Shedding my stuff - what was I thinking? Disclaimer: I am not a model.

Disclaimer #2: my face doesn't really look like this. Or maybe it does and I don't know that.

My goal this summer is to work my way through my wardrobe. Every single item of clothing gets tried on and worn and I'm "feeling" through the process. (Guffaw). No, but seriously, why hang on to stuff if I can't wear it, or it doesn't fit, or I feel like rubbish every time I wear it? And I found a couple of groups on flickr where people do this and post pictures of what they wear every day. I love seeing what other people are wearing and how they have combined things. They describe where they got them from too, and sometimes the items are 100% secondhand. I think I love used clothing from the "stick it to the man" perspective (also a reason to love gardening), but on the other hand, I also love fashion and beautiful things, being an artist.

The thing is, it is fun to try on and photograph ones clothes in the privacy of ones home, not even just to work through ones wardrobe and decide what to keep. I am not a gambler, or likely to ever turn up at Cup Day (today) where one is seen, photographed and if you are up for it, judged in the best dressed competition. But I am participating in some of these flickr lists, for all to judge and comment on (not that I have been, except by my kind friend, Peter). And I have to say, photographing myself in what I am wearing is a great reality check when deciding what clothes need to go, photos don't lie.

I would have loved to have been born the beautiful and outrageously stylish Daphne Guiness, personal friend of the late Alexander McQueen and Isabella Blow. By a quirk of birth, she happens to be an heiress with, I assume, nothing to spend her money on or do with her time but what she truly loves. And she loves fashion, buying and wearing. She's the same age as me, but different build, but if we lived in the same street, I'm sure we'd be best friends. One of the things I love is to sit on the beds of my best girl friends while they show me their favourite clothes, or latest buys. I did this on Saturday at my friend, Taryn's after we went to her friend's sculpture exhibition opening, (where I met a man in a very cool jacket, who told me it was made in Wellington in the 60s, which opened a conversation about style. He unbuttoned his jacket and showed me the amazing lining. I then admired his floral shirt. Well, I guess you had to be there.) Then after admiring Taryn's coat collection, she came over to my place and I showed her some of my favourite shoes. My other friend Monique is fabulous for shoes, she has some beauties. I just love looking at people's stuff.

So for you, dear reader, make yourself comfy against the huge pillows on my bed, and I'll tell you about this outfit which I am wearing today. I have to say, I would probably not wear it out. Particularly after watching a fashion segment on morning TV where the announcer, on seeing an Alexander McQueen dress with the same frilled split at the front as the one I'm wearing here, commented on it, "But just, also the cut up her leg there was a bit revealing". In defence of the dress, I am fairly sure I have never revealed anything while wearing it, although I have to say, it was a favourite of the last man I went out with, who apparently liked the revelation of my chubby knees. The thing is I really like this dress, because it is swirly and kind of feminine and playful and really comfy, and you just pull it on and go, and is so cool to wear in the kind of scorching weather we have had for the last week. However, I don't know if I would have the courage to wear it out anywhere, even though I tried it on with a jacket one would wear out, and of course my trusty hat. People might look at me when I was walking along the street (and think I was revealing a lot) which could make me feel uncomfortable. I know it sounds vain to think that people would be looking at me, but despite my blogging to the world (although my readership is small, the blog is still available to everyone) and posting these pics, it is not a narcissistic thing, honest! I do not like to be the centre of attention, or the subject of the male gaze, or for that matter the female gaze either, if the female happens to be bitchy. So I guess I do not choose to wear this dress out, because I suppose it is not very modest and I don't want to give anyone the wrong impression.

However even though this is not a dress I wear out, it is still one that I love for the comfort, coolness and joie de vivre I feel when I wear it. It's a keeper.

It's really cool this book, SHED by Julie Morgenstern which is consuming me right now. But it it has made me evaluate who I thought I was or who I was trying to please when I bought certain things or got involved with certain interests. However, I can safely say that when I bought this dress from an op shop a few years back, as dated as the style is (and it was out of fashion even when I bought it), I knew that it would let me feel happy and carefree when I wear it, which is good enough for me, even if it does not please any fashionistas out there.

I am interested to hear if there are items people have and still wear, even though they wouldn't wear them "out".