcement. Yes, you’re seeing it right!
I’m thrilled to be joining the gorgeous Alison of Get Your Pretty On in a Build Your Wardrobe Basics challenge.
Many of you already know Alison because I’ve shared her outfits with you here on Walking in Grace & Beauty. But in case you haven’t met her, Alison is an over 40 blogger (hard to believe) who has fabulous style. I absolutely love her blog!
I also love that Alison and I share a solid foundation in our faith and she and I both believe that true beauty begins on the inside. I’m so honored that we are collaborating together!
Here’s how the Build Your Wardrobe Basics will work: Alison and I will provide a shopping list of wardrobe basics plus 21 days of outfits created from the pieces on that list. You’re free to shop where you want and spend as much or as little as you’d like. A lot of women find that they have some of the pieces in their closets already. It’s an affordable way to make a personal style service accessible to every woman.
Who is the Build Your Wardrobe Basics Challenge for?
Alison and I specifically created this challenge for women over 40 who are either starting a core wardrobe from scratch or are ready to update their basic wardrobe. We will provide 21 days of mix and match outfit options created from the pieces in the core wardrobe shopping list provided. It will be great for women who work outside of the home and those that don’t. There will even be some special occasion outfit options perfect for the upcoming holiday season!
What types of outfits will be in the Build Your Wardrobe Basics Challenge?
The outfits in this challenge will be a mixture of casual and dressier looks incorporating pieces like boot cut jeans, skinny jeans, black dress pants and even a little black dress. Footwear and accessories will also be included. These outfits will work for most seasons.
Here are two sample outfits from the challenge.
How much will it cost to participate?
We believe every woman should have access to great style, that’s why this challenge will be available for $24.99 for regular registration. (The price will increase slightly during late registration.)
When does registration open?
Registration will open this Friday, October 31st and remain open through Thursday, November 6th at midnight ET. The shopping list of wardrobe basics will be sent out at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, November 7th. If you’d like an e-mail reminder when registration opens, get on the list HERE.
If you have any questions at all between now and the time registration opens, feel free to leave them in the comments or e-mail me or Cyndi with them. We can’t wait to share this challenge with you!
I hope you’ll share this with other women who you think would be a good fit for this challenge. Let’s build a basic wardrobe together that will help us all look fabulous!
So what do you think? Are you in?
Here’s my latest outfit for Day 26 of my 31 Days of Fall Fashion.
Top-Stitch Fix (similar here)//Skinny jeans-Banana Republic//Tan Booties-Old Navy//Necklace-Stella & Dot
Beauty For the Heart~~“Our failure to hear His voice when we want to is due to the fact that we do not in general want to hear it, that we want it only when we think we need it.” -Dallas Willard
Have a blessed day!
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I am really enjoying your blog Cyndi! I live in Canada and I don’t
think I’ll be able to do the challenge here? Some of the stores aren’t here in Canada. Look forward to your upcoming outfits to give me some more ideas.
Hey Lisa,
The items can be bought at any store. For instance you’ll need a chambray shirt but it doesn’t matter where you buy the shirt.
Hope that helps!!
Cyndi
So glad to see you this past week! Love what you are doing! But of course you know that!
And, cute boots girl!
Stacey
Hello,
I was wondering if this would work for plus size?
Thanks
Tammy
Yes Tammy, it will work for plus size. It’s a basic wardrobe for all women. Hope that helps!!
Cyndi
Hi Cyndi. I am doing the fall challenge and I’m thankful I found you in the process. You are such a godly influence to many ladies.
Are there two challenges coming up or just the one basic? I got an email from Alison on Sunday. It sounded different from the one everyone is talking about here. Please clarify!
Beth Alison are doing the Building Your Wardrobe Basics together in November.
In December she’s doing a winter challenge.
Hope that answers your question.
Blessings,
Cyndi
I am very excited about the possibility of joining the Wardrobe Challenge. I stumbled upon your 31 Days of Fall Fashion on Pinterest and have been hooked. My red cords arrived yesterday! I am a mother of three and former Christian School teacher who has recently joined the casual business world. Putting together outfits is very challenging for me. Will the Wardrobe Challenge have links to purchase items directly? Will there be more than one option? Thank you for sharing your style and passion!
Yes there will be links to purchase items directly when you get the shopping list and they will be from different price points.
Hope that helps and thank you so much for visiting my blog!!
Blessings,
Cyndi
HI Cyndi, This challenge sounds great! Fortunately I had a mother who was always in style and taught her girls how to dress at a very young age. I love your style and I seem to dress very similar. I have just turned 47 and am changing some of my wardrobe in my closet already, but being on a budget and the holidays coming up, I am sad that I cannot join in on the fun. You are truly an inspiration to all over 40 with your styles and I do take notes….LOL always apt to learn something new every day…. Praise the Lord for women like you… I am happy to get to know another blogger and see her style as well- Allison “Get Your Pretty On.” 🙂
Thank you Kerri and thanks so much for your encouragement!
Be blessed!
Cyndi
I Look forward to your post everyday Cyndi. I have a closet full of clothes that are in dire need of ideas. Looking forward to the challenge. Thank you for being such a ray of sunshine in the social media world. We could all use a little more positivity.
Aww thanks Lauren!! We need to shine His light!
Blessings,
Cyndi
I’m very excited for this. I have been doing Alison’s challenges, so having both of you together will be fantastic!
So Cyndi…will you be styling a different outfit on your blog then what the “Outfit of the day” is in the challenge group? Like…we would be getting two outfit ideas a day if we joined the challenge? I know Alison had told people in this challenge that is going on now that they weren’t suppose to put outfits on Pinterest because that wasn’t fair to those that paid for the Challenge outfits so I’m assuming you will style something other then the OOTD for your blog post? Does this make sense?
Hey Sammie,
Yes, I’ll be styling different outfits than those in the challenge. We’ll also be talking about lots of different stuff in November.
Blessings
Cyndi
Awesome!! Always fun to change topics once in awhile to keep us up on other trends happening. Looking forward to the challenge and also your month of November topics !!
Havent decided if I am going to do this or not …. I may 🙂 I have a suggestion though. Not sure how you could do this but … I have a lot of clothes that I am sure could be pulled together to make some really awesome outfits. I wish there was a way I could upload photos of what I have (shoes included!) and have someone tell me what to put with what. Rather than buying new pieces, work with what I have first, ya know? And then if I need to add a piece here and there I could. Does this make sense …. or could it ever be a possibility? Thanks for all you do, Cyndi! I have loved seeing your outfits 🙂
if I do this I will definitely shop my closet first to see what I have on hand from the list and go from there. perhaps you might like to do the same.
I will need to do this for financial reasons and think I can make the challenge work that way.
Brenda my guess is, you’ll have most of the items already in your closet.
We’ll give suggestions where you can find them and they’ll be at different price points.
The idea is to keep the cost down and show women how to style different outfits from what they already have.
Hope that makes sense!!
Blessings,
Cyndi
Hey Diane! I totally get what you’re saying and some fashion bloggers do help women that way but of course they charge.
I’m not able to work on a one to one basis right now. I wish there were more hours in the day! Ha!
I’m all about working with what you have and my guess is you’re going to have most of the pieces in the wardrobe basics.
Blessings,
Cyndi
Thanks Cyndi! I am looking forward to this! There have been times already that I have “copied” something you are modeling with a minor change — you may have a grey jacket, which I don’t have, but I DO have a grey cardigan so I change it up bit and it still works!
My sister in law and I are very interested in doing this. I read your blog from time to time and am encouraged. Thank you for sharing your gifts with us! My questions is about the types of clothes selected. I am a pear shape, curvy, size 16, and don’t always look appropriate in the slimmer jeans and crop tops, but of course they look great! Will there be recommendations with the challenge to accomodate shape? Thanks!
I promise you there will be no crop tops!! 🙂
These are classic basic pieces that all women need in their wardrobe. If you don’t feel comfortable in skinny jeans you can substitute bootcut jeans.
I think this will be for women of all shapes and sizes.
Blessings,
Cyndi
So excited about this…even though I’m way beyond 40. I am being challenged with Allison’s fall challenge. What a remarkable group of loving women! Another challenge (hate to admit) is I don’t know how to follow your blog! Help please!
Hey Kay
Did my post today help? Put your email in the box in my sidebar and that will connect you to my email subscription.
Blessings,
Cyndi
Great idea, Cyndi! Sometimes it’s just nice to have someone take the guess work out of pulling together an outfit. Wishing you much success and fun with this!
xo Heidi
I am SO thrilled that my 2 favorite bloggers are doing this challenge together!! Faith means everything to me (I’m a minister’s wife) and I’ve been blessed by your blogs, focusing on our beauty inside that comes from Christ. <3 I'm currently doing the Fall challenge and have to say that Alison's challenges have been eye-opening to me-a true blessing! I can't WAIT for this challenge–this will likely be my favorite one yet!! 🙂 Thanks ladies–I sure hope you're both blessed by this–I KNOW you're going to bless US!
Agree with Amy! I’m doing the Fall challenge, also. Looking forward to this upcoming new challenge! Thank you for sharing your faith! Blessings
Yay! Tammy!!
Blessings,
Cyndi
Thank you Amy!!!
Be blessed!
Yay, yay, yay! Just like my sweet friend Denise Z. said above, you and Alison are going to be one dynamic duo! So glad to be sharing this brand new challenge with you, Cyndi and a few 100 of my closest virtual girlfriends. Now I just need to talk my friend Sharon into joining us. Come on, Sharon!!!
Yes!! We have to get Sharon to do this with us!!
She is my BFF 🙂
Blessings,
Cyndi
You can’t imagine how happy this makes me! Cyndi, you & Alison just might be the BEST combo since peanut butter & jelly! I’ve followed your blog for a while now and have gotten such good info from you–always age-appropriate and always stylish. I found Alison earlier this year and she’s changed my life with her challenges; I’m currently doing my fourth challenge with her! The challenges are about SO much more than just clothes and style–the women who have participated on the FB groups are the MOST supportive group(s) ever! We come in all shapes and sizes, all ages, from all walks of life, all income levels, and each with our own challenges; whether it be with self-image, self-confidence or other life challenges, no two of us are alike. Alison has found a common denominator that allows ALL of us to FEEL pretty, inside and out! I can’t wait to have you partner in this next challenge, Cyndi!!!
Yay, Denise! Fancy meeting you here!!!
Leslie! Hello, my lovely challenge sister!
I love that!! Best comfo since peanut butter & jelly. Now I’m craving a pb&j sandwich. Ha!
Blessings,
Cyndi
I am looking forward to participating in the challenge…and I may not even need to purchase anything. I have a closet full, just want some fresh ideas for pairing outfits! I love your blog and Alison’s and am so glad you two are cohosting this!
I think you will have most of the items!!
Thanks so much for joining us!!
Blessings,
Cyndi
Hi Cyndi, I am participating in the Fall Challenge and just love it! I actually found Alison via your blog!! I’m not sure I will be able to participate in this challenge (just really due to time of year….Christmas budget and all…fell a little guilty spending more on myself). I know you will continue your blog, which I love!; but wondered if you will continue to feature any of your outfits on Walking in Grace and Beauty while the challenge is going on. Thank you for the example you set for true beauty – inside and out!! God bless!
Absolutely!! I’ll still be sharing outfits. My blog won’t be changing.
Thanks so much for stopping by here!
Blessings,
Cyndi
I think this is a great idea! I don’t have a lot of money to spend on clothing so what I do buy needs to be able to ‘multi-task’. I’m looking forward to this and will be signing up. Oh, and if you could include some ideas for us petite gals (I’m 5’2″ and very small framed) it would be very much appreciated! Thanks!
Sallie I think you’ll have most of the items already in your closet. Alison and I are trying to help women save money, not spend more. Using what you already have in your closet.
Blessings,
Cyndi
I think there could have been a bit more description of what a challenge is for those who have never entered one or had a full explanation of one. Perhaps that would have eliminated a bit of the skepticism. ??? we are not all equally informed.
Hey Brenda,
Check this out and see if this helps!
http://getyourprettyon.com/style-me-pretty-challenges/
thank you. I hope any of the skeptics will see this. it is quite informative.
I’ve done 3 of GYPO challenges and really enjoy Allison. I was so excited when I found out that you would be doing this challenge together. So looking forward to it.
Thanks Teresa and thanks for joining us!!
Blessings,
Cyndi
I have enjoyed each day of Walking In Grace and Beauty blog, while participating in my first style challenge with Alison. I am grateful you posted about it and very excited for the collaborative challenge coming up.
I joined the Fall challenge and one of my sisters did as well. We tried to get our third sister to join and she declined / didn’t get it. I think this will be a perfect opportunity for her and we will all three do it. We are actually rendezvousing this week in St. Louis, and the impetus to do it was how much sister-in-the-challenge and I were communicating. We used to have sister and mother rendezvous, but she died suddenly and unexpectedly while we were just about to send out invitations for a surprise 95th birthday party. We’ve talked about how she would have loved the Fall challenge and would have gotten some new pieces. At 95!
Anyway, long post, but I wanted to help clarify what a challenge is, its benefits both in style and otherwise, and how it does not replace the blog. Thanks for reading!
I still am not sure what a challenge is from this comment. help
I would say challenge is a misnomer. I guess it’s only in the sense that after the shopping list is posted, and then some days pass while we gather from our own closet or purchase, and then the OOTD Outfit Of The Day comes out showing us how to combine and remix the pieces, then we post pictures on the closed facebook group. If we want. Or if we want some feedback or a question answered. So the seeing of how other people put together their outfit, in all shapes and sizes, would be what makes it a “challenge.” Doing it with everyone else and seeing how it turns out.
I am so excited for this collaborative challenge! Although I am pretty frugal, I have participated in all of Alison’s style challenges thus far, and I know that they have ultimately saved me money. I have always been prone to buying “one-hit wonders” that can only be worn one way, and Alison’s shopping lists truly have helped me understand how to make my clothing budget stretch further. Thank you both for giving so many of us a safe place to try new things as we celebrate beauty, both inside and out.
Yay MaryAnn thanks so much for joining us! Can’t wait!
Blessings,
Cyndi
How exciting! Congratulations on your new endeavor. Educational and fun!
Umm, I usually love your outfits Cyndi but this one, not so much. I don’t like the short/cropped sweater over another top. And you already know what i think of the cuffed jeans, not a fan. But you look cute as always. just not digging the outfit.
As far as the challenge, I too don’t get the buy in. What’s the difference between this and your everydayl blog? And the sample outfits, MK, are you kidding me? That’s probably a $250 purse. Maybe if I had an extra $25 to spend it might be fun. I too can use all the fashion help I can get!
amen
Hey Christine, I never expect everyone to like all my outfits so no problem. But the top is one piece. I didn’t put a sweater over a shirt, just to clarify.
About the challenge you don’t have to purchase that bag. We just styled it with that bag because I love it. I don’t have it either and won’t be purchasing it, I ‘ll use the one I have.
Blessings,
Cyndi
I look forward to your post every morning for both your Beauty of the Heart and your ideas for me to be a stylish over 40 lady. I do appreciate you sharing your knowledge. For those few that do not enjoy or gather a “good feeling” from reading Walking in His Grace did not comprehend “Beauty For the Heart”. I know that if I do not have beauty in my heart and words it will not matter what clothes or jewels I wear or how much $$$$ you spend.
Thank you Betsy!! And thanks so much for stopping by!
Blessings,
Cyndi
First of all Cyndi you are truly amazing, both in and out. I am a new follower of your blog and feel very blessed to have found you. I also follow Alison. She is also truly wonderful. I am doing one of her style challenges right now and it has been fun, educational, and very helpful. So needless to say I will be the first signing up for this challenge. Thank you for boosting my confidence. Have a blessed day Cyndi!
Oh Yay Michelle!! So nice to meet you and thank you for stopping by!
Blessings,
Cyndi
Oh Ladies, Cindi’s challenge is an invitation, not an invasion on our pocketbooks. Some will benefit from purchasing the challenge, some won’t. Either way is a personal choice but let’s agree to wear true beauty which begins in the heart and overflows through our words.
Good way of putting it Nancy! It’s not for everyone but it could be a big help for some women.
Blessings,
Cyndi
You know Paula, I’m so glad that you have the time to peruse Pinterest and put your outfits together yourself for free…that’s wonderful ! However, I (and many other women who are interested in this challenge and/or have participated in Alison’s challenges before) do not. I am currently participating in Alison’s Fall Challenge and I have learned so much from not just her but the other women who are in the private FaceBook group (which I hope this challenge has as well!) who are so supportive. I don’t think it’s fair to both Cyndi and Alison to criticize their business on this blog. You are certainly entitled to your own opinion but like my mamma always told me, “if you don’t have anything once to say, say nothing.”
Oh once would be nice! Silly autocorrect!
Hey Libby, we will have a private facebook group for this challenge!
Blessings,
Cyndi
Oh great! That’s been one of the very best things about the challenge-like having a bunch of girl friends that you can ask “does this look okay?”
Hey Libby, Just wanted to let you know Paula asked me to remove her comment. Sometimes we write or say before we think about it and we always want to extend grace.
Thanks for being so positive about the challenge!!
Blessings,
cyndi
I would be interested! I am a walking fashion nightmare. And I hate, hate, hate shopping for my own clothes and putting together outfits. I have always wanted something like this to just tell me what to buy and how to put it together, so I can look halfway decent! So…I would be IN!
Yay Susie! It is going to help those who have a hard time putting outfits together.
Plus we’ll have a private fb group for those a part of the challenge and we can share questions, tips etc
Blessings,
Cyndi
Good Morning Cyndi.
Sounds like a great collaboration! Ignore the negative comments. I hope you have a ton of people sign up. I may do so myself. If I do not, it is only because my budget is so tight this week that I can’t even stretch a lunch out of it. 🙂 I hope everyone has fun with the style challenge.
Have a great week.
Hey Gina!
For some reason your comments having been going to spam?? I don’t know why except it looks like you have a really long email address now.
I don’t usually check my spam but did today because of something else.
So glad I did!!
Blessings,
cyndi
I don’t think the snarky comments are necessary girls! Some of us need alot of individualized help and this idea seems very reasonable. With a huge boot cast I am not a candidate at the moment and won’t know what kind of boot/shoe I can even wear when this nightmare of mine is over but I am sure the ladies who do participate will be very happy with the results.
Marcia, what problems do you have with your foot? I have a “drop foot” due to a pinched nerve and I can only wear certain shoes (NO boots of any kind) So I understand your frustration (to a certain point, but I don’t know all you’ve been thru with your situation) Whatever it is, I pray you have a complete recovery. I LOVE Cyndi’s boots and it’s maddening knowing I can’t wear them! lol Love to see her outfits every day, though.
Pamela, I have a very nasty open compound fracture that torn through nerves, tendons and muscles, screws and plates are holding the bones together, over 6 weeks of non-weight bearing and now the “boot” but it rubs on the wound that is healing very slowly…..so it will be awhile…..maddening and tedious are good descriptions. God is teaching me to be patient and not be vain. And I am living vicariously though all of you right now! Thanks bunches for the prayers!
Marcia, I was hoping it wasn’t anything quite this serious. I will keep you in prayer as you heal… and yes, sometimes, God does His best work in our lives when He brings us to a point of being alone and “broken.” The patience part – I can totally relate to that. But He is so awesome and so faithful and it’s not in the good times, the happy days, the sunshine and roses times that He teaches us the most important lessons, it’s in the hard times of adversity and pain that we really learn to depend on Him and grow to be more like Him. God bless you as you continue to heal. (He healed me of M.S. 24 years ago, so I’m just praising Him for being able to walk – so not being able to wear boots is a “minor” inconvenience!” 🙂 Have a wonderful day.
Thanks Marcia! Praying you recover soon!! I know that boot has been a pain!
BLessings,
Cyndi
Let’s hear more about this. Will you not have your blog anymore Cyndi?
Of course I’m still going to have my blog. Not sure what would make you think I wouldn’t.
I love sharing beauty and fashion and faith!
Blessings,
Cyndi
Paula, I guess you’re free to do whatever you want on Pinterest, but perhaps others will enjoy doing this with Alison and Cyndi… and Beth, no, you haven’t got it straight, it’s $24.99 not $24.95. Are you ladies just having a bad Monday or what?!? 🙂
I have checked out Alison’s challenges before. They look AMAZING. I think 24.99 is a good value. I love that this challenge is for my age. Not sure if I will do, because I think I can do better myself. I have a petite top and regular bottom. I am pear shaped with my shoulders and bust being xs and my middle being L. Shopping can be quite a challenge.
So let me get this straight. You are collaborating with another to build my wardrobe, which I will buy, and charging me $24.95?
Yes Beth it’s 24.99 and you’re getting a list of basic wardrobe pieces plus 21 ways to style them. They’ll be delivered right to your inbox and you’ll be able to save them for future use.
We’ll also have a private fb group to share pics, questions and tips.
Hope that helps!!
Cyndi