I have a confession to make, I’m a huge hoarder.
If there’s one thing I spend the most time cursing myself for it’s my inability to get rid of things. I can’t just take photos in my house because every available surface is always covered in STUFF. I have more slightly chipped 30s china than can possibly be healthy, every drawer is stuffed with pens “acquired” from hotels, old post cards, lanyards, keycards and ticket stubs that I can’t possibly get rid of because otherwise I’d obviously NEVER remember that event. Shelves and tables are full of books I’ve never read, but might do one day, tiny models of minions I got out of Kinder Eggs, fluffy toy lambs I got at Easter, sticks of rock, bits of ribbon, packets of sliver stars, union jack flags I bought for the Jubilee and sweets that came out of goodie bags (note, this list is just things I can currently see from my chair, you better hope I don’t move rooms to finish this post or we could be here a while)
I feel incredibly envious when I read other blogs and they appear to have just snapped a casual outfit mirror selfie in their immaculate yet quirky homes where everything has its place because I have to spend 20 minutes tidying up before I can take photos anywhere in my house.
Still, sometimes my inability to get rid of things pays off. This morning I woke up and was, as usual, scrolling through my phone with a cup of coffee, when a photo on instagram suddenly gave me the random urge to cut the legs off a pair of old jeans and make denim shorts.
I’m pretty sure that the last time I wore jeans was on a holiday in 2012, when I bought a pair specially because I knew I was going to go on some healthful country walks and they might be practical. The last time I wore denim shorts was sometime around the turn of the century. But every now and again I have these desperate urges to try something different, and you have to just go with it, so I started pulling stuff out of the boxes of “clothes I never wear, but haven’t got rid of” in the bottom of my wardrobe, and this is what I found.
The Denim Shorts
These were not denim shorts 3 hours ago, they were a pair of Primark jeans I must have bought around 10 years ago. They had several holes in them, a couple at the front that look stylishly distressed, and one on the back of the leg that just left a nice slot for thigh fat to squeeze through. Yum. Why did I keep them? Who knows, but chopping off and rolling up the legs means I now have a pair of denim shorts. Am I any more likely to wear them as denim shorts than as jeans? Only time will tell.
The top I am wearing them with has a not at all fascinating story all of its own. A week or so ago I got an email from Somersby Cider that said “Hey, your festival outfit designed by Lily Allens stylist is ready!”. To which I replied “What Festival outfit designed by Lily Allens stylist” and they said “You know, that Festival outfit Lily Allens stylist put together for you, send us your address” so I sent them my address and went back and investigated my emails.
Back in March I got an email from Somersby Cider offering to send me a personalised ice block, I didn’t reply, because I wasn’t sure I needed a personalised ice block really, then I got an email asking for an address to deliver my personalised ice block. When I told them I was in Norwich they said they were very sorry, but they couldn’t send a personalised ice block that far, so instead they sent me some photos and a video of my personalised ice block, and suggested that closer to the Festival season I might be interested in perhaps being involved in a campaign with Lily Allens stylist. That was the last I heard until now. So, that very long and involved story means that the Topshop top I am wearing above was apparently personally picked for me by Richard Sloane (Lily Allens stylist, in case you hadn’t guessed) for me to wear to a festival to which I am not going as I last went to a festival sometime in the 90s.
Still, it goes nicely with my new denim shorts and they did also send me some cranberry and apple ciders, which were very tasty.
The Pink Silk Dress
This is just the weirdest find in the bottom of my wardrobe.
Circa 2007 this was absolutely my favourite dress in the whole wide world. It came from Oasis in the sale and I wore it a lot, I felt all elegant and grown up in it and it has the most gorgeous strappy back and pleated bodice.
Then I accidentally put it through the washing machine, even though it’s dry clean only, and I completely ruined it and shrunk it.
At least I thought I did.
For 8 years it has been screwed up in the bottom of my wardrobe, I kept nearly throwing it out, because it was ruined, but couldn’t quite bring myself to do it. Then this morning, as I moved it aside I decided to try it on. I don’t know why. But it fit, it wasn’t shrunk at all. I can’t even remember now why I thought it WAS shrunk, maybe just because it looked so screwed up when it came out of the washing machine. Anyway, all it needed was ironing. The pleats on the bodice aren’t as crisp as they used to be, and maybe a more patient person could fix that, but I’m just pleased to have one of my old favourites back in my wardrobe!
The Weird Blue Tunic
I bought this from a Charity Shop, probably about 6 years ago. It’s a Warehouse tunic dress thing with pockets on the front and I’ve never been able to work out whether I like it or not! I think I haven’t got rid of it because it feels so *useful*, it has pockets! I love a dress with pockets! I wore it a few times with leggings while camping, but I’m not a leggings for daywear kind of a gal and I don’t really have the guts to wear something so short with bare legs, so what is it useful for? I still can’t bring myself to get rid of it though, because POCKETS!
The 1960s Knit
This is without a doubt the oldest thing I found kicking around in the bottom of my wardrobe. It was hand knitted for me by my Nana in around 1996 from an original 1960s knitting pattern and when I was 17 I used to wear it in winter with a brown double breasted pea coat, suede knee high boots and red lipstick.
I think it dropped out of regular rotation around 10 years ago because I gained a lot of weight and it no longer fitted. Now it fits again I can see it maybe rejoining the jumper drawer for Winter this year.
I might not have any free surfaces in my house to put down a cup on, but this morning I went shopping in my own wardrobe and came out with at least 4 new additions, so maybe being a hoarder pays off sometimes!
Comments
53 responses to “Things I Found in the Bottom of my Wardrobe”
I have to do this soon! A proper big clear out and some eBaying!
Things I Found in the Bottom of my Wardrobe http://t.co/0mTDADD7xr via @retrochick_uk – what’s in *your* wardrobe?
Things I Found in the Bottom of my Wardrobe: I have a confession to make, I’m a huge hoarder. If there’s one t… http://t.co/TPZr63l5Pb
Things I Found in the Bottom of my Wardrobe: I have a confession to make, I’m a huge hoarder. If there’s one t… http://t.co/yqQi1sdnNx
WeaR the tunic with the demon shorts it’s lush, and the silk dress looks fab too, I’m totes jealous, the only thing in my wardrobe are things that don’t fit anymore.
Lots of these things were there because they didn’t fit, but I’ve lost a bit of weight and now I have rediscovered them!
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That tunic would look very Doris Day with a pair of Capri pants!
I’m still on the hunt for a pair of capri pants that fit me really well, but that’s a possibility!
Oh my word if wasn’t for people like you (and me) hoarding things in the bottom of wardrobes there would be nothing for us vintage sellers to sell. Keep up the good work!
Ha ha! That is a very good point!
That’s encouraged me to do the same! There must be stuff in my clothes room that hasn’t seen the light of day for years….
Lol I’m so pleased it’s not just me who hoards things! Mind you let’s face it it is all those ladies before us who didn’t throw things away that gives us all the vintage lovliness that we all lust after!!
This is such a good post!! I could certainly dig out an item or twenty from the bottom of my wardrobe (or from the suitcases under the bed, up the attic, or the wardrobe in the spare room….). I love the colour of that dress, well worth resurrecting. xx
I’m pretty sure there’s more I haven’t dug out yet! I have some weird things as well, one thing I spotted the corner of but didn’t get out was like a 70s brown night dress with a lace trim and matching mob cap. I don’t know why either! Maybe I’ll do another of these posts when I have time to dig a bit deeper!
Your comments about your house made me laugh because it always looks so lovely in your photos! I wish my pictures looked half as nice as yours.
Being a hoarder has its advantages – look at all those fab things you’ve rediscovered.
You can actually see the minion and the fluffy lambs in the photo, plus of course the make it yourself skeleton I got for Christmas!
I have a wee “collecting” problem, but most of the stuff I’m shuffling out of photos is a carpet of Duplo on the floor. Yay… Cute finds though! It’s awesome that they fit. I’m waiting for some stuff I’m holding onto to be able to fit again. :/
xox,
bonita of Lavender & Twill
Do you really think all the other bloggers have tidy homes? The 2m you see in my photos are the 2m I managed to free from all the stuff that is then hidden behind the tripod.
I regularly manage to sort through my stuff but don’t manage to get rid of it. Like this I rediscover lots of beautiful things I had considered long gone when I clean my basement once in a while.
Haha interesting, this have been on my todo list from a while
Cheers
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