What I want my daughter to know about fashion

Our take: Twenty-nine-year-old writer Lyz Lenz sums up what she learned about self-worth and price tags in this Huffington Post piece. Lenz hopes to teach her daughter a lesson it took her decades to learn: "Fashion doesn't give you confidence."

January 1, 2013 marked one year since I bought my last article of clothing. In that time, I've purged over 10 black trash bags of clothes from my closet, two bags of shoes and one bag of purses and belts. And yet, today, I still managed to clear out another half a bag full of clothes from my drawers. After a year of saving, I'm still surrounded by excess.

Last year, I looked at my dismal wardrobe made up of cheap Target finds and thrift store salvage and calculated the cost of my habits. Over $50 a month, and nothing to show for it except well-worn graphic tees and ill-fitting pants. I also wanted to pay off my student loans, so I decided to give up clothes shopping for a year. I called it my "No Pants 2012" challenge.

I began this challenge because after having my daughter Ellis, my gut hung wide and my thighs jiggled. And all the cuts and fits that I once took for granted felt tight and desperate.

Read more about what Ly Lenz learned about fashion on The Huffington Post.