I’ve talking a lot recently about how my personal style has been changing. The other night, I was putting away a load of washing (okay, it was 3 loads…I’d been lazy!), and that 15 minute job morphed into 2 hours of wardrobe sorting. As I was putting things away, I was realising that there were pieces I hadn’t worn for, like, a really long time. Like 2 or 3 years in some cases. And things that I’d worn recently because I felt like I should because they hadn’t been worn for ages, but when I did wear them, I didn’t feel good in them.
I started chucking things into a pile. A pile marked “Charity Shop”. And that pile became an IKEA bag, an IKEA bag that I could barely carry down the stairs when I was finished. About half of my current wardrobe is now in that bag, including dresses I wore one time for a Christmas party but wouldn’t wear again (because they were only “Christmas party” worthy and I only have one of those a year) and things I’d sewn when I first started sewing but didn’t actually really like all that much (see my Eiffel Tower dress for an example).
I’ve had an image in my head for a while of how I see myself, and nowadays it’s not flouncy-dress-wearing or too much on the pin up side. It’s not crop tops and short-shorts, but it’s also not grown up office wear. I still like having fun with my clothes and I want to wear things that are flattering and make me feel my age but still “trendy”. I like some current trends, but not all of them. Most of all, I like feeling good in what I wear, and I haven’t been feeling that much lately.
So half my wardrobe is on its way out (some I may end up selling on eBay or Instagram or somewhere, so watch this space!), and I want to refill it slowly with things that I really want to wear. In the past few weeks, I’ve made a few purchases that are definite “I love this thing!” buys, including a pair of insanely awesomely fitting Levi jeans. I love them because they make me feel good, are comfortable, go with lots of things and still feel like they’re part of a trend. I don’t want to be a slave to fashion, but it’s only natural to want to fit in to some extent. I’ve never been one for just going along with trends, but because we see them around us so much, we are massively influenced by them. There are certain trends I will never get on board with, but others I feel like I can do, especially if they’re particularly flattering for my body shape.
I’ve just placed an ASOS order with a few pieces to restock a few holes in my wardrobe. As I’ve said before, Autumn is an awesome season fashion-wise for me. I’ve always loved snuggly jumpers, knitwear, tights and burnt autumn colours, but last year I found a new appreciation for boots and seasonal footwear. I’m on the lookout for more pieces like that this year, as well as a few basics to build up my recently depleted wardrobe.
So see above and below for some pieces I’ve recently bought or loved at ASOS. What are you buying this autumn?
