Cleaning out my closet

I read a fantastic blog this past week over on The Man Repeller, entitled "How do you spring clean?" 

I found this post so relatable that it almost made me sick. Talking myself into keeping an inappropriate item of clothing in the off chance I may one day be invited to the perfect occasion? That's me, on an almost daily basis. Namely, all those girly summer dresses that would be perfect for a picnic in the warmer months (obviously I hate feeling hot/eating outside/showing my arms and spend the Summer trying to be no fewer than two metres away from some sort of fan).

Having curled up with the paper a couple of weekends back at my Mum and Dads, I happened to read a very similar wardrobe clear out call-to-arms in one of the Sunday supplements. The message of both these features seems to be clear: I need to get serious about de-cluttering and curb my spending along the way.

With the house move just around the corner (having signed the paperwork it all seems very real) I'm issuing a self imposed spending ban for the month of April. Nothing frivolous or unnecessary will cross the threshold of the flat, as I really should be emptying my already overflowing cupboards and drawers, rather than filling them up again with this seasons "must haves".

That goes for toiletries too, I'm a sucker for a Boots three-for-two.

Looks I'm loving

I've been trying out some new looks of late, mixing a spot of vintage with some new season finds (alas, the no shopping pledge has fallen by the wayside) but still always return to my standard look: skinny jeans, loose top, smart blazer and killer heels. It's the look I always come back to because I know that if I put on this combination (regardless of colour) I'll feel fantastic and ready to face the world. I remember vividly the first time I felt good in what I was wearing after I started losing weight (three and a half stone and counting): Next jeans, H&M draped khaki top, black blazer and high summer sandals, and boy did I feel good. If I could bottle that feeling and sell it I'd be a rich woman. In the months that have passed I've tried to recreate that feeling and the only time I seem able to get close is when I put on a trusty blazer and a pair of skinnies, nothing beats the first rush of weight loss. I'll always be a curvy girl and I just think that this ensemble is destined to become my day-in day-out look, and what's wrong with that when an outfit makes you feel good.

Someone whose style I really admire is Samm, a 25 year old fashion photographer and blogger from the Netherlands. She always looks fantastic, with her clean looks with a quirky edge, such as a chunky knit scarf or some fashion-forward footwear. Samm also has a fantastic blog called After Style Comes Fashion, which is fast becoming one of my must reads.

(I'm also loving Samm's summer style, which is getting me in the mood for some warmer weather)

All images by Samm at After Style Comes Fashion

The No Shopping Pledge: an update

So far, the no shopping pledge has been going pretty well. Not only have I not set foot on the high street but I have got pretty creative with the clothes I already own. I’ve still made some purchases but these have been much more considered and all from charity shops (look at me, fuelling my shopping habits whilst giving something back, I feel almost angelic). I hit the jackpot last weekend at the Traid charity shop in Hammersmith, who were having one of their infamous £2 sales (where everything in the shop is £2) and then I went back on another day and everything was £1! Literally: winning. Admittedly most of the things I bought were to sell on eBay but still, the shopping gave me a bit of a buzz. Some of the standout pieces I bought were a dress from Topshop (for me), numerous peter-pan collared tops from Topshop (to sell as alas they are too small), some great tweed blazers (keep/sell, I’m really not sure at the moment) and some fab knitwear pieces all for me. I did have to drag my purchases home in a black bin liner as no bags Traid had were big enough but the embarrassment was so worth it. Although I am kind of craving a trip to Primark, H&M and River Island to check out the new season stock, overall I’m not really thinking about shopping much. I may make some more purchases tomorrow however, when I hit the Hobbs Sample Sale at the Truman Brewery (which Rachel has already said is not to be missed).

After watching the collection launch DVD today I’m already craving basically all of the SS12 stock, so my bank balance is pretty much screwed for the next few months. It seems to be that because of my own indecisive nature my mind seems to work on a constant cycle of disappointment: when it's summer I long for winter, and when it's winter I long for summer. Therefore currently I'm wishing for lazy summer days drinking a glass of Pimms, wearing a maxi dress and flat sandals, when in reality I'm being blown to work through the drizzle and then boiling on the tube in a thick winter coat. Those of you who work in the world of fashion will well know that even though winter seems to have barely even kicked in spring/summer stock is already out in stores and my thoughts are turning to summer. The Hobbs press day way back in November gave a glimpse of what loveliness is to come, with each brand playing its own starring role in picking out the best of the new season trends. NW3 (my own personal fave) is sure to see my staff discount and wallet take a battering.

The No Shopping Pledge: week one

Week one of the No Shopping Pledge has gone by pretty much without a hitch, sure there’s been days when I’ve wanted to hit the high street for a spot of retail therapy but so far I’ve managed to keep myself in check. The release of the new-look Company magazine on Thursday (kindly bought for me by Zsa Zsa of The Life Wardrobe, no breaking the pledge for me) didn’t help matters though, as I now feel that I NEED a denim shirt in my life. I think in essence this could be part of the problem. I have a wardrobe full of perfectly nice (in fact more than nice, I would even go so far as to say lush – that’s right I’m part Welsh) clothes yet if I see something in a magazine/shop/window/walking past me on the back of some far more fashionable girl, I get this feeling that if I had the said item, my wardrobe would be complete and I would suddenly have so many more outfit choices. In fact I often find it’s the opposite that’s true; the fewer options I have the greater chance of me coming up with an ensemble that I’m happy with. Luckily the stores I pass on my way to work are still promoting sale, and as much as I love a bargain a massive sale banner is far less likely to entice me to spend when compared to a well thought out new season window display. Staying in the office on my lunch hour also seems to be working, a bit of banter with the girls over food in the kitchen at least gives me a screen break and there’s far less likelihood of me spending (although I do pass the tuck box on the way back to my desk and always get food envy of my friends lunches, making me wish I still got 20% discount at M&S). Not having the option of making a purchase makes you think more about the clothes you do have and how you can best use them to create an on trend look without heading to the shops. Currently I’m thinking about wearing some of the amazing sale purchases I bought just after Christmas (the whole reason I’m so poor in the first place) but haven’t really had the right occasion to wear. This is another of my problems: buying clothes for a life I simply don’t lead, and buying clothes and saving them for “something special”. I need to start thinking that every day is special and saving things for “best” will simply mean they don’t get worn and remain languishing in the wardrobe or shoved in a box under the bed for all eternity. When I was three stone heavier I went through a phase of always wearing the same black jumper (which Jade and Amy, the girls from Cellardoor magazine LOVED to pick me up on). I’d vary the scarf or jacket but essentially the ensemble would always be the same: black jumper and jeans or black jumper and denim skirt. Hmmmmm, inspiring, not. I’m a lot better these days but I do always tend to lean towards comfort and familiarity when picking out something to wear. With this in mind, next week I shall endeavor to wear something new every day, picked from the clothes I already own: I have far too many nice things to always wear the same.

The No Shopping Pledge: the rules

So, after a particularly horrifying evening of checking my bank balance and updating my budget 2012 spreadsheet it has become abundantly clear how hideously poor I actually am and what a terrifying amount I spend on what is essentially meaningless crap. This week for example, one lunchtime I returned from Boots having spent more than £25 when all I went in for was shampoo; something has to change. This has led me to come to a somewhat momentous decision: I shall not make ANY unnecessary purchases between now and Easter. There, I've said it, and I suppose because I've said it on here there's no going back. There will of course be some rules (I can't go cold turkey, no shopping at all would probably kill me):

Rule 1. I am not to make any unnecessary purchases, i.e.; popping to the shops for some retail therapy on my lunch break and coming back with a skirt, a top and a coat when all I went out for was a secret Santa gift. Basically, the high street is off limits.

Rule 2. Necessary purchases are allowed, i.e.; if I run out of shampoo I am allowed to buy more, but I am not to come back with shampoo, a new hairbrush, foundation and various colours of nail varnish. I am not to get sucked in by any deals or offers, foolishly thinking that by spending money I am actually saving money.

Rule 3. If I am at a carboot sale, sample sale or in a charity shop and see something I can justify buying then I am allowed to make a purchase, as long as the price is reasonable. The Boy will have final say on if I'm allowed said item, but basically this is my get out clause. This will hopefully stop me from feeling like I'm missing out and should encourage me to be a bit more creative with my look.

The reasons for doing this are numerous but one being that The Boy and I would like to buy our own place (preferably before we're sixty) and want to add as many additional funds to the house deposit pot this year as possible. In addition we're going to New York in the autumn and, let's face it, why would I buy clothes here when I could buy clothes there?

Expect updates on how I'm getting on with the No Shopping pledge in the weeks to come (lord help me).