MY RESOLUTIONS GET A REAL DRESSING DOWN
FIND A FITNESS INSTRUCTOR. Shed the Christmas pounds. Detox your wardrobe. Stop spending impulsively. Start investing. Avoid fads. Embrace colour. It all sounds so simple, doesn’t it – especially for those optimistic resolution makers who meticulously plan, write lists and harp on about January ‘goals’.
It’s tempting to play these starry-eyed enthusiasts down - especially when we’re all nursing swollen bellies and on a Christmas come-down. That nagging feeling that we should be transforming our lives as swiftly as calendar dates somehow makes most of us shudder at the deluge of ‘New year, new me’ idioms. Do I really need to read another inspirational quote? No, thank you.
The reality, of course, is that resolutions rarely happen overnight. However, actually writing some achievable intentions down somewhere can be the motivation we all need to drag us out of January glumness. Maybe it’s the nature of my job but I find the best way to start tackling new year objectives is via my closet. A mindful wardrobe makes room for a less cluttered mind and a conscious clearout in January always infuses me with energy – a ‘one-day wardrobe wonder’ if you will. The ethics of giving to others definitely resonates with new year ‘good intentions’. Also, parting with clothes you never wear and hitting refresh allows you to take stock and break old habits – whether it’s living in the anonymity of black sweaters to never wearing skirts because you don’t like baring your legs.
A sartorial detox goes much deeper than simply stopping by a charity shop and dropping off clothes. It’s a bittersweet reminder that you’ve made peace with the old and are ready/excited/thrilled for the new. Committed to ditching frumpy oversized flounces that ‘hide’ a multitude in favour of a tailored gúna? Ready to bid farewell to dowdy ballet pumps and elevate your office soles in cool designer boots? Sworn you’ll stop throwing money at cheap handbags and save for the Marc Jacobs tote instead? Now is the time. I’m behind you – consider me your most loyal fan. Remember the smallest sartorial changes in January have infinite power to change and enhance your mood.
As for me, I’ve spent most of my career as a stylist dodging rain in heels, running through the city cradling bags and an oversized umbrella. It’s not practical. Not at all. But 2019 is going to be different. I’m going to become one of those people who checks the forecast before they leave the house and dresses for the weather. I have big plans for trainers, hooded coats, maybe even a puffa jacket – I’ve promised to give all a whirl. It’s an aspirational look for someone who has always been swayed by a pretty uniform, I know, but at the very least I’m accepting that they fit into my world.
“I FIND THE BEST WAY TO START TACKLING NEW YEAR OBJECTIVES IS VIA MY CLOSET”