Renew, Revive, Refresh

The joy of making do is in the preparation and effort. I love an opportunity to sort out my wardrobe and discard any truly beyond repair items. Often is something is beyond repair I'll wear it for a whole week to eek the last ounce of use out of it. I have a really nice t-shirt from Reiss but the cotton has bobbled so badly not even my debobble machine can assist in a refresh. I intended to wear it all next week until it either looks grubby or smells. I'm actually very clean and neat so I take an age to make clothes truly dirty.

In my most recent summer clothes pack away (which lasted 5 minutes as the weather suddenly decided that sunshine was the order of the day again) and winter item injection; I discovered three items I didn't think I'd wear again. One was my favourite jumper which I've had for 7 years and can't part with. It does need a small darn and I decided to dye it navy to give it a new lease of life with me. I wanted a navy v neck and decided it was cheaper to invest in some Dylon and salt than to buy a new one.

 Before

After

I know it was a lovely green but I'd got bored of the colour and needed something navy. I also updated my red jeans which were originally a pale red that I dyed to a bright red and now I've given them a russet edge for this season!

Finally I dyed a Zara cream top to Burlesque Red and a thick cable yellow cotton Pringle jumper to black! Both will work for me this winter as layers to keep me warm while writing at home in the day (I intend to not use the heating as much as I can to save pounds). 

All I have left to do now is sew on some new brown leather buttons I bought to replace the existing ones on Mr MDS's black trench to give it a little renewal.

Don't be afraid to dye clothes in a bucket or machine. I buy Dylon dyes from John Lewis or Robert Dyas and the required salt to seal the dye. I use washing up gloves to attempt to keep my hands dye free.

 Useful barrier

All clean again

Top tip: Wash dyed items with like colours for the first few washes after dying, just in case of any residue running.

New Rule, One In One Out

In my increasing drive for wardrobe efficiency, I like to introduce helpful new rules. The only point of my rules is to make me think, evaluate and hesitate. It is all too easy to suddenly need or want something but without doing a double check on your current stock!

I've decided one in, one out is a simple proposition to prevent overstocking. If I have too many clothes I get overwhelmed and have to clear my wardrobe out. I have no aversion to hoarding but I have no capacity or funds to allow me to do this. I have to keep a strict check on it all.

I wanted to buy two tops for the A/W season and I spied two that fitted the bill on Topshop.com
With free p&p and returns on orders over £75 (mine was £76 in total) I was happy to take a punt and avoid the shops. I actually loved three but luckily the third one was out in my size. I've longed for a navy star top for ages and I love the sleeve detail on this one.



Every winter I add some floral to my wardrobe and having sold my other floral tops because they weren't quite right, I finally feel as if I've found my favourite.
Both of these are keepers. I will wear them until they wear out. I'm really into wearing things out too. Once an item is bobbled to b*$"*&^ or beyond repair they go to the textile recycle collection bank.

The final top, the one that got away is a gorgeous red number and I'm still tempted but prudence has got the better of me.


Before I hit the send button to seal the deal, I had to select two items from my wardrobe to go on eBay as part of my one in one out strategy. One item has been sat waiting to be sold for ages my Comptoirs des Cotonniers cardigan, unworn and unloved - if I'm honest I'm a little to busty for it, otherwise it would be a winner! The other is a dress I've worn once and it is a little bit big for me - that's ready to wear for you! It is a fabulous violet colour and I had to add a belt to make it fit my small waist. I've listed the dress but so far for some reason unknown to me I've not been able to list the cardigan, so that is one my to do list. The sales won't pay for my spree but it will help ease my mind and keep me in check!

Pearl Lowe dress get bidding!



Soon to be on eBay!

Do you apply such rigour to your wardrobe and spending habits?

You've got the love....

...but you need to re-inject it into your wardrobe. When thrift means no new injection of garments whether it is your summer or winter wardrobe you need to keep mixing it up to find the love.

A wardrobe sort is just the ticket. Get everything out all your clothes and make some piles. This is a proper project so set aside an afternoon or all day.

The Piles
Pile 1 - Designer clothes
Pile 2 - Vintage clothes
Pile 3 - High St/thrift/non designer clothes
Pile 4 - purely summer holiday clothes (bikinis, kaftans, sarongs etc.)
Pile 5 - gym clothes
Pile 6 - lounging round house clothes
Pile 7 - gardening or painting clothes (these are old clothes that are worn or torn or merely unloved)
Pile 8 - worn/tired/potential to alter or mend clothes.
Pile 9 - scarves
Pile 10 - accessories

What to do with Piles
I recommend tackling the piles in the order I've outlined below, so you are free to hang all items into your wardrobe at the last step. This will leave you with a fabulous and satisfactory feeling.

Pile 8 - sort out these poor things into either clothes you can use for gardening or painting, those that you can alter with buttons or the hemline and the rest for the charity shop. If anything has really had it cut up to use as dusters.

Pile 7 - put these items in a cardboard box or storage box in a space that is dry but not your bedroom i.e. utility room, garage, spare room, cupboard.

Pile 4 - has to be put into a suitcase or in a put away storage item. Make sure all items are cleaned and ironed before you store. Put a moth ball in with these clothes.

Pile 5 - make sure your gym clothes are put in a drawer all together. You do not want to confuse these in any way with your other clothes.

Pile 6 - you might not have these items but it is worth having nice lounge clothes for changing into for sloping around in your own home. I love looking at the selection at Net-A-Porter for reference. Imagine the fun you would have cleaning in a Marni silk-foulard romper suit!

Pile 9 & 10 - Make sure all your jewellery is stored and sorted properly. I separate fine and costume jewellery. I also declutter the costume jewellery by weeding out anything truly old hat. Some items just look dated so quickly. I keep decent jewellery in their original boxes or in the case of my cheap and cheerful Dotty P and Topshop et al purchases in a box together. My scarves are all folded and kept together. I rarely get rid of a scarf. I had a lovely silk/cashmere pashmina that got torn so I darned it and use it for the beach. It is in my holiday storage box.

Then the next step is to hang or fold piles 1,2 & 3.

I hang all my designer (and proper vintage) pieces even the t-shirts together. I run these items from right to left in the wardrobe/closet. This means all the hangers are facing forward with the steel hanging bit to the left. I only have wooden or padded hangers with a few thick plastic ones for awkward items. I hang the clothes in this order coats, jackets, dresses, skirts, long sleeve items, short sleeve items and then trousers.

Then I hang my high street items to run from left to right so they meet the designer pieces in the middle. Hangers face forward and the steel bit is to the right. Again it goes coats, jackets, dresses, skirts, long sleeve items, short sleeve items and trousers. I have a divider in the middle that houses my belts, costume jewellery, scarves and folded jeans. I don't like to hang jeans and I also only use trousers and skirt hangers for yes you guessed trousers and skirts.
The other system I use is to hang the items in darkest colour to lightest, for example black dresses, navy dresses, purple, red, light blue, white etc. If it is a patterned item I use the strongest colour to determine where the item hangs in this order.

You can hang all your coats and jackets in a separate closet if you have one. And also you can fold jumpers and tees depending on quantity, I'm quite minimalist with these. Don't forget to add a moth prevention product to the closet/wardrobe.

Now you've rearranged and reordered your wardrobe/closet you should have found new delight in old items. Also you will probably identify any gaps in your garments and can prioritise these items as future purchases from a store or thrift shop.

Let me know how you get on!

Wardrobe sort out anyone?

I have two students from the NHJ Style Academy who need to have work experience on sorting out a wardrobe. If you live in Central London (this can be negotiated!) and would like have top personal style advice from me (with eager student in tow) then leave me a comment and I'll arrange a wonderful session for you as enjoyed by Wife in the City

The rail...

I'm busy getting a rail together to show women how to add the wow/Martini factor into their wardrobe for a series of events coming up. I'm in Sheffield and Leeds this week. You can book free tickets here

I managed to get hold of the Mango white dress from ASOS and a few other bits and pieces. I will photograph the rail before I set off on my travels.

Last week I was flat out teaching and styling on the NHJ Style Academy. It's a personal styling course which attracts people from all over Europe. Part of the course includes practical work experience and on Saturday morning I took one of our students to do a wardrobe before she jetted back to Amsterdam. I had a wonderful volunteer in Wife in the City

I wish I'd taken a photo because she was one of the most beautiful persons I've met in real life both inside and out. The pleasure of my work is I get to meet lots of people constantly and I forget how enriching this can be.

And just in case you think the life of a stylist is glamorous in anyway, I give you Deirdre & Doris (myself and Isobel Kershaw) on Friday night after a few drinks sat on a bench in Clapham Junction wishing we were anywhere else but where we were!

Wardobe Sort Out Anyone?

Next Saturday morning May 22nd I've got a trainee stylist who need to observe and assist me on a wardrobe sort out. Anyone in Central or South West London who would like their wardrobe examined/sorted/advised upon?

Let me know in comment box.

All Change on the wardrobe front

I was not as diligent as I could have been on the wardrobe sort out. I have to confess to not cleaning my winter boots and shoes before putting away. This will haunt me so by this time next week I know they'll be polished and buffed! Equally I just hung everything up and refolded items instead of ironing. The changeable weather plus 'wimmin things' sapped me of my usual energy.

My Spring/Summer wardrobe looks neither glamorous or fashion forward but it will have to do. I need to save for a splendid pair of shoes and stay on track for debt payback. I'm very glad of my mother's 70 maxi dress hand me downs and apart from the ruination of my Gap chinos, most of my clobber can be made to look current or at least conjure a nod to the trends!

Before (note all year round stripy top)

More before on right side of wardrobe, before sort out

I swapped my winter coat for a Spring layered look of white top, metallic light blue cardigan, navy utilitarian chic jacket, long silver necklace, RayBan's and stripy cotton scarf plus skinny kick flare jeans - I was only going shopping to the supermarket to get hot cross buns!

Footwear was white moccasin shoes from a KG sale years ago, I will cry when these fall apart. I'm hoping they will last this summer

I chucked my chinos, very worn and too many marks on them now plus my faithfully snood I've worn for 6 months on a daily basis!

All summer dresses, skirts and tops

T-shirts stacked and summer jackets, White Bamford jacket, Navy Utilitarian jacket, Stripy Max Mara jacket, Mango sports wear jacket, Gold dress coat and mint green Jean Patou coat - plus a petit garcon making an appearance

Summer shoes being part hidden by maxi dress. A mix of strappy sandals, wedges and lots of lovely flats.

My favourite mesh flats bought in Russell & Bromley over 5 years ago they are I think Beverly Feldman for Russell & Bromley but the inside name is nearly worn out!

I bought these in Copenhagen in 2004 and have hardly worn them so I intend to use a lot this summer as they are so pretty

I like the material pattern but think the dress from COS is a bit too shapeless and minimalist Scandinavian chic for me to pull off so I might turn it into a top but then I need my perfect black Capri pants which I've yet to find!

The shapeless dress

My favourite Prada bag, perfect for summer - I love when Miuccia sources old prints. I'd buy one of her beach scene skirts this year if I could. I still kick myself for not buying a Prada turban a few years ago in a fuchsia or blue

The wild card - I bought this after a few drinks on honeymoon in Rome in the evening market in the Jewish Ghetto quarter and Trastevere. It is a hand knitted poncho (shall we say cape to sound more on trend) and I'm going to give it a go one day!

Earning a Hot Cross Bun

I'm on a trilogy of holy references this weekend because it is the Easter weekend. I'm nothing but mainstream when it comes to observing holidays and feasts - bring it on! And with a lovely long weekend due to the Easter break I'll be setting aside sometime to sort out my wardrobe. Properly making the transition from winter to spring and summer, despite our appalling weather which is determined to stay in winter mode.

I will create four piles for my existing winter things:-

• worn out items to go to rag bag for recycling (I've already started this pile)
  
• alterations, I have two dresses to change into tops
• put away clean, pressed in cotton storage bag with moth protection
• select items to stay in wardrobe that will work for summer

Then I will pull out all my spring/summer items and sort in exactly the same way because I'm bound to reassess the items I'd squirrelled away. I will document this for posting.

After all this excursion I will sit down with a nice cup of tea and a hot cross bun.

One for the eye

Last year I manage to scope 3 cocktail rings for £12 (with my 10% student discount) from Dorothy Perkins. However this year neither Dotty P's or Topshop nor Oasis, my three default choices for rings (okay okay WendyB is my default choice, and the Marie Antoinette my first choice) have yielded an item to satisfy my ring requirement. Basically big , cocktailish and guaranteed to take your eye out by accident on the tube if you get too close(figuratively speaking).

I always think if you can't afford to buy new clothes there is nothing like a ring or a belt or gloves to add an update to your wardrobe to dress up any outfit. A creature of habit I tend to go to John Lewis for my gloves, Reiss for belts but this year for a ring I'll be getting this Kenneth Jay Lane beauty from my-wardrobe and believe me I double checked at Dorothy Perkins at Bond St tube if they had the equivalent!

Kenneth Jay Lane Gunmetal Large Rectangular Cocktail Ring £95

PS I did look at the DP jewellery mecca at West One shopping at Bond St tube and zero!

Oh er!

Well what fun we had! Less clothes went than I anticipated but only because quite a few are high summer items and I'll wear them out in the next couple of months. But I'm on the road to stellar glamour.

It was so lovely to have someone be me for a change and make me move on over a few items. Yes its sad to see a some old friends depart but on the whole I've got more space, a few things in the growing holiday pile (what holiday?) which I'm sure I'll cull anyway. There was only one item of contention -it was a Max Mara jacket that Isobel said should go and I've wavered over doing this. Basically anything tired, (remember I do alter my clothes and wear them to death) a bit shapeless or outdated has gone.

We spotted a few key transition pieces for A/W and tested the look. I would have had a few looks photos to post but the petit garcon in the midst of our slog was amusing himself by trying on shoes, breaking my camera and gradually becoming naked. How he broke my camera I know not and what could I say whilst he was wearing some gold flats with diamante feature and some pearls and nothing else!

The photos move from camera pre breakage to poor blackberry ones for the after shots.

Before sort out-the middle thing houses belts, jewellery and jumpers

right hand side before being tackled

left hand side, completely crammed

poor shoes in need of a tidy up, my best ones are in their boxes

I take a last minute stand against revealing my stash

I collapse at this point in hysterics as Isobel makes me try on a dress I bought to go for dinner years ago with the then to be in-laws, she said it looked like something you'd try and impress the in-laws with -opps, point taken and so true!

Isobel gets her pen out to lick me into shape!

Evidence of petit garcon's handy work in progress, he managed to snap the destruction

By now naked and sorting out the hangers

Some of the pile to go

Ah happy tidy shoes, although the garcon just put back the gold flats and pink Tods he'd been wearing

Sorted. Arranged from left to right are coats, jackets, dresses, shirts then cardigans, trousers and skirts

Today's the day

Gulp! I'm about to be glammed up. I'm posting this in memory of leaving my rather t-shirt and jeans look behind. Not strictly true but I'm usually more off duty than on duty and undertaking my MA has highlighted I've not really advanced much dress wise since my undergraduate days!

I've enlisted the help of uber stylish stylist Isobel Kershaw. I trust Isobel to not indulge me one iota in my fantasy film outfits and gently shove me into a better organised (and I am super organised but I know Isobel is the most super super organised) working wardrobe.

Isobel

I rather dislike the term working wardrobe but it clarifies the point to some extent i.e. having a wardrobe that works for you, what you do and what you want to project. I use all my clothes most of the time but now I want to buy less and make what I have work harder. Also this year petit garcon will be 4 and I can move back into the more full time work world and need to prepare for this.

Isobel is very understanding of the conflict of working and being a mother. She adores her son and I often tease her she'll hold his hand on his first date, in case the girl is badly dressed! Isobel is perfection itself but of the ease associated with stylish French women. I'm a francophile at heart and am shedding a part of my left bank artisan look for a nonchalant but sophisticated stroll through Galeries Lafayette then onto a late lunch at Alain Ducasse, 25 Avenue de Montaigne, Paris

PS Now I know what it feels like to have a stylist come into your home. This is quite exciting and weirdly worrying too. Gosh if I didn't know the drill I'd be sick or weeping or both!

A/W 08 wish list

It's time to lay my cards on the table and share my planned A/W 08 purchases. I'll be sticking to my list as for the next 15 months I'll be an MA student and be down to one working day a week.

My must haves to update my wardrobe are a black leather jacket, so far my front runner is Muu:Baa number, £119. But I'll be checking out Zara and Warehouse.

Then to make my hot footing around town on my feet a breeze I'm plumping for Kurt Geiger black biker boots, £140 to work with trousers and skirts.

I'll be buying a pair of 7/8 trousers, Gap apparently have some for £35 which would be perfect if they fit. I find Gap sizing hit or miss depending on the cut. My final purchase will be a red sheer shirt from Jigsaw for £65. And that is my budget blown. Hard student times ahead!