Wardrobe Architect Challenge – time to declutter!

Happy Friday lovely readers!

I’m so excited to see how many of you are coming to support my corner of the Internet from all parts of my life including lots of you fantastic fanimals and all you super sewists! Welcome all!

I am a hoarder. I admit it… I am one of life’s collectors, keepers, not throw away-ers and I’m starting to tire if it. I have begun to get excited about the idea of SPACE NOT STUFF and the thought of having clear shelf space or room to move around our little flat I think I’m finally becoming an adult!

Next week I am going to do an epic spring clean – I am going to send over 50% of my stuff to the local charity shops and maybe some items to eBay. It’s time to de clutter and I literally can’t wait but I’m away this weekend so I’ll have to wait… Dammit I don’t like waiting!! 😉

This brings me onto why I’m posting on my blog at 7am on a Friday morning… I have come across several sewing bloggers taking on the Wardrobe Architect challenge that the Coletterie started. It’s all about streamlining your clothes and accessories into what is your actual style and makes you feel good about yourself and also, the exciting part, making room and plans to sew up the missing parts. So I’m in!

MY GOAL : Declutter clothes and only leave what makes me feel good about myself and suits me, stop buying ‘fast fashion’ and sew things that fit into my style not just because it looks pretty!

One thing I have noticed the most since I started sewing my own clothes last September is my shopping habit has completely changed – radically so. I have always been a clothes shopping addict – I would spend hours online looking for eBay dresses, never be able to walk past Primark, H&M or Forever 21 without buying something and always head straight to the clothes rails at car boot sales and charity shops. Now I don’t. At all. The only things I have bought or wanted to buy since September 2014 are fabrics, notions, wool and things to MAKE clothes with. This, for me, is huge. I have still tried clothes on in the odd charity shop but look down and think “I’d love to make this” and put it back on the rail! YES I am a changed woman. TICK ON SHOPPING!

This is a great start to my wardrobe makeover – no more buying, no fast fashion, although I am still allowed vintage, I will always love vintage clothes.

The first thing Wardrobe Architect gets you to do is to look at your core style and what makes you wear what you wear. There are worksheets to fill in along the way but I won’t bore you with my answers just to say the words that came up the most were

Cosy, comfortable, monochrome, eccentric and eclectic

Which are the words I use to describe what I like to wear on a day by day basis. The first two are because I work a lot from home and like to just be warm and cosy in jumper dresses and yes, mainly pajama bottoms but when I step out the door I like to clash prints, wear a lot of stripes and spots mainly in monchrome or bright colours. My main palette is black and white and as you’re about to find out… That’s not going anywhere!

So here, as suggested by Colette is my Wardrobe Architect days to day style Pinterest board

Follow Gabby Young’s board Wardrobe Architect – my day to day style on Pinterest.

I asked my fiancé if he thought I had my style right when I showed him this board and he said it was spot on so I’m relieved that I have a grasp on what my style actually is. TBH I kind of expected to be totally unclear on this but I definitely have a black and white stripe addiction so I just started with that!! So now I have my usual day to day style sorted I can get busy with making my wardrobe compliment as that is what makes me feel good about myself and gives me confidence. I am actually very shy and lacking in confidence under all that stage makeup and frou frou so this is fully needed.

Who else is doing this challenge with me?

Anyone else want to join in?

And who’s in spring cleaning mode?!

I’m off to buy some black and white fabric (how have I not made anything in that yet?!!)

Love, stripes and spots,

Xox