My 2016 Style Journey

It took me a long time to pluck up the courage to start this blog. I’ve written online before, but back in those days it was under an alias, and it was strictly just writing. It’s always been a strange conflict within me – the urge to write down everything that’s in my head and publish it, versus the crippling fear that someone will read it and deem it claptrap!! So the idea, then, of not only putting my name to my ramblings, but to photograph myself and regularly publish them on t’Internet for all to see and judge, was petrifying. I was absolutely convinced people would decide I was the epitome of vanity, or assume I must think the sun shone out of my backside if I thought anyone would be the slightest bit interested in what I wore today. But the fact is, I just love clothes. I love how they look, I love putting together an outfit, I love how a beautifully crafted piece can make you feel like a million dollars. And I love sharing that with people.

Thankfully, my experiences so far have only been positive. It’s provided me with just what I set out for – a creative outlet paired with an opportunity to engage with like minded people. But there is another plus side I hadn’t thought about. A blog acts as a diary of sorts and it’s fascinating to look back over the past year and see what path your life took. This is particularly apparent when it comes to your style, thanks to the photographic evidence! Even at the grand old age of 33 I find my tastes and personal style change and evolve all the time and it’s really interesting to look back on that and think about what might have influenced it. This past year, for example, my style choices were all over the place, full of sudden attempts to try something new, then sneaking back to the tried and tested for comfort when it all gets a bit much, which kind of reflects how everyday life has been!

There were plenty of times where I stuck to what I know and love best. Tea dresses featured heavily, for example, mostly in the Spring and the Autumn, paired with tights, boots and a cosy cardi or leather jacket:

Original posts: Barcelona Day 2 // Tough Florals // Resisting Temptation // Gin is Just the Tonic

As did my beloved 50’s style frocks and skirts, which, whether worn dressed up with a pair of heels or cute and casual in the Summer with a pair of flats, never fail to make me feel my best, thanks to that flattering nipped in waist and full skirt:

Original posts: Lindy Bop Tara // Accidental Matching // Picnic Blanket Chic // The Skirt That Keeps On Giving

But then I tried new things too. My obsession with 60’s style mini skirts really took off in the colder months…:

Original posts: More of the New Obsession // Back to Black // Winter Florals // Swinging Sixties

And I re-embraced the pencil skirt. Not that I haven’t always loved that style – there are few things sexier than a midi length wiggle skirt or dress in my opinion – but I was a fair bit heavier at the start of the year and self conscious about my silhouette. I managed to tone up over the Summer though and felt good enough to start rocking skin tight again, which did wonders for my confidence:

Original posts: Wedding Belles // Polka Dot Peep Toes // Purple Flowers // Lady in Red

And then there were times when I actually made a conscious effort to try something completely different. in style terms, 2016 will go down as the year I tried to be more creative with colour palettes like blue and yellow, the year I tried wearing orange for the first time (with far more positive results than I was expecting!), when I finally forced myself to get over that stupid aversion to wearing ankle boots with bare legs, and, shock horror, wore a crop top for the first time since my early 20’s:

Original posts: Transitional Dressing // Sunset Orange // Top of the Crops // More Sunshine, More Polka Dots

So have I learnt anything from my style journey? Erm, no. I wish I could tell you I’ve developed a signature style or learnt how to be smarter at shopping, but, no. I’m still as eclectic and fickle as ever when it comes to my style choices – I just don’t think I’ll ever be one of those people that has a beautiful and perfectly crafted capsule wardrobe. Because they way I dress really does reflect the way I’m feeling that day (also: I can’t stop shopping). I have picked up a couple of things though. Firstly, I really need to work on my casual outfits! I don’t post them often, and to be fair, you can see why:

Original posts: Mostly Jazz // Dressing Down // Sunday Strolling // The Perfect Birthday

Yeah. They’re basically boring as hell. I have all these beautiful clothes, and then most weekends I just throw on the same old jeans with a shirt and and pair of boots! This must change in 2017! Most importantly, I’ve decided I can definitely afford to relax a bit more and not care so much what people might think about what I’m wearing. I can have a real tendency to overthink an outfit and whether or not it’s appropriate for an occasion, and having made some really bold choices last year without the sky falling in, I know now that all that is really important is how you feel when you’re wearing it. Which brings me to my favourite outfit of the year:

Original post: Thank You, Regina!

There was nothing special about this day. It was a pretty below average day come to think of it! The weather was pants, I was going through a tough time, and I knew I had some challenges in the work day ahead, so when getting dressed that morning I decided to wear one of my favourite frocks, the lovely Regina dress by Collectif, to make myself feel better, and it really worked. It’s the kind of dress that some might think is a bit too ‘nice’ or ‘dressy’ for work, and might want to save for best, but I really needed a good day this day, and while a frock can’t magically change your life for you, it can make you feel good enough about yourself to tackle whatever it is you’re struggling with at the time, and that, my friends, is why I love clothes so darn much!

Here’s wishing you a 2017 full of beautiful things!

Love,