Getting out of my comfort zone

Karmacat

Could well be true. I don't agree with everything he says, but he *really* talks a lot of sense. And for somebody like me who's lived on the fringes of conventional fashion, its a really good catchup, *and* its bringing me more towards the right age group.

Hope you've had a nice day

se999

Gilligan - it's a matter of time and effort to get a new look, and fine tuning as you go along after too, plus fashions change!! Why not go through your old wardrobe and put piles into nice, OK and yuk!, then fine tune. Yuk's should go asap

Going through your whole lot of clothes and trying them on in front of a mirror is wonderful for increased donations to charity shops

Unfortunately as we get older basic maintenance to get a good effect seems to take more time and effort, but it does work, and when you look better the confidence increases and you feel better too, well that's how it's been for me

gilligansyle

Thanks folks, the problem with my existing wardrobe is that I don't think much of it suits me! I also have NO mirrors other than make up mirrors in my house, which in itself actually speaks volumes. Well, I do have one on my dressing table, but its draped in scarves and I have learned never to look into it.

I think I've got the work thing sussed, and probably the 'going out', its the casual, weekend things that I have a problem with.

I think I'll draft in a friend, that usually helps focus. Charity shops will be doing very well out of me I think, they've already got all the stuff that doesn't fit, or is so old its out of date.

Made me chuckle, I think it was Souk who was writing about a job that was coming up in a sports store, and she won't consider it because it means wearing track suits.

Haven't done much today, Mum wanted to go shopping, but the weather was absolutely awful, so I just did her shopping and took it to her. Then had to dash back for my grocery delivery.

Need to open fridge and see what jumps out and says 'cook me'.

savingholmes

Hi Gill - Gok is definitely a good place to start... I have completely gone thro my wardrobe this year - but dropping down to 1400 calories a day has done the most for my self-esteem - radical but effective. With a 2 stone weight loss I get compliments every day....

What I like about Gok tho is he is very good at getting people to dress for their shape... I was always told dress for the job you want - not the one you've got so perhaps consider your wardrobe as an investment in your career - it may help ease the guilt....

se999

I think investing in a full length mirror would be good. Putting it in a position where you can stand back and look at the clothes makes it work best. Sometimes things look Ok close up, but not from a distance. One of the things I've learnt recently is not to rely on the mirrors in the changing cubicles in shops, you need to look from a distance into the mirror to get the real 'look'. Current hotel has a good one in the room, and checking how things look especially when trying new combinations is brilliant.

gilligansyle

Thanks se and sh

I think I live in a different world - I have never tried anything on in a shop, precisely because they have mirrors in the changing rooms! The hotel I stay in has a full length mirror, and I hang my coat on top of it :oso that I can't see myself. I hate going to the hairdressers, as it means staring at myself for an hour. The most recent photo of me, was taken at my sisters 40th, and she's now 50.


I think the dressing for my shape is the key, technically, I am a short hourglass, so need to be careful not to end up looking dumpy. Most things I read seem to favour showing off cleavage, which is a definite no-no. Gok also advises wearing kitten heels.
I was watching the girls over the road yesterday, both sisters are in their twenties, have always been on the large side, around size 16-18 I guess. One always looks stunning, the other doesn't and it is purely down to clothes choice.

Money stuff

Grocery delivery yesterday, so well stocked up on basics etc.
Other spends:-
6.50 Netto - cleaning stuff
3.25 butchers
1.80 cake from Sayers

cash in purse 51.50

se999

I think to get the clothes right you've got to get used to mirrors. Otherwise if you rely on friends you'll end up dressing according to their taste not yours. Also some people don't actually like saying that something looks awful, especially if you've fallen in love with it on the hanger. I don't think there's really a way around using mirrors to see if things fit right etc., and then when it comes to if they flatter even more so. Lots of outifts I try on theoretically would work, but then the fit isn't quite right, or the neckline. With trying new combinations of items already in the wardrobe, some things should work but you just go YUK.

Maybe start with a mirror at home, and then work up to ones in the shops. Or get into a routine in the hotel room of a quick outfit check in the morning before you leave the room.

I'm trying to get over my hatred of having my photo taken too.

Karmacat

Morning! Ouch, I didn't realise about the mirrors. Mind you, it gives me a shock to see myself in photos in a side view. I look how I think I look, more or less, from the front (apart from when I'm smiling too widely, and then I really do look like Cilla Black ) but from the side, as the jawline has gone, I hate it. Doesn't stop me pretending to be glam, but I hate it.

And, erm, I'm just going to come out with this: there's a photo of you taken in March of this year - I didn't lose my Liverpool pix after all when the laptop went in for repair, because it was only the lead, not the laptop. There's a definite "oh bleep, she's got her camera out" look, but its actually a really *cute* oh bleep look do you want me to send it? I'm shutting down in a fairly short space of time, off to my sister's to a National Trust walkabout, but I'll do it later if I don't hear from you before I shut down.

((((((((((((((gilligansyle)))))))))))))))))))

se999

At one point I never tried on clothes in shops too, the confidence went when I put on weight. I lost the weight and went shopping with OH and gradually built up the confidence again, but it took time, and I did it in stages as the confidence grew. Basically it was in finding shops that weren't busy, and also not too threatening (i.e. avoided ones catering mainly to skinny young things or overly attentive shop assistants) - now I'll go in any shop I want to if there's something in a style I think will work. It was only last autumn that I went clothes shopping by myself for the first time in years, admittedly I do prefer shopping with OH as he is very honest with his opinions.

gilligansyle

Se - you are so right. I've never been a big fan of shopping anyway, but once I put weight on, what bit of confidence I had disappeared. I'll just take it easy, in fact I've dragged out my sewing machine and in the bottom of it are some brown paper patterns that were once for my size. Even though I'm now bigger, I think the proportions are probably still the same, so will look for a pattern book that's about making stuff for your own size. That way I can also improve my dressmaking skills.

Another thing on my list - my good sewing machine was 'lent' to a friend of Mum's years ago, and never came back. This one is my trusty Singer, but I may look out for a second hand one.