Minimalist or maximalist?

Am I a minimalist or a maximalist?  I’ve been asking myself recently.

On the minimalist side, when reading blogs, I’m often drawn to those where people are writing about de-cluttering and simplifying.  The idea and concept of a good tidy out is something that makes me very, very happy indeed.   I find nothing more therapeutic than sorting through, arranging, and optimising my wardrobe, drawers, bookshelves and storage cupboards.  I find sorting through piles of things stressful, whether it be piles of paper on my desk at work, or the stock of DVDs in the cupboard that have yet again got in a mess.  And the piles of paper that my husband leaves in various locations around the house drive me absolutely crazy. 

Mental clutter is also draining to me.  I have to write tasks down, rather than carrying them around in my head.  And I have to get them done.  If something is never going to be done, I delete it from both the list and my head.  Otherwise it weighs me down.

But, and this is a very big but...I often find myself vehemently disagreeing with the ideas in some of the more extreme minimalist blogs.  The idea of a kitchen with nothing on the surfaces, no indication that you may get fed, no signs of life is absolute anathema to me.  The very expensive ‘perfect’ modern sleek kitchens in the showrooms along Wigmore Street in London (such as this Poggenpohl example), bring me out in a rash and make me want to run in there and get out all my baking kit and throw flour around.

Likewise with my clothes, I do understand that some people have the ability to live with a couple of pairs of jeans and a couple of t-shirts.  But I don’t, and forcing myself to do that feels as if I would be trying to be something I’m not.  I’ve thought about this a lot, and I genuinely don’t believe that I use clothes to compensate for some other failing, or to hide behind.  I just love them.  Ever since I was a tiny girl I’ve loved going shopping, and thinking about dresses and clothes.  At the age of 8 or 9 I wrote a story in which I described what the twin heroines were wearing in the greatest detail!

Decor-wise, I could not live in this (how depressing!):

And I absolutely love this kitchen from Real Living magazine with its open shelves and 'unnecessary' objects on display:

So – too much is too much, but not much is definitely not enough.   I suppose at heart I’m an organised maximalist.  I love things, I love houses that have evidence of life, I love surfaces that are decorated, and walls that are hung with paintings.  I love clothes, jewellery and shoes, and playing with these.  I love kitchens that are full of life.  To me, objects and things have a life of their own, and deserve to be treasured, used and displayed.

But like all things with life, when they are lost as part of a crowd, when they are subsumed into an amorphous mass and can’t be engaged with, they lose what makes them special.  So a surface with artfully arranged vases and items, however full, can be special.  A surface covered with unopened post, keys, discarded items, will never be.  A wardrobe full of beautiful clothes, arranged and properly hung, where each item is visible and fits into a coherent whole, where each item fits and suits, is wonderful, no matter how extensive.  Even a small pile of tattered, unloved clothes is depressing. 

So go ahead and analyse your possessions.  Keep only what you love, or know to be useful.  For some of you it may be more, for some, less.  Your kitchen may only have a few items in it, if you’re not a keen cook.  Others may have a kitchen like mine, which is full of equipment, but with all of it loved and used. 

Get rid of those piles of clutter, the unopened bills, the mental clutter of the never done items on the to do list.  Tidy the DVDs and get rid of the ones that aren’t watched.   And slowly you may reach your optimum stuff/space balance.

I’m not there yet, but I am working on it.  My next post will be about some work I’m doing on my wardrobe.   I’d be really interested to hear what you think. 

Style identification

I've always envied people with a very definite sense of style, who seem to have picked a look that works for them and made it their own.
I'm natually a bit of a magpie when it comes to style.  Drawn automatically to anything chic and elegant, I nonetheless shy away from anything too classic when it comes to my own wardrobe.  Black trouser suits, beige trenchcoast, Kate Middleton style 'little dresses' all leave me cold and unmoved, whilst I am drawn to anything quirky or slighly unusual like a bear to honey!
I love vintage style, have a definite rock chick side, but also need to look smart, businesslike and together for many of my daily dealings.  It all gets a little confusing at times - and leads to a large wardrobe!

So recently, I've tried to define a bit more closely what my style really is.  Not what I'd like it to be in a parallel universe, nor what I love on other people.  Or what looks lovely in the shop.
After a great deal of thought, I've realised that really, I would like my look to combine a feel of that groomed, glossy, but hip NY chic, with Parisien style and quirkiness.
Olivia Palermo embodies the NY chic and always looks amazing

(source: style.com) 

http://www.style.com/peopleparties/celebritysearch/person4336/slideshow?iphoto=39

And I adore the unusual and very feminine look here:

(source: The Sartorialist)

http://www.thesartorialist.com/photos/on-the-street-jardin-des-tuileries-paris-3/

And the relaxed chic of this image is exactly how I'd like to look in the office:

(source: The Sartorialist)

http://www.thesartorialist.com/archives/page/201110/

Based on this I've put together a list of 'rules' for myself, for shopping, for dressing, for wardrobe sorting.

1) When in doubt, go with black or navy. Particularly navy.  But black or navy suits, particularly trouser suits must be avoided at all costs.
2) Heels and skinny trousers/jeans always work
3) A blazer is an absolute essential
4) A black coat can often make the most chic outfit look simply boring.  Unless the outfit is all black and the coat is amazing.
5) Too tight is never a good look.  Neither is loose and baggy.
6) Dresses are fabulous for work to avoid looking like a corporate clone
7) A good belt can make the outfit
8) Don't follow the herd
9) The right shoes are essential.  And the right shoes are never sensible black leather courts.
10) Think age appropriate minus 10 years
11) If a winter outfit looks conservative, add shoe boots

It was supposed to be a list of 10, but I couldn't resist adding the last!

What do you think - any other 'commandments for dressing' that you swear by?

More decluttering

After the initial clear out of my wardrobe and listing more or less every item I own, I've realised that there is still more scope for further rationalisation and editing to really get to grips with what fits, suits and works for me now. I am still hanging onto some things that don't fit with my life as it is now - and all they are doing is dragging me down.

After the initial clear out, where decisions were usually quite easy and made on the basis of a gut reaction, further clearing has needed to be a little more analytical to get to what really works for me, what I genuinely love, plus identifying those key basics and making sure they are as good as can be.

I found a series of 5 questions really useful.

1) Does it fit? Will it ever fit me?
Things that were on the small side even pre-pregnancy are never going to fit again. And if miraculously I do ever shrink back to that size again, I shall take great pleasure in going out and shopping for new size 10s!

2) Do I love it?
This was the catalyst for a lot of throwing out. Things that are blah, or that don't make me look forward to wearing them are gone. That was particularly therapeutic.

3) Have I worn it recently?
This was a bit of an odd question to answer as I haven't really worn any of my summer clothes for 2 years, and some of my winter clothes too (it really hasn't been that cold here this year). But the question did help me weed out some things that I just haven't had occasion to wear for several years. They had to go - no hanging on to a life I no longer have!

4) does it suit me?
Maybe a second pair of eyes is needed here, but I decided that the majority of my clothes do genuinely suit me.

5) Does it represent me?
This was a great, but difficult question. I have some lovely pieces, such as a pale blue cashmere cardigan, which on reflection just aren't 'me'. They are either too conservative,the wrong colour to go with the rest of my clothes, too fussy, too boho. I found I had to be really honest with myself on this question as I really love some of the things that fall into this category, and also some of the sound, on paper, like I should have them. I'm thinking of the black trouser suit here. Never worn, but hung onto anyway because it's supposedly a basic. Wrong answer! The cardigan and the suit both went.

I found for the last question it was very useful that I'd already tried to define my style. I'll share my definitions in a separate blog another day, but in the meantime I'd love to hear how you'd define your style.

Just Do It

I’ve been having an errand declutter.  You know the sort of thing – those annoying little jobs that seem to sit on the to-do list for weeks on end, never entirely getting resolved, but niggling away in the background.

Things like taking my dress and scarf to the drycleaners

Getting my shoes re-heeled

Writing and posting my Christmas cards

Listing those dresses and handbags left over from my wardrobe clear-out on Ebay.

And I feel so much better for sorting out the small things.  Not just because my to-do list is shorter, but also because the mental clutter, the low level noise in my brain that comes from thinking about these things, is gone. 

This de-cluttering lark isn’t just about having a tidy wardrobe, tidy desk, tidy house.  They are just components of the overall aim of having a serene, comfortable, fulfilling life. 

So from now on, all those little tasks, those that will take only 15 mins or so, are going to be done without procrastination.

What about you - any ideas on further areas of chaos and clutter that may be weighing us down?

Wardrobe management

I've done a lot of clearing out over the last few months, getting rid of things that are very much no longer 'me'.  Things that I loved, but that really, a 40 year old mother probably shouldn't (can't?) wear.  The very short See by Chloe sequined mini springs to mind (happily shipped via Ebay to an excited new owner).
Conversely I've got rid of things that make me feel old.  The navy blue knee length sweater dress is one of them.

And this week I've been trying to document what remains.  Two things are obvious.
1) I have a lot of clothes
2) There are some amazing clothes that I never wear

So I've spent time coming up with outfits from my documented list.  At the moment, most of the outfits on there are tried and tested combinations and things I wear anyway.  But I'm marking each item as it gets used in an outfit, and trying to find ways of wearing each item.  That way I'm hoping that I can identify items (or even groups of items) that I don't really ever wear.
Maybe its because it doesn't fit with my lifestyle, maybe I don't have the right things to go with it.  Or maybe its because I love it, but it just isn't me or my style.
The first and third categories I will be being brutally honest and getting rid of those things that don't work.
And I've already identified a couple of wardrobe gaps that will enable me to make outfits out of some of those poor neglected pieces.

Maybe wardrobe planning is the way to go after all?