and the meeting was good thanks. Ok so the inclusion manager lived a little up to her scary title, but on the whole it was helpful. hopefully she will implement some things that will help Miss K's confidence at school, thus limiting the number of "headaches" because there's a presentation/test/anything at all.... the next day............ baby steps, that's what we need to take. but boy is it hard to know where to be on the line between "I know it's scary, and it's ok you don't have to do it" and "look it's fine, just do it, and then next time it will be easier" ...........
so back to the changing room challenge. disaster. hopeless. awful. I put on three different outfits this morning, and I really don't have time in the mornings for stuff like that. and looked awful in all of them. one jumper, which, when I think back I'm sure I have photos of me wearing when pregnant with Miss K, looked so awful I was truly shocked. like did I never look in the mirror when wearing it before. It might even be decreed to awful for gardening. which is a shame because it's comfy. but. pretty soon my children will be at the age they will be embarrassed by my fashion style - or lack of! need to improve before it's too late.
so what happens - I take a long hard look at everything hanging in the cupboard, and what do I see - horrible dirgy, depressing colours, with one nice red jumper.
no wonder I think I look awful, the colours are enough to depress anyone........
I need some nice colours. urgently. like right now.
which means I have to go shopping. I'm hopeless at clothes shopping
HELP - where do I go?
Well, as you'll no doubt have noticed practically all my clothes come from the one shop, so I'm in no real position to advise you! Are there any of the things you have that you like, but in a different way? I had a few maxi skirts that I'd bought a while ago - 'a while' meaning pre-children - that just hung there, taking space: eventually I shortened them (or had them shortened, depending on the fabric) and became a lot happier with them!
ReplyDeleteI do like charity shops as a way of trying new colours - as I said on another blog this morning, I think if you spend £3 on something and then realise it didn't work, you can take it back to the shop without guilt, having donated £3 to charity.
But on occasions I've ordered a random load of stuff online, including things that I'm sure I won't like or suit, making sure it's free delivery and free returns, so I can try it on and send it back. Usually I end up keeping the opposite of what I expect.
Besides your wardrobe is really colourful! We haven't seen you in any of it yet, give us a chance to decide if it's so dreadful.
ReplyDeleteAnd sympathies with Miss K. Wasn't parenting supposed to get easier?
The outfit with turtles looks very promising!
ReplyDeleteI know what you ean though. I need to take a pic today but since it's basically a rerun of what I wore a couple of days ago but in different colours, I'm not sure I can be bothered.
I'm planning to go and look in TK Maxx next week. And Oxfam.
This sounds like a fun way to re-energise your wardrobe! I, too have found great things in charity shops (M & S stuff, Monsoon etc), I am pretty fussy when it comes to clothes and like to get something that is quite different and now that I work from home I don't have to wear jackets and skirts every day. I also like Boden but only in the sale, H and M occasionally, and M and S Per Una range - again on sale usually. I hope you have great success in finding things you like - sounds like a Trinny and Susannah moment!!
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend.
I so feel for Miss K and also for you as a parent. Although I think my daughter is a little younger, we have the same thing with her and psychosomatic illnesses whenever she's feeling anxious (which is often as she's very shy) - it's really hard knowing how much to push things, particulary when instinct is that you'd really like to take them away from all the awful day-to-day challenges, even though that may not be the best thing long-term.
ReplyDeleteIt's horrible too to find yourself in the midst of a wardrobe crisis. I think Gap are good though - they're always reasonably priced and well made and their range of plain jumpers and cardigans always looks simple and chic. But like some of the others have said - your own wardrobe is probably home to lots of lovelies.
I admire your courage though - I'm not sure I could face photographing myself each day.
Florence x
I'm glad baby steps have started to be taken. Before you know it, they will be giant strides.
ReplyDeleteAs for clothes, I, too, hate clothes shopping and I stick to White Stuff (just not very much of it!), which I feel confident in and suits my height (I'm pretty tall!) and frame. I just rotate a couple of tops through the week.
Oh, and Next jeans fit me like a dream... again, 2 pairs...one on, one in the wash!
Glad your school meeting went well Tess, you're right it is a fine line we tread as parents. As for clothes shopping I have to say I can't bear it either and always ordered stuff online in the past to avoid the whole changing room frustration situation. Not so easy in Canada!
ReplyDeleteI too have the same problem with my daughter, even though she is only 5 I have the same issues, how far to push her, how much to protect her!
ReplyDeleteWhy not try a trip to Debenhams and book a personal shopper, you don't have to buy anything but they give you a good idea of what styles and colours suit you.
Vanessa x
Hi sweetie, check out Gap, they do some great reasonably priced basic tops and trousers, which you can mix and match. And maybe get a denim or cord knee length skirt that you can wear with the Gap tops, tights and boots? I think Dorothy Perkins do brilliant jeans, and so do Per Una at marks and spencer.I tend to wear jeans and boots all week to work with a variety of tops from White Stuff, Gap M & S and Next.
ReplyDeleteHaving said all of that, I am no fashion guru! I always tend to dress casually and comfy. I cannot do dressing up anymore, since I got rid of all of my work suits and black trousers etc.etc.c
By the way, I really like the red cashmere cardi!!
ReplyDeletex
I can't help you with clothes I'm afraid, I live in 1 pair of jeans, 2 tops and a hoodie , oh , and a pair of slobs ( that's between us though ok )so your wardrobe looks fine to me
ReplyDeleteWhen you get the clothing thing figured out, will you let me know? Because I'm pretty tired of my wardrobe, too.
ReplyDeleteFor that matter, when you get the parenting thing worked out...???
But I'm with Dotty C - I want to see that turtle item, too. xoxoxo
Gosh I think I would be too scared to try the changing room challenge! Having said that, about five years ago I stopped living in jeans and fleeces and started to think hard about what I liked to wear. I invested in some knee high boots which I wear with various full skirts, for winter, teamed with long-sleeved t-shirts (anything that needs ironing is unlikely to get worn!) and hand-knitted sweaters and cardigans. I also made a conscious decision never to wear black, and that has freed up my sense of adventure enormously. I wear brown and grey as my "neutral" colour a lot, with the odd bit of dark blue. As to where to shop - almost all from charity shops, the odd bit from ebay and pass-me-ons, plus I make my own stuff, particularly dresses and skirts. I hope that gives you some help!
ReplyDeleteI'm awful at dressing myself - everyone I know seem to be able to pull it off with no effort at all, but I am utterly useless so I can competely understand where you're coming from. The red jumper does look nice though.
ReplyDeletetake care and I'm glad the meeting went well - as you say, small steps.
Nina xx
i actually went into Debenhams today there was some quite nice stuff in the john rocha bit in the sale -- i actually bought a top
ReplyDeleteHope you managed to go shopping and found something nice. I have no advice as I haven't really bought anything of significance in UK for about 4 years (other than superfinds at the charity shops). After pregnancy & first year of motherhood I went shopping for cloths and am still in shock at the prices two years later.
ReplyDeleteHave you tried White Stuff? They always have gorgeous prints and colours. I have to admit though that during the week I have a kind of uniform of long sleeved t-shirts from m&s, jeans and a fleece! Not very glamourous!! Glad the inclusion manager didn't bite you!!!! ;-) x
ReplyDeleteActually, it looks pretty bright to me -- the wardrobe, that is. Lots of red.
ReplyDeleteHope things are better for Miss K --