Monday 17 April 2017

The Princess and the Wardrobe

To say I was glad the long Easter weekend finally rolled along is a bit of an understatement.



Even if the weather could have been more obliging - Spring seems to have deserted us for the time being - it was pure bliss to claim time as our own and to leave the daily grind behind for a couple of days.

Just some well needed peace and quiet, sleeping just that little bit longer and doing things at our own pace.

Apart from a flea market on Sunday, our diary was quite empty.



Which was fine by me, as I was hoping to crack on with my winter to summer wardrobe switch. So, on Friday after breakfast I retreated upstairs, followed by my trusty helper, Phoebe.

I started by removing most of my winter dresses from their hangers and making piles of them in readiness for the vacuum bags. There were decisions to be made as for the time being I am keeping some of my long-sleeved dresses in my wardrobe. After all, it isn't summer by a long way yet!


Then, out came several bags of summer frocks, all but the flimsiest high summer stuff for now.






Soon, our bed was piled high with dresses in every colour of the rainbow.

This was the time for assessment and casting a critical eye on each and every one of them.

Dresses I remember being quite snug or a little on the large side were put aside to be tried on later.












Things that do no longer make my heart sing are put into piles for charity or to be sold at a flea market this summer, and I can report that I was quite ruthless!


Those that remained (still quite enough, don't worry) were transferred to the waiting hangers, sorted by colour and put into my wardrobe.


There, that's better! Isn't it a cheerful sight? I can't wait to start wearing them.



By then, my little helper had had quite enough and decided she needed a nap.

I too took a breather at this point, and I'm giving you a break from all the frockery as well, by showing you some of the treasures that live in our bedroom.


We bought the green-frocked Art Deco lady with the birds, one of my favourite pieces ever, well over 15 years ago. The small plaster bust of the lady in the green hat was charity shopped around the same time. The vanity set, made by Belgian crystal glass manufacturer Val Saint Lambert, was charity shopped too, in 2015, and cost € 8 for eight pieces, including a bedsite water glass and carafe.

Let's continue, there's more work to be done!

The rest of the summer frocks (you didn't think that was all, did you?) were transferred to my other wardrobe in the spare room.


This wardrobe also contains skirts and suits (on the left) as well as most of my handbags, which badly needed sorting out, as I kept cramming them into every available space.

So, out they all came and believe me: there were a lot! This caused me to have a little wobble, so that I completely forgot to take photographs. In the end I managed to create some kind of order, so that I will now be able to find things more easily.


Our spare room, which is quite big - the same size as our bedroom - doubles as a study, library, archive, dressing room, boudoir and extra wardrobe space. Because of the colour of its wallpaper it is known as "the blue room".


On the mantlepiece, Twiggy and Sybil share their space with various bits and bobs and the chimney breast contains an ever-growing collection of "heads". We were able to buy the 1950s lady in the white headscarf quite cheaply as she's got a bit of damage (hardly noticeable in the photo). The drawing of the lady in the big hat contains real dried flowers and came from a flea market, while the 1960s wooden wall plaque was charity shopped.

I was quite sweaty after all the hauling around with bags full of clothes, so I changed into one of my newly unearthed short sleeved dresses. This one was uncomfortably snug last time I wore it, so I was very pleased to find it wearable again, which is nothing short of a miracle.



Though probably not for long, as we had coffee and a very indulgent cake at the charity shop after dropping off two large bags of donations. Oh well, I guess I deserved that after all the hard work ...


The groovy boots were bought at the charity retro event back in March.


I wore them again on Saturday for another charity shopping trip. That morning I felt inspired to do another round of clearing and assembled no less than five bags of jackets, tops and skirts I have fallen out of love with.

The skirt, which I found at the back of a shelf, was bought new from a cheap high street shop many years ago. I combined it with a 100% polyester short-sleeved green jumper from Think Twice. Apart from the boots and the handbag, this is the only vintage I was wearing. The tweed jacket was once bought in the sales, but for some reason it has hardly been worn, while I've had the spotty scarf for so long that I can't remember where it came from.

I was going to be good and not buy anything at the charity shop, but when I saw these amazing shoes for € 5, I knew it was futile to try and resist ...




30 comments:

  1. I love the boots and the shoes, of course you couldn't have left them behind!

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  2. I am completely in love with those boots!
    Changing a seasonal wardrobe is hard work, but so satisfying to look at the orderly rows of dresses and bags.

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    1. It's not a task I'm looking forward to, but I love the end result ... xxx

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  3. The boots and shoes are fab! I'm halfway through my switcheroo, still lots of organising to be done and some ruthless culling. Your handbag collection is quite something xx

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    1. Some ruthless culling is indeed part of the process. I wouldn't be able to close my wardrobe doors otherwise! xxx

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  4. shoes and boots lool like they came from the same collection! totally chic - both!!
    nice look into your dressing room! love the rainbow of dresses - so cheery. and your collected knick-knacks are a sight of its own - a wandering thru 19.cent. history......
    i only have put away the norwegian sweaters and furs - its back to zero here again!
    hugs! xxxxx

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    1. Thank you Beate! It's been quite cold here too this week, so I'm glad I did not put all the warm stuff away! xxx

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  5. Phoebe and Frank look to be of similar statue - cuddly!
    Those boots! I die! isn't it funny that when you're wearing a certain colour you always find something to match in a chazza? Those shoes are fab.
    Your wardrobe is a riot of Spring colour and I love your Art Deco plaster head. I can't swap over yet, I did it too early last year and I swear that's the reason it snowed in May! xxx

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    1. Temperatures dropped considerably this week, but it's not my fault, as they'd forecasted it before I did my switch ;-) xxx

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  6. Both the boots and the shoes are just fantastic, great style and colour.
    The wardrobe swap looks great fun, your clothes look beautifully well organised- I do that with book spines, they look nice arranged by colour! I love all your bags, mine are shoved in drawers but it's so much nicer being able to see them, especially since there's such a riot of colour. Xxx

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    1. Thank you Sally. Books arranged by colour would look nice indeed, but I wouldn't be able to find anything! As for my bags, they were just shoved inside those shelves until a week ago. Much better now! xxx

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  7. The boots are fabuloufunky!! I love them! It's so nice to see a neat wardrobe like this! Mine is a bit of a disaster zone, though better than it was!!! I've never done a Summer and Winter swap over. I do think it is rather a good idea!xx

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    1. I have to do a swap over, as I've not enough space in my wardrobe for both my summer and winter clothes. Correction: I just have too many clothes! xxx

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  8. Well my friend that was a very serious read for me. Firstly there is a strong possibility you have more clobber than me so I could be on the next plane out there checking.
    You seriously have some fabulous dresses Ann and those boots are incredible as well as the new shoes.
    I would split my clothes into seasons but I've nowhere to put them and I'm frightened I'll want the wear something I've put away anyhow. I'll have to do something as every rail and shelf is rammed
    Lynn xxx

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    1. Competition is fierce, I guess ;-) But I've no choice but to split them, as I haven't got enough space for everything. The out of season clothes are put away in a huge linen chest, which belonged to Jos's grandparents. xxx

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  9. ohhhh, so fabulous to have a look into your wardrobe!, and it looks really tidy (and delightfully colorful!). That's my kind of cute wardrobe!!, and all those handbags on shelves, ready to be chosen!
    Lovely boots!, they're really groovy (perfect adjective!). And those shoes, wouuu, they rock!!!! glad you get them!
    besos

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    1. Thank you, Monica! I'm not sure I will be able to wear the shoes for long, though, as the heels are quite high. xxx

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  10. Ahh, the great switchover! I would do so too, if it wasn't for the fact I never really switched in the first place! I did put three obviously summer dresses in a vacuum bag but just need to put heavy knitwear away now so I shall get those dresses out then. It's just frustrating that I share a wardrobe so only have half and all my voluminous dresses and circle skirts get creased soon as I put them in there. It means having to iron each time I want to wear something xxx

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    1. Oh dear, I'd go crazy if I had to iron things before I could wear them. Thankfully, I do not have to share my wardrobe. I have a huge one in the bedroom and a smaller one in the spare room, and Jos only has one small wardrobe. xxx

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  11. My goodness, what a tidy wardrobe, it puts mine to shame, where handbags and shoes are slung in the bottom and the rail is so heavily laden that it bows! I've got a week off soon so I must have a sort out.
    Fabulous footwear, what a coincidence that they are so similar. I wouldn't mind a piece of that lemon meringue pie... or whatever it is.xx

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    1. I admit that I'm Miss Organized! I'm hearing you on the bowing rail, though. Mr. S. had to replace the original rail in my wardrobe by a reinforced one as it was in danger of collapsing. The pie, by the way, was "flan pâtissier" and very yummy! xxx

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  12. Sorted by colour??? Im impressed
    Spring has deserted us also....but it never really started.

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    1. Well, I am Miss Organized! And it makes it easier to find things back ... xxx

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  13. Oh my word, all those handbags! I thought I had a lot but my collection is nothing compared to yours :)
    Those shoes at the end are fabulous, they look like 1970s does 1930s but actually they look quite new. Are they modern ones? I love the colour combination on them, so autumnal. xx

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    1. Thank you Cate. I do have quite a lot of bags, but too many black/brown/navy ones. I'm still on the lookout for a good red one, for instance. The shoes are modern ones. They do look quite fierce, but are very comfortable. xxx

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  14. Wow, you've done some serious organising there. All my stuff lives in the one wardrobe all year round. You clearly rock at finding shoes and boots; I love the multicoloured ones you've found.

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    1. Thanks Mim. I do have to be pretty organized with my clothes and the switch really is a necessity as it doesn't all fit in my wardrobe. I know, I just have too many clothes. As a size 4, I often find boots and shoes in charity shops. xxx

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  15. Your wardrobes - both before and after - were a treat for the eyes; all that lovely colour and so neat and tidy!

    The only transition I've done so far is to remove some of the heavier knitted tops and tunics out into plastic bags. It's chilly here and I can't see the big swap over happening anytime soon, unfortunately.

    I loved all your bits and pieces in your bedroom and spare room but I like Phoebe the best - what a beauty!

    xx

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    1. Thank you Veronica. I usually make a start with my switch mid April, otherwise it will never happen. But I did keep some things behind, which is a good thing, as it's been chilly here as well. I'm always telling Phoebe she's now a VIC: a Very Important Cat ;-) xxx

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