How to New Season your Wardrobe

I spotted a big ball of sun in the sky over the weekend which, coupled with the abundance of sunny daffodils and sprightly lambs lolling around in the fields (this is all rather picturesque, isn't it?!) seems to signal spring is indeed here! Around this time of year, I get incredibly twitchy - keen to cast off my winter coat and thick black tights and hurtle headlong into the new season. After I filched a blue cotton shirt from Rich's wardrobe last week, absent-mindedly pairing it with a pair of jeans, white mules, and silver jewellery, I thought I'd better get this post done before he notices it's gone.

So here's a step-by-step of how I "new season" my wardrobe:

1. Get Inspired. I read all the magazines and blogs I can get my hands on. I have a very good magazine feeder system: my mum and sister-in-law stockpile magazines and fashion spreads for me. I get a monthly subscription to some magazines, I read the rest online. I use Facebook, blogs (click here to see my favourite blogs from the blogosphere) I am also incredibly nosey - I eye up what people are wearing at networking events, in shops, on the street - outfits fascinate me no end. 

2. Make some Decisions. Like chia seeds on your already tasty granola, flares have been eating up the fashion pages for breakfast with a sprinkling of 70's suede for good measure. The last time I wore flares was in 2007. I so remember my outfit (Que weird wardrobe recall moment...): brown moc croc mid heeled courts from Kate Kanzier, flared jeans from Monkee Geans via Topshop, a blue and cream striped top with a scoop neck also from Toppers, and a gold wrap bracelet picked up on my travels. Now being a pint-sized 5'3" the flares kinds took me over and I never got used to the feeling of loads of material bagging out from the knee down (they were HUGE badass flares, FYI).  Plus they were a nightmare in the rain; talk about soggy bottoms. So, entering into flares territory is a big commitment - to pull if off it will require new footwear: chunkier heels, blocks rather than stilettos, platforms. See? Decisions, decisions. I'm sitting this season's flares out.

(Ergo Wide legged trousers. Delving into the Telegraph Style page it seems the fash pack, lead by Lisa Armstrong, have already done a new season U-turn:

"Having recently dragooned my colleagues into modelling wide trousers for these pages, I now sorrowfully conclude that they're a pain to wear, and best avoided by most.")

3. Put something in. I bought some off-white "lady" trousers from Zara and a black strapless jumpsuit, also from Zara. The trousers are the most grown-up item in my wardrobe and fit into the culotte category although on petite old me they are slightly longer than calf length (which, with my man calves, is a god send.) Here I've styled them with my (Rich's) blue shirt and Zara snakeskin heels for day and with a black H&M Trend vest for night.

4. And take something out. I've removed a pair of ASOS lime yellow heels from my wardrobe (which even by my standards are too high to walk in) and a Zara 60's style shift which has washed appallingly. It bobbled after 5 washes. Lets hope my new lady trousers fair better! I've also sent my camel coat to the tailor to be re-lined and have cleaned all my suede winter boots.

Til next time...x

How you know when it's time to let go.

We've all got wardrobe favourites that, like a stubborn child, refuse to go anywhere. Mine is a sunshine yellow shift dress from H&M Trend. I bought it when I was the Visual Merchandising Manager of the flagship H&M store in London in the late 00's and man have I LOVED IT. I wore it with polo necks underneath and cardigans belted on top, I wore it on nights out and to work. It worked in winter and in summer, with flats and with boots, with bare legs and with tights. I think the only place I didn't wear it was to bed.

My happy sunshine H&M dress

You can just about see the ink spot 

Looks cool, non?

Then 2 things happened that should have sounded like a klaxon in my wardrobe-attuned ears. Firstly, I got black printer ink on front (to be honest, my Mum did such a good job of getting the ink out that the 'spot' left only a tiny patch of discoloured fabric. But once you know, you know) Secondly, the dress became mildly transparent due to so much washing. Probably around the time a bit of ink got on it....



To solve problem one I got some poppers sewn on so I could attach my fur stole which covered the ink spot - awesome - but this limited when and where I could wear the dress. I was still walking round flashing my pants so to combat the transparency issue I invested in some nude underwear. Now I really was flogging a dead dress. The dress somehow made its way to the back of my wardrobe where every so often I would take it out, remember the good times, and put it straight back. The thing was, even though I knew deep down that I would never wear the dress again, I didn't want anyone else to have it. Sound familiar?

Times move on and fashions come and go. Styles change around you and your personal style will never stop growing with you. I should've left this dress in my twenties where it belonged. This month I am moving into my new home and there is no place for this 1960's inspired see-through dress with its tarnished buttons, biro stained back (lord knows how that happened) and poppers sewn on to the neckline.

So - if you want it, it's yours. Tweet me @wardrobe_angel, hit me up on Facebook or message me via my website.  It's a size 10 and the biro stain is tiny, I promise.