I tried on all my clothes – everything

Kate Moss made me do it

First - a bit of housekeeping

Before we get on to the fun stuff, a few updates to share.

This is a free post, because I want all the free subscribers – and there are lots more of you, hello! hurrah! – to have a look at the kind of thing I normally save for the paid subscribers.

It’s only fair I do that, because they’ve made the commitment – but it pains me, because I don’t have that many of them and it seems a shame and a waste.

So, in the hope of encouraging more people to sign up to Paid, I’ve reduced my monthly price to £5 (AUS$10, US$6).

Of course, I’ve dropped it for all the people who are already signed up too.

I chose the original price because that seemed to be the going rate, but with more research, I’ve understood there is a much broader ranger of levels and I think this sits better for me.

With my new book coming out next week – SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! – I’ve got lots of fun things planned for the paid feed, so I hope to see you there.

The fun stuff

I’ve got nothing to wear. I hate all my clothes and I just keep putting the same things on every day.

I feel horrible.

But when I look at my three rails (two for short, one for long) and my two large drawers and two shelves, I just can’t imagine any other clothes I could wear.

It’s like I’ve got clothing blindness.

So back on go the rancid grey cargo pants, one of the two black-and-grey striped long-sleeve Ts and the goddam grey cashmere cardigan. Even the same scarf. I’m jammed like an old cassette tape.

And I hate myself almost as much as I hate those clothes.

Then I read this piece on the Vogue UK site about Kate Moss trying on all the clothes in her archive, uncovering old treasures and ‘styling up a storm’ as she put it – looking for ideas for her collaboration with Zara, which comes out (sells out…) on November 30.

And I realised that was what I needed to do. Look at everything I have, see what I like, work out what can be put together in different ways – and what fits.

Because one of the reasons I’m going through a bit of a wardrobe refusal, is I’ve put back about 3 kilos of the 10 kilos I lost three years ago, which is just enough to stop some pants, jeans and skirts fitting.

It’s really annoying, because one of the best things about being my ideal weight has been the ease of dressing. When everything fits and looks good, you don’t have to worry about that and can put all your time, energy and creativity into the styling.

The Moss Prerogative.

So today I tried everything on. Trousers, jeans, skirts, dresses, jumpers, cardigans, tops. Not T shirts and sweatshirts, because I know them (too bloody well) and not evening wear, because I’m across that.

It didn’t take that long and it was very clear what I needed to do as soon as I started.

All the things that didn’t do up – which was most of the jeans, some of the pants and a couple of skirts – I’ve filed at the far ends of rails and shelves in their own sections, so I won’t waste time trying them on and get upset.

It’s so demoralising - especially when you’re in a rush - when you think of a great look and then can’t button the crucial trouser, so I’m putting that stuff out of the equation.

It was worth doing the whole thing just for that, I think.

I’m not getting rid of those things, or hiding them, I want them to be present as reminders of why I must re-lose that blasted three kilos, but now they won’t be confused with the gear in active service.

As I went through all the genres, one by one, I found a few things to sell and donate, but that wasn’t the point of the mission.

It was to find a new wardrobe in my wardrobe, by unearthing things I’ve forgotten and putting them together differently.

And that’s another reason I’m a bit stumped. I normally tend to obsessively wear the things I’ve bought most recently and the only thing I’ve merched this season is a marvellously fluffy gilet, which I do adore – and usually wear over the daily combo outlined above.

I adore my new fluffy gilet - and I like the combo, but just not every day…

It’s the only thing that makes the wretched cack bearable.

I’ve only bought one thing because I’m still actively trying not to buy new clothes, but having done the go through, I see I really do need a new pair of jeans. The ones that still fit look dated.

I need to find a flattering dark denim pair with a tapering-out wide leg and a low rise.

When I find out where they sell unicorns, I’ll do that.

The other thing causing my styling stagnation is working from home again. For ten months I worked three days a week in London, staying up for two nights, and had to wear an elegant, but cool outfit every day.

I loved planning the looks on Tuesday nights, ready for my early Wednesday commute – three tops, two bottoms was my formula – and it was so great not having to choose what to put on each morning. It was all laid out.

Now my working life is back in a room on my own talking to myself (I’m writing another novel) there isn’t the urgent motivation to make an effort.

Not from without anyway, but it’s back within and after today, I’m feeling much more positive about coming up with new combos. And when I hung it all up again, I filed it all slightly differently, to keep my eye fresh when I look each morning.

The other good thing is I’ve discovered I have no fewer than seven fabulous sequin skirts. So I’m going to be getting into them. For daywear.

Part of the sequin skirt collection - most have elasticated waists and they look sooo good with a chunky knit.