IT'S A COATIGAN SORT OUT

I am so pleased to say I haven't got the same number of wardrobes to clear out as the other Anne as I do try to keep on top of it and assess what I have and haven't worn on a year by year basis. It is still surprising however how much you can accumulate whilst still telling yourself you really haven't bought that much.

I have discovered I seem to have a large number of coatigans that I really haven't been wearing.  I think the idea of them is fabulous and they should be such a brilliant transitional piece, but I really don't seem to reach for them at any time.  The one above is from COS and as a more weighty piece it has had a bit more wear.  Now I re-look at it, I think it is a bit too shapeless and really needs to hit the charity pile.

This one is also from COS and although lightweight and much more of an oversized cardigan than a coatigan I have still not got much wear out of it.  This might be one to try and sell as it is still looking pretty good.  COS have similar one in grey on their website at the moment, but I will resist.

And last but not least is the keeper, this heavy weight cardigan from Boden which I like for its structure and colour.  Lets see if I start to wear it more this spring - otherwise it is for next winters cull.

Boden do some nice knitwear and well worth a look if you like colour.... obviously not for me then!

WARDROBE CLEAR OUT

I've known for a very long time that I have way too many clothes, and since leaving my "corporate" jobs, I no longer wear the same kinds of outfits as I did.  So when Anne H told me she had become hooked on watching Marie Kondo, the Japanese de-cluttering expert, I also took a little peak!

While some of her techniques are a little twee (I don't thank my clothes when I throw them out!) I do agree that if some things "give me joy" (ie I love wearing them, love the colour or they have sentimental attachments) then I will keep them, but going forwards I do know that I don't attend corporate hospitality nights at the ballet or business dinners any more, so I don't need those kinds of outfits.

I have too many items of clothing to put on the bed, as Marie Kondo makes her clients do - I would never see my bed again, the pile would go up to the ceiling - so I started to do one wardrobe at a time (I have 10) starting with coats and jackets.

I also have clothes in sizes ranging from a UK size 10 (that was a long time ago!) to a size 22 (fortunately I've lost weight since then!) but I have kept most of them even though I know I will never wear them again.

I have to admit that the session did not go as planned.  For our photo shoot, I picked out a couple of things to keep and a couple of things which I knew I would get rid of - but actually it did not work out the way I thought it would.

I love the slouchy red jacket - in fact I love most things which are red, so this is a keeper.  It wasn't expensive - in fact it was one of those impulse buys online from a company I had never heard of, so wasn't expecting it to be very good quality.  However, it is wool and although it has only 3/4 sleeves, it is quite dressy and easy to wear.

However, I had it in mind to keep the tweed jacket bought a few years ago in Debenhams from the Rocha.JohnRocha range.  I had worn it for work and always felt it was a useful piece.  However, looking at the photographs taken by Anne, we both decided it had to go!! It is too big, there is too much going on - a fussy neckline, peplum bottom, pockets, and it's double breasted - which makes me look even more dumpy than I am.

I think I have realised that I can look in the mirror and feel I look ok, but then look at myself in a photograph and I look completely different in the item. How weird is that?

The pink jacket, I wasn't sure about until I put it on. This is a boxy-shape linen Jaegar jacket, and I suppose I bought it for the label since I never particularly shopped there and don't own many Jaegar pieces.  I know it's the wrong season to wear it, but it didn't feel right, and I don't think the style does me any favours, so that's going!

Finally, the pink Wallis coat has been in the back of the wardrobe for years, and I thought it was probably not going to make the cut.  However, once I put it on and saw the photographs, I was pleasantly surprised.

It isn't a heavy Winter coat, but will be perfect for Spring as it's comfortable to wear and hopefully looks ok either with dark colours or even white or cream for lighter days.

In all of the photos I am wearing black tailored trousers from M&S (similar here), and the lace blouses - one black and one off-white are from Kaleidoscope.  Mock-crock boots from Faith years ago - similar ones here.

I'm still working my way through the wardrobes but I do have a pile of clothes now for the charity shop and I've put quite a bit of the better stuff on eBay.

Next up will be shoes  - of which I have more than a couple of hundred pairs (42 pairs of flip flops...)