When the festive season ends, we descend into the cold, dark, return-to-work months. I think that’s why resolutions are so popular – it will be a new year and a fresh start, but giving yourself a few goals to focus on is also a decent way of making it through what is arguably the most depressing month in the calendar.
With that in mind, I have come up with some wardrobe resolutions to help make it out of January in one piece.
My first goal may seem a little incongruous as a style resolution, but hear me out: I want to have fewer clothes in my wardrobe. My friends and family are all kitted out thanks to my hand-me-downs and I feel that my collection now ticks all the boxes. I know that I can make pretty much any outfit from the options that I have and so I think it’s time to streamline. I’m a big believer in quality over quantity and I like to invest in my clothes. I look after what I have and I wear items for many years. But you can have too much of a good thing, and owning too many clothes to choose from can be counterproductive. But what stays and what goes? I shall have to be strict with myself and hand down anything that hasn’t been worn for a season or longer.
After saying that, my second resolution seems rather hypocritical, because I do want to buy more clothes for my work-outs. I train up to six times a week and it’s a big part of my life, but I’m reluctant to invest in new gear, as I’m only going to sweat in it. However, on the rare occasion that I do get a new T-shirt or pair of shorts, I turn up to the gym with newfound gusto. Anyone who trains regularly can attest to the fact that your head has to be in the game to get the most out of your session and I genuinely feel that when I look right it has a big impact on my work-out.
My final style resolution is to wear more hats. Hats and I have a somewhat rocky past; I’ve always liked the idea of wearing them, but as soon as it’s on my head, I become acutely aware of it and feel self-conscious. However, I popped into the St James’s hatter Lock & Co recently and had a good, long chat about the right kind of hat for me and came out with four, which I plan to wear all year round.
Whatever your resolutions for 2017, be they style-based or not, I hope they help make your January a little more bearable.