The spring clean continues - or, a relatively fun project for a rainy day.

It really is that time of year - it's such a cliche, but I seriously cannot stop going through my life and throwing things out. Mostly objects and clothes, but hey, there's probably some bad habits that I could get rid of as well...ba-doom ching.

My most recent spring clean venture was more like two projects in one. I was standing in front of my wardrobe the other day, trying to decide what to wear to work, and having one of those classic and ridiculous "I have nothing to wear! Nothing!" moments. I was laughing at myself at the same time of course, as it is patently untrue.

So I decided to do something about it. I would enlist the help of my old friend "Nudey Judy" and hold a little self-styling session, cleaning my wardrobe out at the same time. The idea was to take photos of all my workplace-appropriate ensemble options and store them on my laptop, to prevent the aforementioned "what the hell am I going to wear" moments from reoccurring. Also, this is the kind of thing I find quite fun. What can I say?

Meet Nudey Judy! I can't take credit for the name sadly, she belongs to Georgia.

What you'll need:

1. An empty afternoon

2. Some tunes. (I decided Taylor Swift was the most appropriate music to listen to for this project. I know, right? Incredibly surprising. You're shocked, I can tell.) 

3. A spirit of ruthlessness and absolute honesty.

4. I highly recommend getting your hands on some kind of mannequin or dressmakers dummy if possible. 

5. Pegs - it helps to make the clothes fit the dummy as well as possible, so they don't fall off mid-photo.

I started with dresses, then moved onto blouses and skirts, and I think my system worked out pretty well. I'd dress Nudey Judy in a blouse and then put together as many ensembles as I could think of with that blouse. I'm not going to lie, by the time I'd been styling for a couple of  hours I was pretty over it and I got less and less creative towards the end. Here's a couple of examples of my afternoon's work...

The photos are kind of crappy, but that wasn't really the point. All in all I feel like it was a worthwhile endeavour.  I got rid of a whole pile of clothes that I know I'm never going to wear, but I'd been hanging on to them for too long because I'd forgotten they didn't quite fit, or were uncomfortable, or just don't suit me. Clothes that I had been conveniently ignoring that I don't like wearing, and kidding myself I'd drag out of the back of the wardrobe someday. The great thing is, it's made me far more aware of what clothes I own that I DO like wearing, and that can be worn to work. According to my wardrobe I have a penchant for clothing that is slightly 1940s-ish or makes me look like an art teacher circa 1974. But a cool art teacher, I hope. I'm also pretty crap at accessorising. I'm lazy - mostly I just can't be bothered, and doing this little project made me actually think and put energy into dressing for work more creatively. Well, a little bit anyway.

Coloured by Ernie and Bert

Bert and Ernie Style by georgialt featuring sport shoes

Girl crush: Ginnifer Goodwin

Recently, I have developed quite the girl crush on actress Ginnifer Goodwin. It started with her hair cut. I'm obsessed with it. I created a whole board on Pinterest devoted to pixie styles, but it's really just an homage to Ginnifer. 


However, as I was clicking around the interwebs looking for images to pin (more! more! MORE!) I noticed what great style she has in general. She walks the fine line between being accessible and relatable for real girls with real budgets, and putting on the Hollywood glam quite successfully. Plus, she has an incredibly charming laugh and got her start in Ed, the TV show about the bowling alley lawyer. Remember that? Remember? REMEMBER?! Great show. 


Georgia and I used to watch it every week with our bro M, and eat Wizz Fizz. Don't ask me why the Wizz Fizz became an integral part of the Ed experience, but it got to the point where we would say things like "Oh, Ed is on tonight. I better go to the supermarket and get some Wizz Fizz on the way home."


Mmm, Wizz Fizz. Delicious.

Ginnifer Goodwin by carolinelt featuring a lace dress

Still got the blues

I need to be honest with you. Some of you will already be aware of this, but to those of you reading this who may not know me, there is something about me you should know. 


I own way too many clothes. My room looks like a monster from a Miyazaki film has opened its giant mouth and vomited clothes all over it by the time the end of the week rolls around. My wardrobe is stuffed - literally, and potentially figuratively. I live in fear of the clothes rail finally giving in and collapsing under the weight of clothing I expect it to support.


I don't feel guilty. I love all my clothes equally. Each piece, okay - item  (I never really spend enough to refer to my clothes as "pieces") is bought with grand hopes and dreams for the ensembles it will contribute to, for the life it is going to live. Everything in my wardrobe is perfect for something. 


I also like talking about clothes. Not too long ago, upon overhearing a conversation between me and my friend L about all the clothes she had purchased on a trip to London, a friend of ours commented that he could listen to us talk about clothes all day long. Not because he cared about the subject matter - I feel that he would like me to point out at this stage that he is an incredibly masculine, bearded Canadian, with little time for such trifles - but I like to think he found the rhythm and cadence of the conversation soothing. Maybe. 


As full as my wardrobe is, there is always room for more. With the change of every season there are new dresses and jackets to dream of and new sartorial hopes and dreams. This winter, I am delighted by the bright cobalt blue that I am seeing everywhere. It pops out from the seas of black and grey, while still providing the strength in colour that we look for in our winter wardrobes. When the temperature drops no one really turns to pale colours, do they? It's as though we need the strong tones to remind us that we are still alive, in the icy mornings.

Cobalt by carolinelt featuring a long sleeve silk blouse