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.

Emerging blinking into the light

I'll get round to telling you more about me in the following posts.  But just for starters, I wanted to post the reason for writing.

I never thought I'd start a 'Mummy blog'.  I never thought I'd be a mummy - that was never really the plan.  But now I am, and there are a lot of things I suddenly seem to need to say.  Even if no-one is reading them.

With my little biscuit now 14 months, and having returned to work in the City, I'm becoming increasingly aware that who I was a couple of years ago, isn't who I am now, or who I'm likely to be again.  I was a cocktail drinking, designer clothes wearing, new restaurant visiting, marathon running city girl.  I didn't live in an episode of Sex and the City, but at times it seemed like it.
Then I found myself pregnant by surprise (I was a bit old to be surprised in such a manner, but these things happen).
And what I had always seen as my life plan was thrown in the air.  My body isn't the same as it was, my social life definitely isn't, and I'm definitely not the superfit superwoman I used to be.
But I have discovered a new love for my home and my family, an interest in embroidery that surprised me, and a skill for organisation outside work that has given me pleasure.  I'm still trying on the new me for size, so I'm hoping that this blogging experiment will help me through the maze to find a new way of living that suits me, and my family.

Watch this space for items about fashion, style, keeping house, cooking, London finds, motherhood, exercise, work, relationships, happiness and many other musings on life, 

Happy reading,

Ali