The remedy
Clothes have stopped being fun for you long ago. They have become a necessity and no more. It's time to re-evaluate your wardrobe and only keep the items that you really wear all the time. You will feel that less of your past is hanging around in a murky corner. Go through your wardrobe. Put your clothes into the following piles:
Dry-cleaning
Even if something just smells of a late night and has no visible stains, it needs to be dry-cleaned. Your clothes will feel new and the cost of dry-cleaning is much less than buying it again.
Mending
Look for broken zips, falling-down hems, clothes that are too large. Find a friendly seamstress and get them fixed.
Too old
Clothes that have been in your wardrobe for too many years without being worn need to go. You will have more than most other people. Sentimentality, or the hope of a diet working, are not reasons to let redundant items take up valuable space. Throw them out now.
Too small
It's far better to let go of items that have not fitted you for a number of years than cling onto the hope that your size will change. Let them go now. If you do lose weight, you won't want to wear them anyway.
Colour and shape
Once you have created this space in your wardrobe - either go shopping or swapping. First stop: buy a new coat. This will be an item that will show off your figure, yet hide the middle-age spread. Don't choose black. You need colour in your life. Really try to lighten up the tone of your wardrobe. Most women who have given up tend to have a very dark-coloured wardrobe. Work out which colours suit you (see our feature 'How to work out which colours suit you') and start to build up with the basics. Look carefully at the shape of your clothes - are your waistbands too high, your tops too low, your hems betraying ageing knees? Can your arms take those puff sleeves, your legs those cropped trousers?
Wearing a fitted coat or jacket is a great way to look smart and feel not past it. If you don't know which skirt length is best for you, opt for trousers instead.
Show that you have respect for yourself and carry a decent handbag.
You can't let this new look down by wearing anything other than a pair of flattering heels. Forget your heavy black flatties.
A long scarf with the colour of the bag in it lifts the outfit out of 'beigedom'.
A flared or wide-legged trouser is just as practical as a tapered jean. Don't be frightened of something you may consider too modern.
