Something I threw...OFF

No this is not a post where Mrs MDS reveals to all she has been secretly working as a stripper. I was going to say burlesque dancer but that felt all coy and stripper seems to be a more factual term. I believe there is some debate currently regarding burlesque in respect of is it a tantalising art form or merely porn. Do I look bovvered? Seriously how contrive can 'trending' be at times. Oh look there is a film on burlesque coming out ...lets stimulate cultural debate.. Argh, this sort of thing drives me mad.

Anyway back to not being a stripper. No really I don't have a part time job as a stripper but I am in off with my clothes mode!

I've also mainly failed to put many on, in the sense that my wardrobe remains untouched and I'm wearing what can only be described as a gardener come ski instructor look. My inability to 'dress up' or properly as I think of it is due to having to walk and look after a small dog and mainly in snowy conditions. One night I went out with a dog on lead in one hand and a child on a sledge in the other. Goodness only knows what I pulled out of the hat, scarf and glove basket but I cared not one iota what I looked like!





What with snow and now just ice, working on projects at home and a dog to take care of, I really had times to get to grips with my wardrobe and my style. Because I'm always thinking of others, thinking of creative solutions and writing about fashion I rarely get time for me. Recently I got to dress up at Isabella Oliver and at Penny Dreadful Vintage's tea party and after writing the Life Laundry series of posts which I didn't really finish, I got motivated.

I've been shedding the old, the unglamorous and anything which doesn't have the wow factor. I did lots of listings on ebay of which two items raised money for Sister Wolf of which you can read the reasons why here and here. I've got a pile of things for a car boot sale as I'm officially over selling on ebay! I thought I'd do a stall with everything for a pound so I could clear it all. Some items have already gone to charity and anything very worn has been donated to the textile collectors who sell the items to raise more money for varies causes. I feel like this has been an ongoing project for a year or more and in truth it has. But like all projects you go through a concept, then initiation phase before you finally reach completion. It has been well worth doing and an end of era in some respects. The end of quantity, trends and hero pieces ( I still loath that terminology) and the beginning of quality, loved pieces and truly individual style. I would like to think that Make Do Style has contributed in part over the last 3 years to the rejection of trend driven must have pieces. I fully realise I'm not alone in this view and it is nice to see other have a change of direction too - see this post from Fashion Pearls of Wisdom

I'm nearly one month into my style challenge and I have had a few moments of wanting to waver but so far all is going well.

As I throw off my shackles of old and enter into a new year (and a new decade!) I will get back to sharing my outfits and continue to dispense style advice, especially once I've lost the bag lady look and this flipping freezing weather.