My Wardrobe Makeover.....courtesy of SuperMonkey!

Claire is an UTTER GENIUS....when she almost jokingly offered to come and do a "wardrobe cleanse" a few weeks ago, I never realised how wonderful she was! I mean, I love reading her blog, I love the way she dresses - but had no idea she could give Gok a run for his money!

In explanation - though I've probably touched on this before on the blog....I've NO fashion sense. For a myriad of reasons. I was a size 16 at 16 and kind of kept the age-dress size ratio going until I was 30. When I was in my late teens, early 20's there was NO choice really - Evans or nothing. So I lived in trackie bottoms, large tshirts and black black black. I lost weight in my early 30's to have my kids and then have kind of yo-yoed between a 24 and a 20/22 which is kind of where I am now (According to Claire I'm 20 on top and 22 below which makes sense). I never looked at fashion magazines, never thought fashion was relevant to my big body. Then as I've written before, I found the myriad of blogs to the right in the sidebar and realised I COULD wear things that I loved, that there were a huge range of online choices and even some high street choices that I never knew were out there as I was stuck in my Evans rut.....

So I'm still learning. The clothes swap was brilliant but I just grabbed lots of stuff that I didn't know how to wear and some of which didn't suit me....I read a lot of the blogs to get ideas but never really knew how to put outfits together. I had a lot of stuff in my wardrobe that I hadn't worn because I didn't know how to.

Enter the wonderful Claire.....she made me get everything out and put it in three piles - keeping, maybe and NO! I stepped out of my go-to comfort dress (which she hated by the way and I've promised never to wear in public again) and started trying on.  Prepare for the pics! (If I haven't mentioned where I got things, it's cos I can't remember)

Skirt and shirt - Marks & Spencer

Jacket - Torrid

 I bought this polkadot skirt last summer and have never worn it even though I loved it as I had no idea HOW to....Claire added a white shirt I'd bought for a weekend away and never taken out of the packet....and a jacket that I won from Lauren that I'd also never worn because I didn't know how to. This jacket now figures in the majority of the pictures and outfits and will become a staple! Love this combo - kind of a funky secretary look!

 

Top and jacket (again): Torrid

Jeans : Sainsburys

This top was another from the blog win from Lauren that again, I'd never worn cos I didn't know what to wear it with. Ta daa!

 This was a fashion swap vest that I loved cos it was all sequinned but I thought it was too tight...paired with  a shrug (also from the swap) and my black jeans - it looks fab!

Dress: Fatshion swap

Jeans: Lane Bryant

Cardie: Sainsburys

 I loved this dress but thought it was too big - and would never have put it with jeans but I love it - almost nautical as Claire said!

It also works with the shrug and the blue jeans from Torrid via Lauren!

Top, jeans and jacket (again!) Torrid

This top I've had for a while but never really knew what to wear it with....The jacket makes an appearance again! Love this combo

 This is a jumpsuit I bought on impulse from Evans. First time I wore it my mother told me I looked like Andy Pandy and I've never had the guts to wear it again. Styled with the ever wonderful jacket, I love it and will definitely wear it.

 Also works with the shrug! But I prefer it with the jacket.

 I can't remember where I got this skirt from but I love it and have never worn it - I'm not confident with skirts. Mainly, I've learnt today, because I keep wearing them on my hips and not my waist - pulled down too low making me belly concious. With a little styling help from my guru and a simple brown vest - I will now be wearing this a LOT this summer!

 Thought I couldn't wear this top because my boobs had shrunk post babies. However put the brown vest from the outfit above with it, it works perfectly. And looks great with my jeans.

 Not 100% sure on this but it looks better than anything I'd put together - a denim skirt from Ann Harvey with the brown vest and favourite jacket. I need to get a belt for the skirt (I borrowed Claire's!)

 Favourite polka dot skirt in another outfit combo! This time with a purple vest top I got at the fatshion swap but never knew what to do with....

 And if you add my new favourite jacket.....skims nicely over my bum and makes me feel less selfconcious.

 Top: Primark

Jeans: Torrid

This was the first top I bought from Primark but I wasn't brave enough to wear it that often and I used to team it with leggings. I love it with jeans!

Sequinned jacket: Yours

Top: Torrid via Lauren

Jeans: Sainsburys

 Another combo - using a sparkly jacket that I bought in the sale but never wore - and another way to wear that lovely top...

  And another way to wear it! - with a leopard print vest (also from Torrid via Lauren)

 This top I've had in my wardrobe for ages and thought it didn't look right - but it does when Claire puts it together....

 Top: Marisota

Again I wasn't sure if this top worked but with Claire's reassurance, it's back on my "wear" list"

 Dress and jacket (again) : Torrid

I bought this dress in a Torrid sale about 7 years ago just because it was reduced from $70 to $8. And I never wore it cos it was too small then. And then because I didn't know how to....now I do!

And finally - this is what I'm wearing now - a top my mother bought me which I thought was too short but teamed with my waterfall cardy (which needs mending) and blue jeans, it looks great.

I will be selling a lot of stuff on Ebay - will post a link to it all here when I've sorted it. I'll be wearing a lot of things I haven't worn before in ways I'd never have dreamt of. I'll be looking a HELL of a lot better too!

I can't thank Claire enough. Really grateful! And really inspired. So if any of you need her services - snap her up now while you can still trade her expertise for sushi! Before she starts charging by the hour! Thank you thank you thank you Claire!!!