And here we are again, my plans for a return to regular blogging scuppered by de-motivation. The motivation to blog is there, but the motivation involved in sitting down and putting fingers to keyboard is kind of lacking. Still. I hope that with longer days and brighter weather my slump lifts, it can’t continue, it’s a mystery to me why it even started in the first place to be honest…but anyway, enough of that and on to the latest wish list post (which contains some affiliate links FYI).
Category Archives: personal style
Posted in brands I love, fashion, personal style, wish list
Fitting In
The photos in this post have been on my laptop for ages; possibly since before Christmas.
I remember a time when I used to post pretty much my daily outfits, when my wardrobe was crazy and vast. These days I have the best of intentions but when it comes to it I hold back. My wardrobe could currently be described as repetitive, containing perhaps 25% of what it once did and with probably only 25% of that being worn on any kind of regular basis. I was trying to work out why this was the other day and quite simply it boils down to the fit and my acceptance of the idea of fitting.
This dress is the perfect example of that. I bought it back in October and I have worn it precisely twice. It’s a gorgeous dress that I had to have, it’s great quality and versatile but I’ve taken against it…why? Because it fits. It fits me exactly how this style of dress should fit me, and that’s what I hold against it. For years I have hidden away behind baggy layers, at times out of necessity (for warmth, because nothing else fit) and more recently because I can’t stand how it feels to have something fit me.
I’ve spent a long period of my life now “up-sizing” my wardrobe then wondering why my purchases look entirely different on me than they do on the model. I’ve spent time convincing myself that baggier is better, is more flattering. I’ve spent so long hating my body that I can’t bear to see it, or to feel it in clothes that actually make contact with my skin. One of my biggest fears, still, is that I’ll wear a fitted dress to work or to an event and someone will see that my stomach is no longer perfectly flat or that I actually have some flesh around my hips these days.
This was really bought home to me recently when shopping for a dress to wear to a wedding. Firstly actually finding a dress was a nightmare. Anything that looked body-con, or even straight up and down rather than flared was discounted on account of how it would make me look and feel. Once I finally found something that had an a-line cut and long sleeves to hide my arms I did my usual and ordered the larger size, my “safety” size.
Said dress arrived and looked quite frankly, ridiculous. It was clearly too big but otherwise perfect so after a lot of convincing I sent it back and ordered the size down. That size arrived and I tried it on and it took a lot of self-restraint not to send that one back too, this time for being too small. Was it too small? No, no it was not, but it fitted, I could feel it, it showed off my waist and didn’t gape at the back…physically it was the perfect fit and it looked a lot better but I’ve got so used to baggy and shapeless that I genuinely believed that this dress was too small for me. To an extent I still do but I’m keeping it.
I realise at the age of 32 that this is a ridiculous fear to have. I might not feel it, but I’m still young, I have a slim figure (despite what my brain would have me believe) and I don’t need to hide it away at all times. Skinny jeans should be skinny and not gape at the waist, dresses should nip in at the waist and skirts and trousers shouldn’t be falling half way down your arse.
This is going to be the year I challenge that. I have a wedding dress to shop for after all and I refuse to spend money on what could end up being a glorified rubbish bag if I insist on at least one size up to what it should be.
My one exception to this will be this perfectly oversized denim jacket that Bob bought me from Chinese Laundry in Hull when we were up for his Birthday in November. Sometimes baggy IS best, and this jacket, the denim jacket I have been searching for since my early twenties is a prime example.
Does anyone else struggle with buying clothes that fit rather than clothes that conceal? Any ideas for over-coming this would be most welcome.
*post contains affiliate links*
Posted in fashion, life stuff, lifestyle, outfits, personal style, recovery
What’s on my Wish List? #2
So much for January being the month I got my blogging mojo back and created content I was happy with/proud of. Actually, those days of blogging feel long gone and I do wonder how much longer this piece of the big wide web will continue for. Maybe as wedding plans progress, new journeys begin, and this current slump I’m in starts to lift I may feel differently. Probably even once this month is done, the first month of the year always kicks my ass no matter how much I tell myself it won’t. At least I’ve had window shopping to keep me sane, and as a consequence, another wish list post has formed.
What’s caught your eye recently? Any ideas for what you might like to see on the blog in the coming year?
*post contains affiliate links*
Posted in brands I love, fashion, personal style, shopping, wish list
What’s on my wish list right now?
I don’t know when I got so sporadic with blogging…as last year drew to a close I told myself 2020 would be the year I got back on track, and yet here we are, 13 days in and I’ve barely posted a thing, oops! Let’s just call that an adjustment period to a new decade and crack on with things from now.
And what better way to crack on than with a wish list? Something I’m always creating and yet never seeming to get around to posting, by the time I do, things are out of stock or I’ve gone off something. I’m currently on a mission for a dress to wear for a wedding in March, and whilst I’m yet to find something that fits the bill, I have found a whole host of other things that tickle my fancy.
What’s on your wish list right now? I’m trying hard to shop more in charity shops, less fast fashion etc…and whilst I occasionally find some gems (Donna Ida jeans for £3.99 anyone?!) I can’t resit the lure of the high street.
Posted in brands I love, fashion, personal style, wish list
Levis x Hello Kitty
I guess this outfit is my version of “jeans and a nice top” now that I’m over 30 and pretty anti-social (I much prefer an early night in comfy pjs than crawling home in the small hours dressed up to the nines and my wardrobe very much reflects that).
This hoodie was a fortituous find as I thought that I had missed out on the rather fabulous Levis x Hello Kitty collaboration/that I wouldn’t ever be able to justify spending the money on it. A visit to Clarks Village came good though as not only did we find my dream hoodie at 20% off, but Bob decided that I simply must own it and treated me.
The jeans are another recent find. I really struggle with jeans, I strongly dislike how I look in them, and find that most pairs just leave me in a pit of self loathing after about five minutes. In desperation I took to social media to see what jeans people were loving and took up Sophie’s recommendation of the New Look Lift and Shape skinny jeans, which are affordable, flattering AND comfortable.
I’ve really neglected the more personal aspect of blogging lately. It’s all lifestyle/life advice type content because I just haven’t been in the right headspace to put myself out there at all.
October was a hard month, historically it always has been for me and it’s taken quite a lot of inner strength (stubbornness) and support from Bob to get through. It’s November now though and it’s already shaping up to be a better month, and I have a renewed determination and motivation to get to my final targets in terms of health and wellbeing (and what better time of year to be trying to gain a few kilos right? Extra warmth and so many seasonal foods about).
We’re just coming to the end of a super chilled out weekend, one we both needed after a horrible week. There’s been time with my family, time curled up watching movies and drinking gin, good food, many laughs and a hefty dose of productivity around the house.
So that’s kind of where I’m at lately. Struggling with myself a bit, but ploughing through. We have such a busy month coming up with various commitments and a week away up with Bob’s Mum as he turns 30…and then before we know it we’ll be in full blown Christmas madness. I’m really hoping I can get some better posts up…gift guides, wish lists, wedding planning updates…
What have you been up to lately? Watched any good films/TV series? Recommendations welcome.
Until next time…
Posted in fashion, life stuff, lifestyle, outfits, personal style, recovery, shopping