Sneak peek at one of my first purchases...

Release Day! (and terms..)

Well, (and this is no April Fools) I've done it! One whole year of not buying clothes! Happy face (and Outfit Number 281):

Outfit No 281
Jacket - Zara (2012)
Shirt - Primark (2013)
Jeggings - Primark (2013)
Sunglasses - Ralph Lauren (2012)

The Challenge is complete. And for the last 18 hours and 53 minutes I have been ALLOWED to buy clothes, underwear, shoes, handbags, jewellery, sunglasses, socks, watches, scarves, headbands... the list goes on...

And what have I bought?  A flat white and a banana.

I bet you all thought that by now I'd be making a show of myself in Topshop: joyfully rolling around in a pile deliciously slinky kimono jackets...drunk on their silky goodness...mmmmm... 

But I'm not. 

(Although, on a side note, it has been somewhat agonising that my favourite thing in the world has become a raging trend.  Those babies are everywhere!  I would say I started it, but I don't think Anna Wintour has made a habit of reading this humble offering so I'd probably be lying.)

I wish I could say this show of restraint is due to my reformation: that I am changed woman; that a year of no shopping has left me a born-again sensible shopper and that you could let me loose in Urban Outfitters with complete and utter confidence, safe in the knowledge that I would come out carrying only the pumps that I had gone in for.    

But the truth is I'm terrified.  

Terrified that, if I start, I won't be able stop. The beast will be unleashed.

I'm really very proud that I've pulled this off.  I wasn't all that sure that I would.  And, not only did I manage to pull off 365 days of not buying a single 'wearable' item, I also managed to create 280(!) different outfits using the clothes I already owned (and occasionally borrowed, claimed and accepted as very kind and generous gifts...).  Pretty impressive going, I reckon.

I'm not gonna lie, it has been bloody hard. It's been a long hard winter and, despite my, admittedly rather excessive, wardrobe, there are still plenty of things that, after a year of fashion fasting, I could do with replacing.

It was with relish that I chucked my trusty but VERY well worn black pumps into the bin this morning (I intend to buy a replacement pair ASAP), pretty much every pair of boots that I own (and yes I own that I own a few) need a funeral or a trip to a very good cobblers,  moths have gotten the better of many of my favourite sweaters, my jeggings are starting to look faded and stretched, my ponchos have started to ball; my much loved faux fur is matted and worn, my favourite handbags have holes, and the last pair of glasses I can see out of have a wonky leg. 

So yes, of course, I am excitedly patting myself on my back for my fashion fasting achievement; I stuck it out! But at the same time I am giving myself a little slap... I might not have bought anything new but I have fallen pretty short on my promises of mending, making, selling and swapping (as well as, in recent months, my blogging).

You see, before The Challenge, when something broke or tore, I tended to simply buy something new to replace it. No 'make do and mend' for pre-challenge me.  Yes, of course, The Challenge made me 'make do' but it did little to kick start the 'mend' side of things. Nor did it do much to help me streamline my, frankly overwhelming, wardrobe (the sorting I did last Autumn was a start but nowhere near ruthless enough). 

So I've decided to use this opportunity of a new 'shopping year' to make a resolution or two... I'd like to think that my shopping habits have changed, that I would now go for quality instead of quantity, that I'd think more carefully before I buy and be much less impulsive than I once was, but I just don't know what is going to happen when I unleash the beast...(and oooooh I know how I have missed that feeling of wearing something new...)

In an effort to limit the potential damage of a shopping relapse, as well as to tackle my ridiculous wardrobe and hoarding tendencies head on, I am going to impose a set of rules (on second thought 'resolution' wasn't strong enough - who KEEPS those?) to get me through my first year out of shopaholics' rehab. The beast is still going to be unleashed, just fenced in a little... 


1. I am going to limit the number of purchases I am allowed to make this year (Help me out here? I originally thought 1 item a month would work... but I might need a few extra essentials this month following my year off... So maybe 4 items this month and then 1 a month from then on? Should I be allowed a 'roll over' if I don't make a purchase on a particular month?  Or perhaps it is would be easier just to say 20 items for the whole year?  What do you think? Also, I think I might not include underwear his time round.)

2.  Every fortnight I must dispose of (that is dump, sell or give away) at least ONE item from my wardrobe.

3. Before I go out on a shopping frenzy to replace sad looking boots or tired handbags etc. I will make sure they aren't salvageable.

4. For every new item purchased I must dispose of another old one.

Let me know your thoughts... I've got my debit card at the ready...

Over & Out

M x

January Blues

Outfit: 255

Day: Only 48 days left!

Well, it's now 2014 and, although I may not have been very good at keeping up with this blogging malarky so far, one thing I HAVE been good at in 2014 is NOT shopping... The Challenge is still going strong. In fact on the first of the month I hit the 8 month mark!  Get me!? Dead proud. 

My time at home in Ireland over Christmas brought me lots of yummy food, drink and lovely long and lazy catch ups, but, most importantly, it widened my wardrobe horizons considerably, thanks to a raid on the attic, my family's closets and, of course, some lovely Christmas pressies…

I spent days in this gorgeous Calvin Klein jumper of my dad's (I tried to sneak it back to London but unfortunately was intercepted at Leo Diamond customs…):

Outfit No 236 - Keeping Cosy in my dad's Calvin Klein

Jazzed it up for Christmas shopping with this scarf which I recently resurrected from a bin liner of old clothes and which has become a real 'go to' in recent weeks:

Outfit No 236
Scarf - Miss Selfridge (2009)

The scarf also had a starring role in this outfit which has become a night out staple of late:

Outfit No 237 
Lace Batwing - Never Fully Dressed (2012)
Scarf - Miss Selfridge (2009)
Necklace -Primark

Coat - Topshop from eBay (2013)
The mittens were a Christmas gift from my mama :)

And ANOTHER coat was dusted off… There really has been a bit of a red and black theme going on recently:

More Coat Love 

Coat - Motel (2008)

Boots - Schuh (2013)

I gave this rather festive looking dress its first whirl of the year on Christmas Day. If you can't wear a Christmas jumper then why not dress as a Christmas bauble instead?

Outfit No 238 - Christmas Day
Dress - Maisy (2010)

I'm gonna level with you, the last few weeks have not been easy... I'm tired.  Tired of winter and tired of my winter wardrobe.  Tired of finding moth holes in my favourite batwing sweaters and tired of the rain soaking my pumps. Tired of discovering new matted clumps in my fur and scuffs on my boots… Let's call it Fashion Fasting Melancholia (FFM), or just plain old January Blues...

Because without a shadow of doubt January brought with it a definite Fashion Fasting Rut in the form of a uniform of black leggings and jumpers:

Outfit No 247
Jumper - New Look (2012)
Boots - New Look (2009)
Socks - Topshop (2009)

I've been pretty reliant on outerwear to bring a little colour into my life:

Coat - New Look (2012)
Boots - New Look (2009)
Mittens - Topshop (2010)
Scarf - Zara Men (borrowed from my flatmate…thanks, Em!)

This FFM probably has a lot to do with why I have been MIA.  It's not much fun blogging about clothes that you are bored of wearing…

However, I did get a couple of nice little pieces for Christmas which have served as little rays of sunshine, brightening the dismal grey days of last few weeks. Not least this gorgeous cobalt blue cable knit jumper (Santa clearly read my last post) which has been given quite a few outings:

Christmas present joy for #therosewithnonewclothes

This beanie hat from Acessorize is also a new Christmas addition to my wardrobe and has been pretty much glued to my head as the only block between me and the curly Annie-esque hairdo that the weather INSISTS on trying to give me…

Outfit No 245
Jumper - Dunnes Stores

Beanie - Accessorize
Pumps - Office (2013)

This  skirt was a reject of my flatmate's (thanks Ais!) which, of course, I snapped up immediately… Well, you know what they say, 'One woman's tat is another woman's treasure.'  It is so cheery with the blue, I think. I do love a bit of trashtastic leopard print...

Outfit No 250

Tired of living in jeggings and skinny jeans, I unearthed my black harem trousers for the first time this season. 

Outfit No 253 
Floral Embossed Harem Pants - Zara (2013)
Silver Brogues - Steve Madden (2010)
Glasses - Gok Wan for Specsavers (2011)

I love how thrown together looking this outfit is.  Such random mixture of pieces but I think they really work together.  You might just think I look confused (I usually am) but I like it.

The embossed fabric of the trousers is actually pretty thick so they are really winter friendly:

Harem Trousers - Zara (2013)
Jumper - Dunnes
Shoes - Steve Madden (2010)

Also, been spending a lot of time wrapped up n the comfort of this fluffily collared leather jacket.  Definitely a current fave:

Wrapping up Outfit 253
Jacket - Zara 2012 

Santa also managed to kit me out with a nice new LBD.  A new dress for a new year.  Seemed only appropriate to rock it on NYE:

Outfit No 243 - NYE
Dress - Dunnes Stores

Bracelet - Topshop
(Another Christmas gift from my fab little mum)

But I'm really addicted to that gorgeous cobalt colour at the minute, relishing any opportunity to wear this silk number:

Outfit No 219
Dress - Topshop Boutique on eBay (2012)
Tights - New Look (2013)
Snakeprint shoes - Miss Selfridge (2013)

Gorgeous Cobalt Blue; the perfect cure for FFM...

Over & Out

M x