Who'd live in a house like this?

 Regular readers will remember the post I did on closets, the dream walk in wardrobe that we all aspire to..in a way, this is an extension from that. I must apologise for my lax posting of late, there are several reasons largely work being hectic and possibly the bigger stress..finding a house/ flat. The Boy and I thought we had found our dream one, only to get gazumped at the last minute. I'm not quite over it yet but the quest must go on..it just takes up SO much time! It also got me thinking about some of the most stylish houses around. I love feeding my nosiness by checking out great interior design blogs like The Coveted, Into The Gloss, The Selby & Closet Visit which all offer a behind-the-scenes insight into the lives of the fashion crowd, whether the focus be on the inner workings of their wardrobes, make-up bags or apartments or simply what inspires them in day to day life. 

I suppose in a way, it is dressing up voyeurism, but this is so intrinsic to the concept of blogging that it's nothing we fashion followers haven't seen before. Indeed, in the days long before blogs existed, I always found myself drawn to features such as the Closet Confidential in Elle UK and settling down to enjoy MTV Cribs...a show I still love! Also the 'What's in your bag' feature that used to be in Harpers Bazaar and a similar feature that they used to have in Tatler which was a double page spread and collage of a celebrity/ model/ socialite's favourite things. I loved seeing what my style icons (ok..not much on MTV cribs..) wore and were inspired by. Although I'm sure these features are artificially constructed, I still can't get over the thrill, or intimacy if you will, of going behind the person to see what makes them tick.  Few things can reveal this as much as looking round a person's house or wardrobe.

For me, despite the blog’s ability to provide instant gratification, it will never come close to the pleasure of pouring over an interior design book, handing over my last fiver to check out the feature on Sofia Coppola's flat in Vogue or even pottering round a friend's house that I haven't visited before...now I just need a place of my own...

Edit: All pictures courtesy of The Selby, maybe he'll come round when I've found the dream flat.

Milly and her wardrobe

 

Right folks, I know lots of my fellow bloggers have been making New Year's fashion resolutions.  I particularly liked Dead Fleurette's unflinching honesty about what can happen with clothes resolutions and also Miss Moll Cherie's 2011 list.  My first resolution of the New Year is this..a wardrobe cull. A brutal clear-out with the results going to charity shops and Ebay (to fund new purchases).

I'm sure you recognise this one..even without Carrie

I used to have a wardrobe organised in colour, shoes in labelled boxes and all  (ok..most) flats in the rack on my wardrobe door, coats were hung on the wall in the hall.  I still have two accessories bags..one is a large Anya Hindmarch weekend bag that I keep all my wool/ cashmere scarfs/ hats and gloves in and the other is a large Laduree bag which I keep all my silk scarfs in neat rolls.  These are the only two things that are still neat and orderly. I managed an underwear/ tights sort out before Christmas and that gave me a great sense of achievement.  The top two drawers in my chest of drawers, top left now has tights/ socks rolled up on their sides arranged by colour and fabric, the top right has pants rolled into neat curls and bras laid out by colour.

What I can only aspire to....regardless of organisation, I may have to move house first...and win the lottery.

My handbags are still organised, most in dust bags and arranged neatly on a shelf but there the wardrobe and drawers are descending into chaos.  I do still make a point of putting away all the clothes I've taken off at the end of each day into the wardrobe/ laundry/ dry cleaning pile, that's pretty good going right? 

I'd probably look as happy as she does if my wardrobe was in fact a room like Olivia Wilde's.

Essentially I don't mind too much doing the wardrobe cull, it's then summoning the energy to photograph everything and put it on Ebay and THEN you have to post everything off that gets to me.  There's always so many more interesting things to do in the evening or at the weekend but I must do it. Public promise right here, right now, I will do this before the beginning of February. I will also put a link up to the stuff on Ebay to prove that I've done it.  Wish me luck and let me know your fashion resolutions...X

Rachel Zoe..not as glam a closet as I'd thought..

Then you see this lady's..and it's only the shoes you can see in this picture!

A wardrobe that comes with a stepladder..um...and a child.