Last week, I had a complete meltdown when trying to get changed to go out for dinner. It wasn’t a fancy dinner; we were going to try an Indian that everyone around us had been raving about. But despite my best efforts, nothing in my wardrobe really felt like “me”. It was all too uncomfortable, too worn, not right. And so I decided that my wardrobe needed a complete over haul.
The Cull
Over the next few days, I thought about what was in my wardrobe, about the dresses that I hadn’t wanted to get rid of because they were pretty and held good memories. Then I realised that I hadn’t worn most of them for over six months. As every woman will experience at some point in her life; my body had changed. My boobs are on a journey that doesn’t have any sign of stopping. And when I tried most of them on, I found that the zip got mysteriously stuck when hit mid-back. So I got brave, brandishing my black bin liner I decided that everything that didn’t fit had to go. Then there was the stuff I just didn’t like any more. The vintage pieces that had been holding on, because I liked the pattern, if not the fabric. I was ruthless.
Then I moved on to tops and jeans and eventually I was left with about a quarter of what I had previously owned. It may sound overly dramatic, but I had been hoarding a lot of stuff for various reasons. Then I was left with what actually flattered my shape, and more importantly I felt comfortable in.
The Shop
The next stage should have been my favourite part of the whole experience, but by and large, I don’t really enjoy clothes shopping. I hate changing room lighting, highlighting my grey, pasty Irish skin. I scoured ASOS for a couple of days, deciding what styles that I liked. I had hoped that I would be able to skip actually having to leave the house entirely, but a wise man pointed out that I needed jeans, and unless I was prepared to order twenty pairs with the hope of maybe finding one that was alright, I really needed to go and try stuff on.
And so I went, armed with what every girl needs when buying the staples for a new wardrobe; a good pair of critical, honest eyes. I went with The Man, who is that completely rare species that actually enjoys shopping (although he admitted that the hanging outside of women’s changing rooms got him some funny looks).
Now I have a wardrobe that I genuinely enjoy. It demonstrates my personal style, is flattering and comfortable. No more hanging around in oversized jumpers because I have nothing else to wear!
If anyone would like to see a Closet Confidential video/haul showing what I came back with, please comment below. If not, I might just film one anyway!
Cheers Folks
Rebekah