Have been proactive while Husband has been out at the driving range and emptied out 4 of my 5 drawers in the dressing room. ‘Drawers’ doesn’t sound like they hold much, but they are very deep and very wide drawers and the 5 of them hold every item of clothing I own (ball gowns aside!)

The aim of this terribly mundane and random task was to take note of exactly what I own so that I can make an accurate shopping list for future trips out. I am sick and tired of coming home with yet another Breton top, having drawers full of stuff and having nothing to wear. I constantly feel ‘plain’. Grr!

So yes. Baby was napping, toddler was preoccupied with a sorting game (moving pom poms from one box to another with chopsticks? thank you montessori.com!)

I started by emptying all 4 drawers onto the floor (bugger me that was messy and stressful, I almost just shrieked and ran back downstairs to the safety of the sofa!) then sorted it all carefully into piles. The categories I so elegantly formed were as follows

1 vest tops

2 random tshirts

3 jumpers

4 dressy tops

5 bottoms

6 pjs

7 sportswear (this pile included a lot of clothes covered in dust and moths. Sad times!)

The pile of trousers was pretty simple to assess and put away as I have 2/3 pairs of skinny jeans that get worn every damn day of the week, 2 pairs of chinos, 1 pair of cigarette pants, 1 pair of stretchy Aladdin trousers that really need to go but I love ‘em!, some shorts for the summer, 1 beautiful maxi skirt and 1 pair of se7en bootcut jeans that I kind of love and kind of hate but cost God knows how much so despite all the wardrobe blogging advice I have read about getting rid of things that don’t ‘excite’ you, I’ve ignored it on this occasion!!

The vest top pile had 3 vests in it. So that was simple. In the drawer.

The random tshirt pile has quite a few entrants, mostly acceptable with a fancy scarf and some jewellery so they were all allowed to stay, even the crappy pink stripy one from the Gap that I don’t like but can wear as an extra layer. You know. Next winter. God I’m crap at this game! *goes upstairs to grab crappy pink stripy top out of drawer and bins it

Jumpers was easy as this has been my Christmas sale mission (and by jove I excelled!)

Pyjamas were sorted by Fun Auntie for my Christmas gift (thank you sister dear!) and sportswear is, as previously mentioned, a relic. Done, and done!

So that leaves fancy tops. My new mission is fancy, dressy, tops. Tops I could wear out to lunch without feeling like a slummy mummy who should still be at high school. Tops that don’t make me feel like an imposter. Tops that cheer me up and make me strut more.

God knows, I love my job. I wouldn’t go back into the workplace before my boys are both in full time education for all the money in the world. But sometimes a life in Converse and Breton gets a bit staid. You forget that you are an individual, a girl, a wife, a friend, a minx! You get so wrapped up in snack boxes and potty training and manners and jigsaws that sometimes, a fancy top can save your whole week!

I shall let you know where and when I find any. I have high hopes for the Gap outlet who do easy-to-wear slouchy blouses in a lovely material that’s quite floaty, dressy but not formal. And Warehouse and Oasis are always strong contenders so shall head there as soon as I have some spare time.

I’m thinking 2019!!