I'm wearing each item in my wardrobe to see if I still like it

[TobleroneBoo]

Today is an Xmas gift from my DM. On paper, it should work. It's a dark and flowery dress - scuba material, and I tend to love anything floral

In reality, it rides up with every step I take and the armholes are funny

It's gone after today!

Anybody else want to join me?

Yesterday wasn't a day for experimentation, as I had lunch with super-stylish SIL, so went for tried-and-tested.

Today I have dug out a Laura Ashley collarless shirt - it's the most gorgeous aqua colour, which really suits me, and a great length. Wore with grey skinny jeans and grey leopard Superga. The shirt has a few pulls in it and is well worn, but it will live to fight another day, mainly because of the colour.

Morning
I am tried-and-tested today as I was not in the mood to try anything new for work after a lovely bank hol weekend!

Over the weekend I dug out a coral/red longsleeved long line t shirt thing and wore it with jeans. I never wear it because the previous "look" I had included it in was untucked over skinny jeans. It always clung too much and didn't skim over the lumps and bumps so I always felt like I was trying to breathe in all day when I wore it. However it goes with normal jeans too (I have now discovered) and I reckon I can wear it for work as well. Another win for me hurrah.

I think I will try a sheer-ish black patterned blouse tomorrow. I loved it in the fitting room but it's been hanging in my wardrobe for months while I try and remember what I liked about it . It'll get its chance tomorrow and if it doesn't make the grade - OOT IT SHALL GO!

Having a yoga and gardening day today, so not much chance of looking good! However, tomorrow is a work day, and it's turned really hot here, so I'm in a quandary as to what to wear. I've picked out a skirt I haven't worn in an age with a neutral top that's quite new but I'm not sure about the neckline. I also have a pair of wide legged trousers I could wear instead of the skirt - also not worn for a couple of years. I'll decide in the morning and see how the day goes (I could be on here regretting my decision by 10 o'clock).

Black maxi dress today - I do like it and bought it because I know it will be useful on holiday this summer, but I need better underwear with it as it feels/looks a bit clingy across my tummy.

Wore it with my trusty FCUK denim jacket.

Wore an old faithful today as it was pissing down and I couldn't be bothered faffing around. Glad I did as I have been soaked all day and risking an uncomfortable outfit on top of that would have tipped me over the edge

Fat Face straight legs and a Uniqlo patterned t-shirt today- the jeans need a button replacing and are a teeny bit tight but are a staple. The top is so boxy and wide necked my two year old seems to be trying to work out how to get in from the top and the bottom at the same time! So that's going. Need to check for others that are the same style as I tend to buy a few at the same time.

I put on a pair of Boden jeans this morning that are really too tight but I am going to use them as motivation. I know that's not really a good idea!

I found lots of dreary tops that I dread wearing. Clay-colored silk crepe, yuk, two that are too flimsy and loose, and boring navy tops. Never ever buy stuff thinking "this will do".

FF - I can't picture you in "dreary"!

Awesome thread! Some ideas that have worked for me: hang every coathanger 'backwards' then the right way round when you've worn it, then at the end of the year you know what needs to go. Alternatively once you've worn something hang it on the left of your wardrobe, then only pick from the right. For the last year or so I've been using instagram to log outfits instead of one of the apps www.instagram.com/wardrobemistresssg/ (am I allowed to link?) so I know when I last wore something. You can set your account to private if you don't want anyone else to see it!

Are you the wardrobe mistress Swebby? If so I'm mega impressed!

Are you the wardrobe mistress Swebby? If so I'm mega impressed!

Oh that is so kind! Yes that is me. It all started with me trying to get my own wardrobe together, now I help friends too - if I ever grow a pair I'd like to do it professionally, but that is a way off yet!

I was scrolling through trying to work out how many clothes you must have - I don't think I saw the same thing twice!

that's the helpful thing about taking the photos, it makes me wear EVERYTHING before I cycle around and start again :-)

Another Uniqlo t-shirt today, smaller size but also much more fitted. Phew, that means I'm not going to have to get rid of ALL of them (they have lovely prints but the boxy fit of yesterday's was awful).

I start from the RHS of my wardrobe and work left but I usually can remember if I've worn something this year. For me, this is a lot about

I need to wear my dresses more which means that in some seasons I'm going to have to get some neutral tights. The lightest colour I got from John Lewis looks like the awful American Tan tights we had to wear at school. What's a better source of - non laddering - 15 or so denier tights that will look fairly invisible on someone with Northern European colouring?

(Also v annoyed that John Lewis calls them "nude" and "tan". The 1970s wants their tights colour names back I think. They aren't either nude or tan on me and I'm pale skinned. They'd be even more wrongly named on someone dark skinned. Feel a tweet coming on).

Wow, Swebby, you have lots of amazing clothes! Do you find that taking the photos makes you buy less as you can scroll through and see an outfit that would suit an occasion?
I can only dream of having a wardrobe like that. I don't really like shopping as I am small and so much stuff needs to be altered I then feel dispirited. So I live in jeans and leggings.

Well, after organising myself last night and getting a couple of outfits together I'm actually wearing the wide leg trousers with a different top, as it's so hot here and I had to find short sleeves. The top is a Woolovers silk/cotton top in a lime green and I really like it. The trousers are fine, it's just a shame they're getting a bit old and threadbare. All in all a good outfit; I'm happy.

Drspouse: I am superlight skinned and I always found (good old) M&S the best for tights for my skin tone...
And thank you so much Miffyandme! Yes it comes in really really handy when I'm working out what to wear for a particular occasion. (I'm avoiding the 'buy less' question as I have, ahem, issues in that area I'm afraid )

Miffyandme: I don't know your taste but this website has general info on petite sizing on the UK high street - might help? highstreetfitfinder.com/petite-sizes/

I had a clear out yesterday and I'm left with 42 tops. 2 are for dissing about in/school run the rest are split between spangly for nights out and casual for day, plus half a dozen chiffon floaty tunic affairs that cover a multitude of sins.

Have I got it right or is there still some paring down to do?

We're downsizing soon and storage will be an issue.

Thanks Swebby! will pop in to M&S later I think.

I tend to avoid wearing dresses on cooler summer days which is daft as I like wearing them for work, and have several.

Swebby - thanks for that link, it's really useful! I'm much broader in my back and shoulders than I am tall, and although I have a tummy since two recent C-sections, bizarrely I'm not much bigger in the lower half, so I shall look at those for trousers. I have to size up on petite dresses.

The best nude tights I've found for my v pale skin are M&S Illusion.

I'm back to jeans and a t-shirt today (both keepers) - it's pissing down and we're trying to decide what to do this afternoon.

I agree on M and S tights too. Their socks are a false economy for me, I walk a lot and they just wore through in the soles.

Two for the price of one today! I found an old favourite top (very old - I have a photo of me wearing it at DD1's preschool, and she's doing GCSEs next year) - it's square-necked with a gathered front in a gorgeous retro print. Looks great with my wide leg black work trousers.

Then I was hunting for a cardigan to go with it. The purple one I used to wear with it has long since bitten the dust. I ended up with a cropped cotton cardi from Next in an "awkward" pea green colour which goes perfectly! new lease of life for both items.