REDEFINING MY PERSONAL STYLE - THE WARDROBE OVERHAUL.

I've been racking my brains recently on ways I can push the clairemac brand to the next level & even though I whole heartedly believe that's through finding a kick ass niche (which I think I've found) there are still so many things I want to write about.

Things that make me feel like me again.

And a big part of that is redefining my personal style.

I began by tweeting to the fashion Gods out there asking for the best way to transform my personal style & the first thing that came up was the idea that I needed a wardrobe overhaul & visualise how I wanted to present the new me.I thought this was probably easier said than done, but I couldn't have been more wrong as the best way to do this was simply to create a personal style Pinterest board. I love this idea, and even now four months down the line I'm still adding to it - I've found it to be a huge help especially as we've transitioned from Autumn to Winter.

There's the annoying bit to begin with where you get everything out of your wardrobe & start a fresh. Yes your bedroom will look like a shit tip for a little while, but it's honestly the best way & I actually found it quite therapeutic.
After you've taken all your clothes out of the wardrobe you should give things a wipe down and a bit of a spring clean, I even popped an air freshener in my wardrobe to make it feel extra fresh.

When it comes to reorganising clothes I always make three piles.

1. Keep

2. Bin

3. Donate

While I'm making my three piles I try & be really vigilant and quite harsh when it comes to what pieces make the cull. I'm thinking about how often I've worn pieces... And I mean actually worn them... If I've not worn that t-shirt I bought back in 2009 for the last year and a half, am I really going to wear it next week?... Unfortunately the answer is probably not, so I banish (harsh much?) it from my wardrobe & donate to my local charity shop.

I'm not claiming to be Marie Kondo or anything, but I only want pieces in my wardrobe that actually spark joy.

Then comes the fun part... Take a good look at your keep pile, figure out what you're missing & how you need to replenish. What are the necessities? What are you really lacking?Then get shopping!

Although I prefer to buy from shops, I like to have a look online first & do a little bit of research before I go and drop my (lack of) dollar willy nilly - Lord knows surviving on a maternity wage is tough! I've found whilst browsing online that having my personal style Pinterest board open on another tab & comparing that to what I've put in my basket works wonders to really narrow down & defines my style.

I decided in the midst of my wardrobe overhaul to donate all of my skinny jeans to charity, because with my new postpartum body shape I just didn't feel comfortable in them anymore. I needed some more forgiving, less structured and essentially more comfortable denim which is why I began my hunt with Mom jeans. I chose the Cora midwash distressed mom jeans* as they ticked all of the boxes for me, they're comfortable, casual & I could definitely demolish a Christmas dinner wearing these!
They're slightly cropped with a distressed hem, but are also at a good length so they can also be rolled up & worn a little more tailored with a pair of black boots perhaps. I can definitely see myself getting a lot of wear out of these bad boys - Especially in summer with a pair of cute sandals.

I'm a sucker for anything that's cropped at the moment so a simple black tee like this Beno boxy fit crop top* is going to get so much wear in my new wardrobe. I'd never have thought post baby that I'd be comfortable showing my tum to the world, but I'm embracing it- Just because I've had a baby doesn't mean I shouldn't be able to show a bit of midriff. 

At this time of year layering is key, so with that in mind I decided to pick up a waterfall duster coat* to add to my coat collection. I already have a camel coloured long line coat however it's quite oversized and designed to be worn open, which can be pretty tricky during colder months.
Even though this one is a little thinner than it's predecessor, this new belted stone coloured addition will be my winter warming alternative. I've worn it a few times now & haven't been stuck when it comes to styling this multifunctional piece. I definitely want to fill my wardrobe with more interchangeable items like this.

Something a little daring for me, but also something that will fit into my new wardrobe seamlessly is the Ola sweater dress*. Not only does this dress feel like ultimate comfort, it's also one of those pieces I can just throw on with little to no thought - That's always a bonus right. The mini dress feels long enough that I can wear it on it's own, but also short enough that I can get away with tucking it into a pair of trousers - Im thinking either faux leather leggings or perhaps even the Mom jeans I spoke about earlier. Heck, I could even wear this to bed & feel super snuggly.

What's left on my shopping list?