Admittedly I might have found that a cool new idea and it gives it a sort of punk-ish touch, ideal to wear out in town with a pair of nets. But I was to go to a wedding in this and weren’t prepared to compromise. I took it back disappointed to be dressless again. Now it was only 4 weeks to go and no dress..it’s my sister’s wedding for g+#* sake, it’s not just anyone’s – I got desperate! Right..here’s my plan B: e-bay.

it’s my sister’s wedding for g+#* sake, it’s not just anyone’s

No chance of finding a dress, the asos one popped up in a size 14 (two days left in case you want it), desperate as I was I considered to get it and mend it. But spending God knows how much to then have a not fitted dress? NO. Plan C. And here’s Plan C: I have ordered me a couple of metres of muslin, got back to the ol’ drawing board and decided if there’s none within my budget and how I want it I will make my own. I must admit, it’s a bit of an adventure as #a I have left my sewing machine in Germany years ago and never got a replacement and #b I haven’t touched a sewing machine since at least a couple of years with one exception last NYE.

So I’m not sure how it’s going to turn out but as it’s my sis’ wedding I’ll make and mend do! I’ll keep you posted on my progress..the rough idea is to follow roughly the yellow dress here as I love the ruffles and that was what I pictured all along but it should be quite fitted, less tulip and with a back as the front…even though I just spotted this lovely cross back dress on alixrose’s banner of the homepage (turquoise there) which was very inspiring..So, we’ll see. The muslin arrived today – I better get going.

I call them my sitting shoes because I can’t walk in them

Who the hell can walk in 5inch heels? How do you manage?  My friend Eva used to say I am the high heel queen, yeah right, not in those my friend, not in those highest heels. The last time I wore them on holiday all I did was repeating to myself: “look up, don’t look on the ground and keep your nose up, your legs are on a long thread and the shoes just an extemnsion. You can do it.” But I couldn’t, it being hot anyway I was completely wet once I even only reached the restaurant, not a thought wasted on clubbing after. Shoes off after the meal and home barefooted. Ha, some might laugh, those who do – please teach me how to walk in killer heels. So, these shoes would be the perfect match to my new dress. But the pure thought of last time wearing them made me wanting to stay in that night in slippers and put my feet up. Bravely I slung them on, stalking through the lounge downstairs slipping twice on the laminate (luckily it will get replaced soon anyway) and when I safely had reached the next chair I knew this was not going to happen. My dress and the shoes will not marry. My highest heels remain a ghost pair too nice to give them away but too high to be taken out. My dress had to put up with a fashion compromise of highest order marrying white strappy sandals and a golden purse.

a fashion dilemma is easily resolved with vodka tonic

God knows how it survived the night. I had a brilliant night though and with every vodka tonic forgot more and more about what I put the dress through. Lesson learned: a fashion dilemma is easily resolved with vodka tonic and high heels are good enough for me. Highest heels are for everyone else.

If you could do with some tips on walking on highest heels – I found this site via the highheelshoemuseum full of tips and even video footage. Maybe I manage an inch more soon.

What is it that people once the first sunshine comes along stick on a pair of shorts and tennis socks in sandals?

That’s just wrong. There are some things which should not be widely accepted but this look unfortunately is a common sight all around. And yet there is no excuse why you should wear it. Shorts for women are fine with tights or leggings and high heels depending on the occasion. Never wear them without tights unless your skin is like cocoa milk velvety and smooth without any blemishes. It won’t be. Shorts for men are not fine and unless you are wearing them at the Maui beach I can’t understand why you need to wear them at all. You can’t shave your legs unless you are a cycler and nor should you wear tights so please refrain from showing the legs in the city or you will be sorted into the weird drawer. Not good.

no man in the world should ever attempt to sport this look. It is t.h.e off turn. Possibly worse than leaving socks on in bed

Right, working the way down we get to the socks in sandals. Now this is a special case. Whilst socks in sandals are perfectly style conscious on women no man in the world should ever attempt to sport this look. It is t.h.e off turn. Possibly worse than leaving socks on in bed please remember sandals are to air the feet in a warm climate and where the ground is allowing open shoes. Sandals on men are not for the city unless you are a hair growing hippy who doesn’t care and wants to be weird. Even though last year Alexander McQueen has introduced this look – it only works on super-hero looking buffs so give up while thinking about it. While we are at the topic anyway let me confirm that there is other socks than tennis socks available for men so you don’t need to wear those rough- textured horrible sports socks even though you would never step onto a tennis court in your entire life!

fashion should be fun and is entirely down to the individual but…

Whilst I usually believe that fashion should be fun and is entirely down to the individual I can’t deny that there are some thumb rules which should be followed to save the environment. And by environment I mean people around you who are not blind but close if they see socks in sandals!
As a thumb rule I would say just remember that there is always a time and place for an outfit. Shorts are for the beach, sandals for your holiday when no one is around (please don’t make the mistake and enter a supermarket in shorts and socks in sandals without a top no matter where you are!). I guess you would find it weird if you saw a lady in her pyjamas at the disco unless there’s a slumber party on.

(images: stevenjude, flickr; misc.)

My magpie syndrom was blinding me. I am drawn to bright colours, glittering sparkling things and shoes and bags (I put that down to the fact that you can never have enough, so it’s safe to buy these)

God, there were things I didn’t even know I had. Fashion faux-pas en masse. Well, those I piled up to see whether my sisters want any of them (no, they are nice things but not for me). The remaining treasures I then had to allocate to each item of the list. Depending on the occasion I chose what would be most suitable. Having managed this two days later and with black rings under my eyes due to sleepless nights contemplating what I should do to become a better person (with regards to my wardrobe) I started to make up outfits of the piles. And that was when my dilemma started. I did have nothing to wear! I was right. Too many shoes. Too many bags. No cardigans to play with. One, ok. Maybe two. Not more than one waistcoat. 23 skirts but not one I want to wear right now.What the hell was I doing all those years? My magpie syndrom was blinding me. I am drawn to bright colours, glittering sparkling things and shoes and bags (I put that down to the fact that you can never have enough, so it’s safe to buy these). I am blind to the fact that I don’t always want to wear bright sparkling things even if you say I could. There’s a time and place for those. I storm into the bath room to quickly put my hair up and stick some shoes on on the way, out the door over to the shops.

But here the dilemma starts. I cannot decide. In the first shop I think I’d start with a versatile summer dress that carries me through the day right into the night by just changing some accessories. On my way to the till I decide I may need a bag matching which I find. At the till I ask the lady if Icould leave the dress for an hour or so with her. Duh. Here I am. Leaving this dress I just found behind. Because I’m not sure.

Next shop. Next dress. A jersey number I just can’t resist. It’s comfy, it’s dressy with my new shoes (I know don’t start) and it would even grow with me (hope I won’t grow because you know what direction grown-ups grow). Anyway, this dress is perfect. Unless maybe I should try it in another size just to compare? Oh they have it in a different colour! Hey, here is this deconstructed one I liked in the magazine. Which one should I opt for? I find some rings and a bracelet. I leave the dress with the lady on the till.

One further down the road. I have 5 dresses in my arm but am only allowed to take 4 in the changing rooms. Ok, none of them are ideal so I find a 6th dress once back outside and this is just sooo blue. It’s gorgeous! It’s where it doesn’t belong in the shop so I am searching for more a while, ask the lady for assistance and she makes all effort trying to find it in the right size. No. I’m really sorry, we haven’t got it in your size. Great.

Three hours and every shop I find later I am back in the second one to ask for the jersey one I left at the till. I take it and leave. Driving home I am contemplating whether I should turn around to get the other day to night super dress, too. Or instead. Or both?

My dilemma is still there. And I can feel it worse than ever. I have serious magpie syndrome. Or bad-wardrobe-itis. It’s my disability to decide. I am blinded by all these beautiful things.

Ip, dip sky blue,
Who’s it? Not you
Not because you’re dirty, not because you’re clean,
My mum says you’re the fairy queen.

Looking back I went through all my life using rhymes to make a decision. Wait, not all of them, of course, but to get the point across, I am bad at making a decision. I know that if I make one that is it. No way around it. This is what I live up to. Decision made. Consequences accepted. Now, that may be the root of my problem… anyway, what I wanted to say is I can’t decide. Need that pair of shoes? Or that one? Get them both. But the worst thing is I end up getting none at all after considering all my options – I can’t take responsibility for both of the babies. And this is my dilemma. Last week I went to listen to a reading on 50ies fashion and was dramatically reminded of the importance to be dressed well. Help was needed. Fast. I went back to my old faithful resource, the book. Edith Head, t.h.e stylist of the century has written a book on dressing called How to Dress for Success. Now, she says in her book, which is a great relief, that a lot of women struggle with their wardrobe. This is me, I think. I am so indecisive I would buy twenty pairs of shoes but no dress to go with them. In a way I understand if you say that defeats the object of writing a blog on style. Well, I write it on life with or without it. Observation is different to d.o.i.n.g it. It’s like those people who can help you with just about anything in life but theirs is a mess I guess. And there I was, near enough devastated if I would not have known that there is more important things to worry about (It’s comic relief today). Today I made a start and wrote a list (somewhere I read that list making is not a good idea and can be addictive but not productive) to section my life into events. What do I do all day every day? School run, clients meetings, interviews, walks on the country side, meet friends for lunch, and meet friends up town, dinner party and so on. After this Edith advises to rate how often you get involved with each of these activities. This leads to being able to allocate the appropriate outfits to each of the activities. After this you apparently know what you need and what you have too much of. I am not that far yet (it’s going to take days) but I suspect I will have too many shoes. Once the preparation is done and the list finished I am going to take everything out of my closet and clear becomes the truth. Don’t you worry? There can’t be more of my indecisive calibre. I will keep you posted on my progress though I ask for patience as this is a serious matter and will mean a sorted wardrobe to me.