Retail resistance

I’m struggling…

Two weeks have passed since I pledged not to buy any clothes until the end of February. I realise now that the key to this is wearing a blindfold at all times.

It began because I have a £79 credit note from Phase Eight (from one of the returned new year’s eve rejected dresses) so I thought: ‘Free money. Must be spent.’

Sadly, the goods I’ve come across come to around five times that, kicking off with this fabulous ensemble:

Look how cosy. Look how pretty. Look how practical.

Unfortunately, I fear that my dreams of looking like this stunner would be left in tearful tatters given that I’m not 6ft and oh-so-slender. Plus, I keep telling myself, I can’t use my credit note online anyway…

However, one website leads to another, and after falling for a cute and very wearable top on DorthyPerkins.com, which is barely an extravagant expense, especially in light of the 15% limited time discount the site’s offering, I wavered, but so far have insisted to myself that it would, nontheless, be cheating to indulge.

And from there, it was just a hop, skip and a jump away to Next, where I found these infinitely less practical and less seasonally appropriate dresses: a white, floaty maxi dress which I think epitomises effortless chic on a balmy summer evening (yes alright, probably not in this country, and my thoughts will stray to holidays pretty soon…), a shorter, sexy, summery little number covered in butterflies for special nights out, and a stylish layered LBD that would look amazing with the OTT Louboutins that Adam bought me for Christmas.

And now, how I long for them…

monochrome chic

layered and lovely

floaty and flirty

Sigh… time to step away from the computer…

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Here comes summer (allegedly)

We enjoyed a good four days of dazzling sunshine the week before last – glorious baking sun that beat down on us and gave great numbers of us red-raw shoulders and strap-marks because, so unused to it as we are, we underestimate the power of the British Sunshine.

Obviously, it’s since done a runner but we’re promised it’ll come back out to play this weekend. I am, for once, ready for it. I don’t know if I suffer from seasonal affective disorder (SAD), I doubt it, I think like anyone, I just feel happier when the days are longer and lighter and I am taking care of myself.

The past year has been a rough one on every level and it has taken months for me to work out what I want to do with my future. Having only recently plucked up the courage to start following my heart and head and not just take the easy way out, I have exchanged one lot of stresses for another, but feel better for it despite the inevitable uncertainity of it all.

I’ve always known that the best way for me to channel stress is to exercise, but I’ve struggled to fit it in. Until May 1, which I’d set as my own D Day to quit whining and start doing.

Having undertaken a two-month project in the East Midlands earlier this year, my visits to the gym had been fairly scarce and I was determined to reacquaint myself with it, and on May 1st, I did. I combined my daily visits with the much-promoted Special K diet – you’ve never seen so many cereal boxes – eating various kinds for breakfast and lunch, and then enjoying my usual evening meals; be they at Pizza Express, Ask, La Tasca (I’ve become obsessed with vouchers) or made by my own fair hand, and I am happy to say that one month on, I feel better, am more toned and am fitting into clothes I’ve not worn in many a month.

That’s pretty much clinched it for me. Between gyming regularly, managing my own time, eating to suit myself, and meeting up with friends more regularly, either to do various combat, pump and spin classes (followed by a sauna and a gossip of course) or just to indulge in food, wine and banter, I feel better than I have in around 18 months.

With the promise of a summer holiday in a few weeks time, I have the incentive to keep at it. I’ve bought a fab maxi dress as a ‘hey, well done on month one’ gift to myself, and it’s pretty snug…

Here’s hoping I do well enough in month two to buy the wedge sandals I’ve seen to match it!