Date: Wednesday 2nd January 2012 Place: At home in London
Well, here it is! Outfit #365, and the end of elisabeth-emma’s first year. I’m proud to say that I have blogged every day, whether I have been in Singapore or Sydney, wide awake or jet lagged, healthy or in bed with a cold. It feels like quite an achievement! Here’s to another year of blogging. Thanks so much for all your kind messages and encouraging words!
I feel that I have learned a lot since I launched this blog. I started it for two reasons; firstly, as you know, to commemorate my sister, the Elisabeth Emma who was such an inspiration. I think that she would approve of how it has turned out (although she wouldn’t necessarily approve of all of my looks!) Secondly, this time last year, I was feeling pretty low. Having lost my sister less than a year earlier, I’d fallen into a lull - sleeping too much, caring too little about my appearance, and generally depressed and lethargic. It might sound ridiculous, but this project seemed to give me a new lease of life. I’ve taken great pleasure in choosing my outfits, photographing them (sometimes under tricky circumstances) and writing about them. What’s more, it’s forced me to evaluate my strengths and weaknesses. Photoshop may have the capacity to hide a multitude of sins, but an untouched photograph never lies: much as I may have tried to convince myself that certain things suited me, seeing them on screen sometimes proved otherwise! I have finally accepted that, just as Trinny & Susannah said, curvy girls look a lot better with a well defined silhouette and v-neck, no matter how cool slouchy styles look on flat chested girls. I don’t think there’s any need to be overly prescriptive in these things, but it’s good to have a code for guidance - particularly on those days when nothing in that wardrobe seems right! Stay tuned for elisabeth-emma’s school rules for the new sartorial term…
Today, I headed back to the office after a fabulous Christmas break wearing a cheery outfit to brighten up a grey day. I’m wearing a pencil skirt from Hobbs; I’ve been hankering after it for several weeks, and was delighted to find it half price in the sale on Monday! Isn’t the bold check fantastic? Perfect for winter! I paired it with my favourite blouse (the cost per wear must be down to mere pennies by now…) and a bright red cardigan. I accessorised with a narrow black patent belt, black ankle strap heels, and my new red bag. Bring on 2013 - I’m ready!
Skirt: Hobbs / Blouse: ASOS / Cardigan: Mango / Shoes: New Look / Bag: Matt + Nat
