minkymass's posterous

I think it's hard to get to know people on Twitter in 140 characters or less. Whilst we may think that we 'know' someone because we tweet alot, it's doubtful that we actually do.

So here is a nice long list of things about me that you may not know, or like, but its me all the same.

I work in social housing which I think is a very important aspect of our country's welfare state.

I wholly believe in the welfare state, for those that don't, imagine yourself in the situation where you lose everything and there is no-one to help you.

I drive a BMW (some people regard BMW drivers as idiot drivers- I don't believe I am one of them!)

I am a working mum. I am proud to be a working mum. I didn't want to go back but I had to and I'm really pleased that I did. I actually feel quite complete now.

I 100% support breast feeding but only did it for a few weeks. I had a terrible time of it and couldn't satisfy Ava at all. I looked for help but didn't get any in a constructive manner. Being told that you are 'giving up what is best for your child' is not constructive. It stopped me from wanting to get further help as all I found was desperate criticism of my parenting skills. There is only so much one person can take. This really ruined my first few weeks of being a mummy and I still feel very upset about how I was treated.

I have three tattoos.

I still like to go out of an evening with my friends and take my mummy hat off for a few hours. However, I hate staying up late so I'm never that late home (although I love wine so may be sporting a sore head the next day!)

Ava's grandparents love her to bits and she has so much fun with them. So if they offer to babysit to give me time to study or do some chores I will usually take them up on that offer. I'd rather she had fun than me fretting about what I need to do (perils of being a working mum!)

I do obsess a bit about my weight but in reality I'm a size 10 and weigh a little over 9 stone. I know I'm being silly but I'm just not 100% there yet.

I love cooking but I'm not so keen on baking as it's just too exact!

I have a degree in English Literature and I am currently studying for a post grad in Housing Policy.

I'm more Labour than Conservative.

I am an IVF baby.

I am an only child, my parents are divorced and I am possibly slightly spoiled. Especially by my dad. He bought me a Mini Cooper a few years ago to reward me of my hard work at university and becuase he was proud of me in buying my first house at 20 years old. I am always grateful for what I have.

My daughter has slept through the night, without fail (apart from occasional brief wakings), since she was 8 weeks old. People hate me for this. 

I suffer from psoriasis.

I can be very impatient and irritable but I avoid confrontation at all costs.

I was bullied terribly at school until I moved away and knew how to stand up for myself. I will not tolerate bullying in any form. It is the lowest form of behaviour. 

I think it is very important to understand current affairs.

I was 17 weeks pregnant when I got married. We were engaged, planning to get married in Crete, when I fell pregnant. I organised our wedding day with 80 guests in attendance within 8 weeks. It was amazing. 

I completely admire people who didn't have any pain relief when they were in labour. But it wasn't for me. I had an 8Ib 9oz baby resting on my spine and it bloody hurt. So I had an epidural. This doesn't make me a weak person, I just wanted to make things a bit easier for myself!

I had an ectopic pregnancy in September 2009. Looking back, I think I should have sourced more emotional help. I needed it. I try and view it that I was very lucky in that I didn't need surgery and that hopefully no serious damage was caused, but in my mind, all I remember is the midwife administering the two injections to terminate the pregnancy. There is a lot of guilt, although there is nothing that could have been done. 

In my opinion, my daughter is the most beautiful little thing that I have ever seen. 

I'd love to know more about you too. Please share :-)

So, its been a week since I came up with this idea and duly wrote it down for you all to see. 

It has been a week of selling, buying and feeling guilty!

Selling:

I'd already listed some items of value on eBay. Didn't have the best results to be honest, but it's better than a poke in the eye I suppose. 

By the way if you live in France and win at item from a UK seller that clearly states UK bidders only, then, well, T'es un imbecile!!

Buying:

I've bought a few items this week. It's been hard due to imminent change of seasons, restraining impulse buying and becoming more considerate in what I purchase. Everything must go with everything. Here are some of the things I've added to my wardrobe.

(download)

Click here to download:

my-first-week-zurjDneeycrBobGflcwf.zip (93 KB)

Feeling Guilty:

I have wardrobe guilt. I mean, I feel like I'm cheating on it. And although I have too much and nothing looks good anymore, how incredibly vain and selfish of me to get rid of perfectly good clothes for a challenge that really only benefits myself! I feel so bad. THe riots over England has also made me feel a bit bad. Some poor unsuspecting people lost everything. I almost sent my clothes to a charity that would benefit these people. But I do need to make money somehow. There will be charity shop donations, this will be mostly to Cancer Research due to my mum having battled (and won) ovarian cancer 7 years ago.

Going Forward:

Main objectives this week are to actually sort my wardrobe. Yes, yes, I know I should have done this first. Well I didn't. I have a little girl and I haven't really had the time this week. 

So I said that I'd let you know how I was getting on at every stage.

Obviously the first thing I needed to do to be able to do this was to raise the cash. Last sunday I put some pretty good items on eBay, this Sunday they ended.

Sadly, I only made the princely sum of £23.23.

Now what shall I buy?.......

I like neutral colours, nothing too fitted (mummy tummy alert), smart casual. Got a real thing about printed t shirts, hence the fox one! I never wear skirts, I like tunic dresses with leggings/ tights or bare legs on a night out. I also adore animal print, but not in a Bette Lynch kind of way.

I'm returning to work after 10 months maternity leave at the beginning of October. I will only be working two and a half days a week, in an office. It's not a particularly smart job, but I'm not one for looking like I've just pulled myself out of bed. Even after giving birth, I didn't live in my pyjamas- I couldn't wait to put on non maternity clothes. What a slap in the face that was. My jeans didn't even go over my thighs. I'm in denial that my incessant craving for fish and chips had anything to do with this. 

Most capsule wardrobes that I have researched tend to be geared towards the working woman. So my question is this: how can you have a capsule wardrobe, where in essence each item goes with every other item, if your lifestyle varies so greatly?

So this is me, and this is my blog. God only knows how I'm  actually going to be able to keep up with this while being a mother, a wife, working 3 days a week and studying for a post grad course. So if you don't hear from me for a little while...well, you know why. I'M BUSY!!!

I've wanted to blog for some time now. As an English Literature graduate it would seem like a natural thing to do, yet for some reason I've just not really got my head around this whole blogging thing. I mean who would want to read what I write about? Probably my husband, so he can get some sort of insight into my head.....

I read blogs a lot. I have to say that some are so fantastic and natural that I seriously look up to these people. 

You know who you are. Check your followers list on Twitter. I'm following you. 

So, as I think I'm quite a mundane person, I really felt that I needed a reason to start a blog, a reason for people to read it. So apart from some random musings (I may even publish my birth story if you are lucky) there will be a main theme to this, if I deem it to be possible.

I need you guys to help me decide if it is.

I want to create a capsule wardrobe.

Ha, you say, how ridiculously simple and meaningless- why are you taking up room in cyberspace and wasting my time?

Because it is not simple. The idea of only buying key pieces of clothing for my wardrobe and wearing them day in day out fills me with dread. I am a clothes horse. I love to buy clothes. Now don't get me wrong, I'm pretty thrifty. I don't ever buy anything expensive- for me it's always been quantity over quality. Surely the more you have to wear, the easier it is? WRONG.

Every day, it takes me half an hour to get dressed. Now I don't mean, putting on my make up, blow drying my hair to perfection (yeah right); I mean actually choosing clothes. 

I have a double wardrobe, 4 drawers and a secret suitcase under my bed full of clothes. Yet, I have nothing to wear.

I blamed this on becoming a mother. My beautiful daughter wrecked my body, and although I have just creeped back into a (large) size 10, I still don't look the same. My boobs are saggier, my hips are wider. My thighs...well. 

There is no doubt that this makes it harder to get dressed. So I went out, bought new clothes to try and combat this issue. But I've done myself a disservice and actually made things a million times harder for myself. Instead of easily being able to find something to wear I now probably have hundreds of outfit options. This girl is baffled. 

The definition of a capsule wardrobe is this:

A collection of clothes and accessories that only includes items considered essential.

What do you mean my 5 M&S cardigans in various shades are not essential items?!

Well they're not. I only wear 20% of my wardrobe 80% of the time. Shocking.

So the challenge that I am proposing to set myself is this. I will buy a capsule wardrobe. I will declutter my wardrobe (and four drawers and secret suitcase).

I will wear these clothes, and nothing else within a 3 month period.

I feel sick, yet excited at the thought.

There are some stumbling blocks.

1) I have very little money to buy new clothes. Therefore, I need to sell, sell, sell.

2) I'm strangely attached to things in my wardrobe although I haven't worn them in some time!

3) There is a certain guilt element in getting rid of perfectly good clothes.

So, people, I need your advice.

Is this a good blog idea and how shall I help it grow? 

Shall I publish what I intend to buy and receive feedback?

Shall I publish pictures of my old items in the hope that someone may want them?

Is it acceptable to keep some items of clothing that may not be considered to be essentially capsule (i.e it doesn't go with everything but I do really like it)?

All feedback is welcome. And please feel free to tell me to bore off.