I was once considered quite stylish...

[AnnetteTwitcher]

But for the past 5 years have been saving a flat deposit, then getting married, then having a baby then buying a house. Consequently I have no money and no clothes! (actually have a loft full of stuff which no longer fits and realistically never will again).

I work in fashion as well- how has this happened to me???

I love clothes and magazines and the shows and yet I went to work today in grey jeans and a White T-shirt that doesn't fit. Sometimes I look in the mirror and hate myself for being such a slob!

Does anyone else feel like this??? All want is to go shoppingshoppingshopping but I have so little disposable income or time and am so out of practise that whenever I step into a shop I just end up walking out empty handed telling myself off for being so shallow..

What have you done to get over the degradation small children have on your wardrobe?? !

Please tell me I'm not alone

Sorry devastation, not degradation!

Firstly ebay everything in your loft.

Do people still buy stuff on eBay? Everytime I go on there is just 'buy now' stuff- doesn't seem to be any private sellers?

How old are your DC's OP? If your youngest is less than a year old then you might still get into your clothes in the attic?? Perhaps? It took me just over a year, perhaps I am shallow too but the thought of getting back into my clothes did spur me on with my keep fit!

My rules meanwhile are never never throw away good shoes or handbags. I reckon you can put both with cheapish clothes if you need to and pull off something decent. I quite like a hunt around in second hand designer shops. I usually have an idea in my mind about what I want for the season (1 or 2 bits that will last) so I can be quite specific when I do go shopping?.also, a decent hair cut is a must, it gives you an instant lift.

I've always had the same theory- good shoes with simple clothes but what about good shoes which have never been very comfortable?? I've got 2 designer pairs which hobble me after 30mins but when I was young and frivolous I didn't care!

Ha! I save those shoes for weddings and nights out (when I still don't care!).

....In fact I love wearing those shoes again if I'm out without the DC's, it's like being the 'old me' again, just for the evening!

I am just getting things back, a bit, now my youngest of 3 is 2.5ys. And I suspect I was never at the style heights you were.

What helps is looking at lots of mags, looking at lots of websites then getting out there and trying, trying, trying. I am sad, but I go out for 2 hours in the evening to a mall and just try. I get more done in 2 hours than a day out with the kids.

I try and buy full outfits, but that is because I am rubbish at ad hoc putting pieces together.

If you are really scared, think of a shop where you like the clothes or would aspire to own clothes from it, and then go and get yourself one outfit from it.

Or think of a key 'trend' piece for this year, like a camel coat, something in navy etc and first off just aim to get that for yourself. Once you break your duck on one item, I bet it comes flooding back. I really wanted a blazer this summer and tried loads before I got one in Gap. I love it and have had lots of comments and have been able to build outfits on the basis of it.

Oh yeah, hang out on here and if you find a poster whose links and descriptions you like, follow their posts. Tethersends linked to a M&S dress and I got it, and honestly it was the first dress I had bought in 10 years and got me back into dresses!

OP I could be you. I dont work in fashion but in my twenties was considerd stylish (and on a reasonable budget as well) I also have mortgage and childcare costs so hence v litle disposable income.
Since I had my DD (2) I had totally lost my style mojo but temporarily got it back via Whistles with some Topshop additions.

Whistles is pricey but a couple of dresses (1 day and 1 night) and a coat and a few Topshop bits and you have something smart to wear most of the time. I was seriously depriving myself and only shopping cheaply but realised that I needed a couple of decent things for my self esteem (I am aware that sounds shallow but really I felt low in all my horrible clothes)

I am size 12 and curvy and have a version of the 1st dress under Evening dresses (in plain navy) and under Day Dresses the Claudia Hexagaon one.

www.whistles.co.uk/fcp/categorylist/dept/Dresses?resetFilters=true

Am now exactly style central but am passable.
Am now expecting again so am facing into another year and a half of dressing like Ronnie from Eastenders - leggings and crappy long tshirts.

Meant am not exactly style central rather than am now style central - am most definitely not.

By the way dont go to the thread about 'avidly' buying. They are all spending a fortune on Houlihans and Marc Jacobs etc and it will just depress you.

whitehorn - feel I should just defend the W & A honour!

The last clothes links on that thread (on which I am fairly obviously a regular poster) were:

Next
Wallis
Mint Velvet
Asos
Very

Now - there are also some links to pretty expensive boots as well - but the thread covers a range of tastes and budgets. If the OP (not saying she should/would btw!) were to post then she wouldn't get people on their telling her to buy £500 frocks from NAP. The last items I posted about were bought from Help the Aged on Saturday!! Its generally about sharing ideas on what looks good - and sometimes they are bargains....

there - not 'their'

Notyummy
Fair enough, I havent read the whole thing but ran a mile when I saw a SAHM talking about super expensive clothes.

No problem Whitehorn - I am sure there are people on there with fairly large disposable incomes on there. I treat those posts like I do with the fasion pages of some glossy - nice for ideas and to stare out...but not for me! I find there is more that I can afford than I can't IFYSWIM.

Loving the whistles recommendation- good for work, good for going out- clothes that work hard for their money are exactly what I need!

I did look on the avidly buying thread and, believe me, have nothing against the most expensive of purchases- it's more that now every penny goes on childcare, mortgage, saving for another blah blah that even when I decide to take a bit out of my savings and bite the bullet I have no idea where to start!

Does anyone still buy off eBay? I'm quite tempted to flog a load of the 'archive' to generate some more cash..

Yup - sell your old clothes! Anything designer in good nick I would take to a local dress agency boutique first - you can agree prices and if it doesn't sell then ebay it later.

Other stuff - ebay it. I made £100 last week after a clear out of 20 items or so the best of which was an unworn French Connection vest dress, the worst a Paul and Joe Tshirt I got free with a magazine and a hideous Dorothy Perkins tunic I bought in a sale. Make sure you don't underquote on postage that's my only warning.

I have also bought many things on ebay second hand including a gorg D&G wool tube dress that is my fave for winter evenings and some Prada wedges that were a mistake at £60 (but I sold them in my local dress agency and got £50 back so not too bad )

Just asking, Beachy (sorry to side-track), but I'm wondering how much time and effort it took to make that £100?
It works out at £5 an item, which is about what I made last time I tried.
I'm probably hideously inefficient, but I found it such a fag I now just give everything to charity.

Ooo that's encouraging! I've got numerous old things from brands like toast/all saints/Paul and Joe/ levis etc that I could stick on eBay! I'm going to give it a whirl, I expect it will take all weekend to photograph but will stick a link up when listed in case anyone fancies a snout..(are you allowed to do that by mumsnet?)

WhatsWrong probably took about an hour to put it on the site including taking photos and weighing stuff on the kitchen scales to calculate postage - I do bulk sells every couple of months 20+ items, (I actually made £160 but the other £60 was 2 non-clothes items so i knocked that off the above) I only do it when I know i will get £100+ to make it worthwhile.

Then probably an hour to pack it and a big trip to the Post Office! (Top tip for packaging - use plastic bags and parcel tape - posh plastic bags can look nice, are strong and waterproof and save you money on buying special jiffy bags or brown paper - bet you've got hundreds in the bottom of your wardrobe )

If you are super busy (and not skint!) it may not be worth it but if you search for things similar that are on there and see what they make you can concentrate on selling higher value bits - Coast, Monsoon and Karen Millen make a fair whack (I've got £50ish in the past for dresses from those brands).

I think it's worth it - 2/3 hours for £160 swaps a load of crap I don't want for a new dress, new cardi, tights stash and leather winter boots for me, new jazz shoes for my DD and a new lid for my food processor - happy days

I always see ebay money as "free" or like swapping old stuff for new. Good luck with it Annette

Ah yes it probably was my incompetence then .
thanks for the tips - think I'll try again and focus.

What about this Topshop dress - with the bag and blazer shown that would be a nice mix and match option.

www.topshop.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?beginIndex=0&viewAllFlag=&catalogId=33057&storeId=12556&categoryId=209722&parent_category_rn=208523&productId=1916724&langId=-1

Can't say enough good things about Whistles annettetwitcher, yes pricey but worth it

I definitely lost my sense of style after having ds2 - the weight took longer to come off and I just sank into a boden/hotchpotch slump.

For me it was after having DD that I got a bit more interested in clothes again.

Like NY - I post on the avid thread and did try on the houlihans - not for my thighs though

I tend to spend on bags but not so much on the rest. I like New Look for bargains - got a lovely navy military style pea coat for £40 which looks way more expensive.

Also m&s autograph/ltd collection have got some nice stuff in at the moment - a nice knitted dress for around £40.

And grey skinnies, a white t-shirt and a good jacket and scarf would be a good look

I do also find ordering online works better for me as can they try on at home and deliberate and see if it works with other stuff I have.

Ooops, just realised, it was traceybath not tethersend who posted about the M&S limited dress over the summer! Thanks.

I always perk up when I see a post from your or tethersend.

Tracey is style central

It makes a pleasant change form dirty nappies and potty-training - such is the glamour of my life.