Ruleschange

I'm going to give fair warning to any boy unfortunate enough to be reading this: I'm about to go on about clothes.

You may be wondering where I've been. Having an epiphany, that's where! I realised the other day that when I go clothes shopping, I immediately disregard a large proportion of the clothes that initially catch my eye because they go against my 'rules'. For anyone who doesn't use the rules system or something similar, here are a few examples of features that break my rules (meaning I assume they won't suit me/are unacceptable in modern society/aren't suitable for my age/figure/height/political orientation):

• Anything overly baggy (swamping)
• Anything backless/strapless/plunging (require complicated bras/sellotape)
• Anything skintight
• Playsuits/jumpsuits/unitards/anything you have to completely take off to go to the loo
• Corsets or anything push-up-y (I'm not that desperate for attention)
• Anything see-through 
• Animal print
• Slogans likely to offend my mother
• Shorts
• Any skirt/dress that falls past my knees (I'm short, OK?)
• Stripper shoes

There are many more, but you get the idea. It's exhausting! So now I have a new rule: try it on. This might not sound groundbreaking, but it's a surprisingly difficult concept to get used to. I usually only want to make a trip to the changing rooms for clothes I have a good idea will suit me, mostly to get a good idea of size and a second opinion from the mirror. Trying on masses of stuff would be exhausting! Also, my rules are tied up in my identity, shallow as that sounds. I go for clothes that are much like my other clothes, because they're 'me', I can see them fitting in to my wardrobe and will feel like myself when I wear them. 

There's also the issue of insecurity. I like to think I have a fairly balanced idea of how I look, and tend to blame the style of clothes rather than my own body when I try something on and look horrendous, but I know a fair few girls whose day can be ruined if they try on something unflattering. Taking the plunge with no rules to protect me, there's a chance that a losing streak on the clothes-choice front could get wearing (pun not intended). 

Still, I have decided to be brave. Since my resolution I have been shopping far too much, and here is some of the fruit of my new fearlessness: 

OK, so I'm mostly excited about prints now. 

Right, off to bed now. I had an alarmingly productive day today, and am absolutely knackered as a result.

Goodnight!