ONCE UPON A DREAM; Ballerina Chic

I recently spent time decluttering and sifting through my wardrobes.  I hadn't done this for about two years so it took a while.  One of the things I noticed was that some of my clothes dated back to a completely different time in my life; I had multiple variations on the white blouse from when I worked for a temping agency more than a decade ago. I also had clothes which harked back to first dates that never went anywhere and a previous relationship that I would rather forget! In short, at least a quarter of my wardrobe space was taken up with clothes that I would never wear again because they no longer suited the lifestyle I live and the woman I am today.  My wardrobe was having an identity crisis!

A weekend of sifting, sorting and throwing away old clothes is very liberating to the female mind. Sometimes we forget that our lives have moved forward while our image might be stuck firmly in the past.  I no longer work in an office or behind a bar so those types of outfit are no good to me now.  These days I work from home as a writer; I spend time at the stables; I enjoy dancing and ice-skating.  With a few simple tweaks my current wardrobe now reflects the woman I have become, rather than the woman I used to be.  Since making this sartorial change I feel happier in my own skin.  My current 'look' is one of off- duty dancer and ballerina chic.  I like how effortless this look is and how easy it is wear. Dance clothes are stretchy and comfortable.  My new choice in day wear is made up of high street staples, Hush lounge wear and dance/skate clothes which can take me from the rink, to the dance studio and back to my desk to meet a deadline.

Ballerina chic is effortlessly elegant.  A pretty combination of jodhpurs or leggings, chiffon skirts and wrap-over cardigans in ice cream colours always makes me smile.  It makes me happy to wear to the kind of outfits that reflect who I am, rather than opening my wardrobe and being depressed at the sight of my past hanging by its threads!  I am not going to wander down the street in a full tutu and Pointe shoes, but I will step out in floaty  skirts and ballet shrugs.  I don't spend the day dressed for a gymkhana, but I am often wearing jodhpurs  as I do the grocery shopping and run errands. It's comfortable, it's elegant and it allows my clothes to work for me.

While equestrienne and ballerina chic might not be your personal style the clothes we wear make a statement about who we are. If you don't feel comfortable with the image you are projecting to the world, if you feel frumpy or dated take a good look inside your wardrobe and see if the woman who gets dressed there each day is the woman you still recognize as yourself. Chances are your life will have moved forward and your self-image needs to catch up a bit.  And a good clear out is good for the soul, making space for your brilliant, elegant future to take up residence.