Wearing It All... Day 4

I can not quite believe that I can't wear this top again for a while now. I love it and genuinely believe that it can be worn anywhere, no matter what the occasion, which is exactly what makes it such a classic piece.

Stripes are super versatile but one of my favourite ways to wear them is with florals, they go together like strawberries and cream, Pimms and lemonade, gin and tonic… mmm pub anyone? It seems I've got that Friday feeling a day early.

Socks digs stripes too ;-)

Love

Wearing It All... Day 3

A much shorter post for you today - just a quick look at today's outfit. It's a little more exciting than yesterday's effort and not just because I'm wearing new sandals (purchased within the the boundaries of all three rules).

Thanks for your comments so far, I've still got a long way to go... I tried sorting all of my clothes into piles last night, jeans, skirts, dresses etc but got in a muddle and then in a huff so everything is now back in bags. I still need your help to decide on the wide leg trousers and wrap dress from yesterday's post. I can't make up my mind.

How is your week so far?

Love

Wearing It All... Day 2

Day 2 and I'm really missing my favourite jeans…

I went for something simple today - Levi jeans and a slouchy jumper. I popped a scarf into my bag in case it turned chilly and kept accessories simple, just a silver necklace and ring.

As promised yesterday, here are a few of the items that received a second chance.

This dress was a bargain from Oasis at £10.00 (please excuse the wrinkles, everything I own is currently in bags), I have only worn this twice but I do love it so I couldn't bring myself to give it away. I'm just going to have to find a reason to wear this again.

This top is by Vero Moda and a sale purchase *starts to sound like a broken record*. I like it but I think the colour washes me out. I added a pop of colour to my lips to see if it made one iota of difference… I'm not sure it did but am willing to give this another go. I think it's all about how I wear it. Any suggestions?

I purchased these dresses just before heading off to Zanzibar last year, they were invaluable as beach cover-ups but I don't think the style really suits me - strapless items seem to make my already wide shoulders look enormous! I should know by now that I can't wear strapless, halter necks also look ridiculous but there was something about these that appealed to my inner hippie. I decided to keep the light blue one, I'm sure I can find a way to wear it. If not, it's off to the charity shop...

I don't wear this Dorothy Perkins shirt very often. It very nearly hit the 'no' pile but looking at the photograph I rather liked it so it's been saved. I wondered if I hadn't worn it much because I have so much in my wardrobe? We'll see. I think it's a great casual shirt.

A further sort out last night turned up a few more for the charity bag and a few I can't decide on.

Pleated, wide leg, trousers from Very.co.uk, never been worn. The left pic shows how they look without shoes (you should have seen me try to climb stairs in these when I first tried them on - accident waiting to happen), in the pic on the right I am wearing shoes. I think these are just too voluminous but I quite like them. I don't know. I'm also not sure what else I would wear this with other than this black t-shirt. I'm drawing blank. What do you think?

Wrap dress. This is my first ever eBay purchase. I've only ever worn this on holiday. Yes or no?

Speaking of eBay wins (if I may digress for a moment), this is my most recent purchase - a Monsoon statement necklace. I waited until the auction had 40 seconds left before bidding. I can't wait to wear it.

Look at the size of these. I think it goes without saying that these will not be worn this side of some serious exercise... *adds to charity bag*.

These have only been worn once, I don't know why I didn't just return them, they fit perfectly everywhere but around the waist. These are a 'no'.

I'm beginning to realise what a mammoth task this is going to be but I think the resulting, pared down wardrobe will be worth it. The seasonal issue is a concern but with the way the weather has been recently I think I'll have some opportunity to dip into my autumn/winter wardrobe. That said I'm reliably informed that a heatwave could be heading our way in 10 days.

Love

Wearing It All...

I started the day with a bit of a Monday morning frenzy. Having got up a little later than I should have, I was all set to pull on my go-to jeans and then I remembered. My favourite jeans came a cropper at the weekend. I think I've killed them. Unless superglue washes out (anyone that has any tips on superglue removal will forever be held in the highest regard; I love those jeans).

A quick, half asleep, change of plan was required. My coloured jeans came to hand first and seemed a good place to start my Wearing It All wardrobe challenge. I tend to wear these jeans with neutral colours so this cardigan seemed perfect, especially as the skies seemed rather on the dull side. I wore a plain, long sleeve, t-shirt underneath for added bad weather insurance.

I spent some time on Friday night sorting through a bag of clothes. Some things have already been eliminated.

This colour? With MY complexion! I have no idea what I was thinking when I purchased this. It's a nice shape and fabric but totally wrong for me. I could wear it as a night dress but, and this will come as no surprise to anyone, I have far more items of night wear than I actually need.

A sale 'bargain' £7.00 from H&M, nice colour, really nice detailing but batwing sleeves and my shoulders do not mix, they are big enough already.

Some of you may remember this from my first wardrobe challenge. I didn't wear this very often which is why I chose it for the challenge but I have to admit that I haven't worn it since, so this goes in the 'no' pile.

This has never been worn. I purchased this possibly 2 years ago from Monsoon, it was in the sale. It's a lovely dress but just a little to tight to be comfortable. Shame.

I like this and have worn it a few times, but it is low at the front and I find that I spend a lot of time hitching it up. I made the mistake of wearing this the day I met OH's Grandma and found that I stood with my hand behind my back holding it in place. It would be great as a beach cover-up but as I have no holidays coming up in the foreseeable future this should go in the 'no' pile... or perhaps the 'maybe' pile?

This still has the tags on. It's another sale purchase, this time from La Redoute. It's a really pretty fabric, has little brass buttons and pin tuck detailing but it's a little to sheer for my liking which is why I haven't worn it. Add to 'no' pile.

Knitted top from Next. There is nothing wrong with it, I just don't wear it.

 

This dress I just had to try on. It was a sale purchase (do you see a pattern forming here?) from Very, £7.00. I mean really? Move directly to 'NO!' pile, do not pass Go, do not collect £200.

Tomorrow I'll share with you some of the items I decided to save.

This Week I Have Been...

doing the Math...
Bunnipunch pointed me the direction of MATH, I've done the numbers and I love it. My fav pieces? This jacket and these draped shorts. A joy to behold.

Images from MATH

Spending far to much time perusing the new Next Directory...
I should be painting, unpacking boxes and plumbing in my washing machine, but...

 Images from Next

Bidding on eBay... 
I placed my bid with 40 seconds to go. I had butterflies. I won.

Chuckling at this... on A Cup of Jo.

Which reminded me of this...

I have no idea where it came from originally, a colleague emailed it to me and it produced such a hearty belly laugh that I had to share.

How has your week been?
Love

Another Wardrobe Challenge - Wearing It All

For my next wardrobe challenge I am going to be wearing all of my clothes.

My objective? To identify what works, what doesn't and what just takes up space in my wardrobe.

The rules are simple - I have to wear every item of clothing I own before wearing something for a second time. If it doesn't fit, doesn't go with anything else in my wardrobe, looks awful or doesn't fit under the umbrella of my Three Little Words - Classic, Casual and Versatile, it gets given to charity.

I have so many seldom worn and long forsaken clothes that it seems almost greedy to keep them all to myself. Moving to a new home seems like the perfect time for a thorough wardrobe cull.

It starts this weekend with a quick edit...

Ditching decorating chic...

After painting a kitchen, a lounge, a dining room and a bedroom I am officially bored with wearing decorating clothes. They will be worn again soon and with alarming frequency thereafter...

... but for now it feels so nice to be wearing something else! It felt a little monochrome so I added a hint of colour in the form of Rimmel's Coral in Gold lipstick.

Skirt - Dorothy Perkins  /  T-shirt - Tesco  /  Sandals - Matalan

Bag - H&M  /  Lips - Rimmel

The hideous carpets and questionable choice of wall colours just go to show how much work we have ahead of us, but I am loving making this house our home. In the background you can see the start of what will, one day, be my new wardrobe. I can't wait!

Love

My Three Little Words. Classic, Casual and...

...Versatile.

It took me ages to decide on my third and final word and Thank You for all your helpful suggestions.  Style(ish) was a strong contender but I realised that these three words should describe my style.

I chose versatile because I don't have work clothes or best clothes or weekend clothes (that said I DO have decorating clothes). I don't compartmentalise my wardrobe, I tend to mix and match any item to suit the occasion.

These three little words can help me to bring some order my currently uncoordinated wardrobe, the contents of which reside in numerous bags in different rooms all over our new house.

Some items fall under the heading of 'what WAS I thinking?!', others simply have no one to play with, so anything that doesn't fall under the umbrella of Classic, Casual and Versatile will be set free.

What would your three little words be?

Love

Q&A

I'm finding some time to catch up on my blog reading. When I say time, I mean my lunch hour. It's been nice to switch off from my life for a while and catch up with others.

I swiped this from Danni the Girl, who swiped it from Sophie at A Country Girl Does Norfolk, who swiped it from The Brunette Diaries... I love how these things spread :)

What is bothering you right now?

Not having enough hours in the day, my work/life balance is way, way off kilter!

 

Do you like celebrity magazines?

No.

 

When was the last time you were ill? Why?

I am plagued by sinusitis, it strikes when I get run down, which has been happening a lot recently (see my answer to the first question).

 

Do you feel you belong in a different era?

Yes. The 1950's. OH feels that way too.

 

Who owns you?

My cats, Socks and Tink.

 

Favorite country in Europe?

England.

 

Did you skive off school?

Nope. I was a bit of a girlie swot.

 

Ever played an instrument?

Only very badly.

 

Favorite alcoholic drink?

Pimms and lemonade on a hot day, mulled wine when it's cold.

 

Do you follow fashion?

I follow fashion so I know what is current but I wear only what I think suits me.

 

What colour are your eyes? Do you like that colour?

The same as Danni - Greeny/Grey/Bluey. I think my peepers are my best feature.

 

What is the furthest you have travelled from your home? How far was it?

Seattle, which 4799 miles from London according to Google.

 

What is the coldest temperatures you have experienced? Where were you?

Winter 2010 in the UK

 

What is the hottest temperatures you have experienced? Where were you?

Sicily. On the day of my friend's wedding. I melted.

  

Imagine you have three wishes. List them. (A million more wishes doesn't count)

1. An end to poverty and suffering (a biggie but a goody)

2. Longer, thicker, curlier eyelashes (utterly selfish but I'd love a life without mascara)

3. Unlimited energy

 

Are you keeping a secret from the world?

Nope.

 

If you could go back in time and give advice to yourself ten years ago, what would you say?

Your greatest regrets will be about the things you didn't do.

 

How have you changed in the past 10 years?

I'm kinder to myself and more confident.

 

Is abortion wrong?

Not if it's done for the right reasons, as a last resort, in a timely fashion.

 

Do you like long train/car journeys?

Yes, I love the time to stare out of the window and get lost in my own little world...

 

Have you ever considered writing a novel?  

On occasion. If I had a great idea for a plot I'd go for it. I'm waiting for inspiration to strike.

 

Have you ever punched someone in the face?  

No, but I have wanted to.

 

What is your sense of humour like?

I love a dry sense of humour, quick wit and slap stick. Nothing makes me laugh like people tripping up or walking into things.

Are you a good person?

Not to everyone. I'm fiercely loyal but break my trust and forgiveness is a long time coming.

Blimey, that was a bit heavy for a final question!

Feel free to complete this questionnaire... just let me know, I'd love to read it.

Love

This Week I Have Been...

Moving...

Hence the lack of posts or any blog reading and commenting. I love my new home but there is so much to do! Things should calm down soon but normality is some way off just yet.

Has anything exciting been happening?

With paint in my hair and my clothes still in boxes, I bid you goodnight.

Sweet dreams

Everybody, Everywear : Yellow

Hello, in the midst of moving madness I found my only item of clothing that has a touch of yellow for the Everybody, Everywear challenge... I can't wear yellow. It really doesn't suit me, which is such a shame as I love the colour. My mustard yellow bag came from Very last year (Socks is clearly intrigued) and the t-shirt is H&M.

Right, back to packing, unpacking and decorating...

Why I'm searching for three little words...

You'd think that with moving into a new house, renovating a flat and working full time I'd have no time to ponder my own personal style...

However, packing up my wardrobe made me realise how many clothes I have that I do not wear and how few really complement each other.

Also, I have read numerous blog posts on the subject of ethical fashion recently. The lack of information we are given as consumers troubles me. There seems to be no way of knowing the origin of a garment and the more we buy, the more, I feel, we compound the problem.

Our fast-fashion fix has become the norm - who of us hasn't popped into town for some retail therapy and just purchased something because we fancy it, because 'it's only a tenner'?

Having completed a wardrobe challenge where I wore 12 pieces of clothing for 40 days, it became clear to me that I my wardrobe doesn't need to be bulging to be versatile. More and more I am asking myself 'do I really need it?'. Normally the answer is 'no, I don't'.

By establishing my 'three little words' and understanding my style I believe that I can make smarter retail choices. I want to create a harder working wardrobe, less volume, more substance.

I'm with Vivienne Westwood when she says 'Buy Less, Choose Well'

June Scavenger Hunt

Armed and ready with a new iPhone screen I set about finishing what I started last month. The June list from Postcards from the P.P. is a goody - tougher than May in my opinion.

I wanted to use my Camera+ app and add the 'fashion' effect only to discover that the recent upgrade saw the demise of the fashion effect... is there a dark force working against me here?

I will not be defeated. I'll just use the 'Diana' feature instead.

something with your town's name on it

an elephant

a wheel trim

 architectural detail

cheese

night

tree branches

cutlery

a childhood memory

a farm animal

something beginning with z...

the view right outside your door

OK, so I cheated a little on some of these... it's been hectic month so some of these have been rushed. For the town's name I saw so many good opportunities for some great shots but didn't have my iPhone with me! Lesson learnt.

Looking forward to (a more relaxed) month.