Lessons From Owning THAT Smaller Size In The Wardrobe

Flic Taylor - 19 Jul 17

Hands up, who owns a piece of clothing that is too small to fit into? I’m talking about THAT piece that hangs in your wardrobe and is a good few inches away from any bloody hope of fastening up. The piece that when you look at it, you envision one day it will wrap around your perfect bikini body and with every step you take wearing it, you will be graced by a glorious ticker tape parade! But the question is, how does it really make you feel today as it loiters in the closet?

THAT Smaller Piece

Maybe its a piece from years ago? From a decade of irresponsibility and beer fuelled happy days? Maybe its a sentimental piece reaping memories of a truly happy time in your life. Maybe its a bargain that you grabbed and thought, “That’s it! Next month I’m going to survive solely on drinking lemon water and eating dust to fit into it!”. This particular piece of clothing has now been crowned as your ‘New You’ golden motivator. By owning this piece, hook or by crook, you are somehow and in some way going to fit into and wear it.  I reckon I’m not alone with owning some pieces like this? Am I right or am I right?! and hey, there is no judgement from my end of town!

My Shopping Jackanory Story

Well, here’s a little story about one of those Polly Pocket sized pieces in my wardrobe. You see, I have a pair of MIH Jane jeans that I bought 3 summers ago. These poor denim beauts have been buried in darkness in my spare clothing cupboard like a little Pit Pony and have never even seen the light of day. The story behind these denim gems is that I saw them in a copy Red magazine and on some bloggers pages. I absolutely loved them but the price tag told me ‘Not this pay cheque darlin”.

So, during a moment of iPhone swipe ‘n’ shop weakness,  I discovered they were in the ASOS sale!!  I screamed and took immediate action to order a pair. Ok, so what a shocker, they didn’t have my bloody size, they only had one pair left in a size smaller to me. What a disappointment! What a shopping quandary!

When you see some fab MIH jeans in the sale but are a size smaller, do you?

a) Love them and leave them for someone else to buy who will actually fit them?

b) Do you sigh and think “they are not meant to be this time?”

c) Do you state this moment does not end you search and you’re sure to find a pair in your size soon?

Well, obviously I said a big  f**k off “No” to all of the common sense above. I quickly ordered them and declared that maybe they would fit? Maybe I would miraculously loose half my body weight in the week of shipping time? Maybe I was indeed just carrying water weight as opposed to two bottles of Prosecco and plates of calamari on each hip!

Alas, the MIH Janes finally arrived, I tried and then they cried- refusing to go past my hips. Any shopping sense floating around my bedroom that day would have gently patted me on my shoulder and told me “never mind love, just return them”. But we all know how this story is going to end. I kept them and the  MIH Janes have now affectionately become known as the poor Pit Pony f**kers that will never make it round my waist even after a serious bout of Gastro! So let’s begin my lessons of owning THAT smaller sized piece in the wardrobe.

The Dangers Of Keeping THAT Smaller Item In The Wardrobe

1. Don’t keep something to encourage any shape or form of self-loathing. This is a complete and utter waste of precious energy or time. Life is simply too short. I’m sure no one lay on their death-bed saying they wish they had spent more days crying and chastising themselves over a pair of jeans that stood no bloody chance of ever fastening up.
2. Don’t keep anything that leads you to question you body shape, beauty or self-confidence. You are fabulous! There is absolutely no room for negativity in that department of your life!
3. If you’re keeping something for sentimental reasons then this piece has to make you smile, laugh and blissfully wander down memory lane when you hold it in your hands. Instantly get rid of it, if it ever dare whisper to you “those were the days, Sponge Bob Sqishy pants!”.
4. Don’t keep this item if it is a reminder of a Rock’n’Roll night when you lay in bed surrounded by the iPad, an empty can of Pringles and an empty glass of wine! This was the fuzzy eyed online shopping binge you did with the assurance that you were actually buying items with the monopoly money you found on the kid’s bedroom floor!
5. You live, you learn, and by the way, you are bloody amazing! Absorb every ounce from this lesson and skip on happily to be content in your shape as you are.

The Shopaholics Recovery Method From Buying THAT Smaller Sized Piece Of Clothing 

1. Don’t be tempted by the last man standing. This is my biggest hurdle to jump over. I’m a sucker for a sale item and the belief system that the shopping fairies will automatically ensure I fit into it, just because I can now afford this piece. I need to learn that this is not a formula destined for success. If it is the last item in the shop sale section and not my size – then I need to just walk away. I need to also take note that these are the same fairies that visit my car and leave Kit-Kat wrappers in the glove compartment. I may believe in magic and fairies but my hips certainly don’t!
2. If you like something, if you covert something, if you dream of something and if you point-blank obsess about something, then just save up and buy that one thing! Pay full price for it and skip off into the sunset, enjoying every single, well-fitting thread of it. There is often a danger sign attached to waiting for the reductions. They can entice you to buy your second or third option.  I am in no means saying that we should just pay full price for our wardrobe and to hell with the consequences. I’m a born sales hunter and love a good bargain. But when I reflect on the things that I have bought and will now pass down onto the 14 year olds in my life (as that is who they will fit- FFS!). Then I reckon we should avoid falling into the trap of buying something we didn’t initially lust after, solely because it’s 70% off in the sale and maybe one day it will fit.
3. If you try something on, regardless of whether it’s the shop or an online purchase in your bedroom, and it doesn’t fit, then drumroll…….don’t keep it. I reckon some of you are reading this thinking this woman is bonkers. I believe there are also some of you from the same campsite as myself, nodding with laughter and recalling items in the wardrobe that are a bit snug with the store tags still attached.

I’m Now Wearing My Sensible Shopping Knickers 

It’s simple. Buy things that you love. Buy them in the full knowledge that you have tried them on, that they fit you well, that you will wear them countless times and that they make you feel fabulous and grant you a happy skip in that step. Buy one good thing as opposed to ten. Do not keep the online orders that are destined to sit in a cupboard.

Lastly, bloody love and accept yourself. The minute we start to accept ourselves as who and what we are, then we are telling those around us to accept us too. Thich Nhat Hanh, buddhist Monk and peace activist, said it beautifully with his words “To be beautiful means to be yourself. You don’t need to be accepted by others. You need to accept yourself.”

I’m all for eating healthy food to fuel our bodies and keep us strong and away from illness. I’m all for exercising regularly to help us deal mentally with the daily stresses of life and to maintain our bodies fitness and strength. I’m also all for drinking a glass of wine, eating a slice of cake and just being happy as I am. A pair of jeans that won’t do up around the waist  have no right of place in our wardrobe, our mind space or our emotions and self reflections. The MIH denim pit ponies have now been posted out to to a better home in the knowledge that an Instapal will now wear them regularly and love them. Poor denim dolls need some sunlight at long last.

Flic Taylor

I'm a Mum to two cheeky boys and work as a Pre-School teacher. I emigrated to Canada 11 years ago with my Canadian hubby but miss my British High Street, home comforts and the M&S food hall! I enjoy the creative outlet of writing a fashion and style blog in my spare time. My passion is promoting individual style through buying less but buying better. This has led me to now research the effects that Fast Fashion has on our lives, environment and those making our clothes. I love a good stripe and always have room for Gin and chocolate buttons!

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