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

Definitely sell your old clothes on eBay rather than have them put away in the attic.
I'm another one who returned the Houlihans ... and don't buy much of the stuff I link to on the W&A thread.

Check out the Outnet, you can often get bargains there.

I know what you mean, I lost my mojo big time.

Also, I moved from tropics back to London and had to get a different wardrobe on next to no money and with the last stone of the four stone I'd put on

My tips.

I wear dresses. They suit me as I am short and a busty size 10-12. I wear Issa, Temperley, DVF and cheapo topshop wraps. I either sell my expensive dresses on ebay and buy another expensive one, so I'm not out of pocket

Palazzo trousers. Suit everyone. Look nice with tighter tops, even forties style tops. But avoid black on black. Too draining.

Cashmere tops - uniqlo are cheap. T-shirts in muted pale colours - you can get Splendid and C&C and Vince/James Perse on ebay as

I'm always tracking down silk jersey and cashmere - anything that feels soft and luxurious. Farhi, Margaret Howell, Smedley Sea Island Cotton good to look out for on ebay.

Shoes - flats don't suit me, though of course you have to have a couple of pairs (I still sling a toddler so need flats) Robert Clergerie, Bloch, Pied a Terre, Chie Mihara etc etc are nice. Can get good non-worn shoes from US eBay. I also like brightly coloured shoes. Kurt Geiger good for that.

Vintage. Vintage dresses, coats are nice and mark you out of the crowd. I;ve also got about 4 african print dresses a friend makes for me. I get someone asking me where I got

If you;re not slim, I'd avoid jeans. Sorry. I have a pair of skinnies, I do sometimes wear them, but you know what, they don't suit me. And I'm not massive. I'm short and thick of thigh and they;re just not right so I'm planning to chuck em.

Only thing I splashed out on was a Burberry trench. Fuck me it was eye watering but I still had cash from a bonus left over and it went on that rather than toys!

M&S autograph i think is good. And I like that their size 10s are HUGE -- makes me feel good. Whistles also good. Jigsaw is mumsy.

Try to avoid the mums' uniform of baggy arsed jean/Boden/smocks/converse/birkies. I'm not saying those things aren't in and of themselves stylish, but sometimes I pick something up/look at something on eBay and if I think it's East Dulwich Mumsy, I steer clear. Not because it's horrible, but because I don't feel different, or like me.

Very much liking the sound of Otchayaniye's wardrobe

thanks traceybath - it needs an overhaul again.

I don't think I'm stylish and I don't think I'm fashionable - all that boxy eighties stuff and skinny legs/Brideshead slothes are absolutely atrocious on me.

But I do feel nice in a dress/good trousers and nice quirky shoes.

I kind of keep it a bit more forties/fifties with one nice expensive thing on. And also chuck out/eBay stuff you don't wear, or that's too tight. Be ruthless!

This stretches to what to wear to what I call 'schlummuck' about at home in. M&S silk pyjamas, cheap Ghost trousers off eBay and nice Ghost tops/cashmere cardi/wrap dress.