“I definitely make an effort most days now to wear clothes that I love. I feel more confident when I'm wearing an outfit that I'm happy with.”

“The hack helped me think consciously about what was in my wardrobe and how I felt when I wore certain items. After the hack I got rid of a few pieces that I didn't love or feel were working for me... 

I'm still building up a wardrobe that I love. This is particularly hard being overweight - I'd desperately love a couple of pairs of pants that fit me well, but these seem to be impossible to find. 

And I still have a big pile of clothes that I'm yet to get around to getting mended or altered. 

I'd be happy to meet up again.”

Fashion Hack – Diary (edited) of Participant 2
9 – 15 August 2013

“Friday night 9 August.
It is Saturday and I have a familiar feeling -nothing to wear!! Now this relates specifically to my lack of casual clothes or my inability to get excited by them. I don’t enjoy jeans. Probably go for leggings and a comfy long top, with boots and jacket.

Saturday 10 Aug.
Red leggings, lace top and black fluffy jumper, with black boots. About as casual as I get! Added my red cross earrings and red bow in my hair for the trip to town. I have changed to a black chiffon shirt with tail and black jacket, with longer knee high boots. This makes me feel more dressy but still relaxed.

Monday 12 August.
Already thinking ahead to Wednesday when I have a big presentation to give to senior management: more thought will go into this one yet!

Tuesday 13 August.
I realise the comfort factor is an essential feature of my favourite clothes. They need to look good, even a little different and quirky, but not be a pain to wear: uncomfortable crotches, too tight waistbands, sloppy shoulder straps, or too loose and frumpy – all these things matter. As well as colour and pizazz of course!

I also wore a scarf I have had for a while now: made of several looped together bands of stretchy fabrics in different colours and patterns, it sits just below neckline. As it stretches I sometimes loop it over my chest and put one band around my neck. Today I looped one band up on my head like a headband, and I think this very basic idea has lots of potential to be developed….much like hip wraps or skirt wraps in sheer fabrics…”

“Factors that influence my wardrobe are: My wardrobe must be influenced by a whole range of factors that I’m not aware of- for example I am now wearing a lot of dresses because they came back into fashion and therefore became available to me. It’s obviously influenced by my perception of self, and my politics (liberal, feminist, greenie), and also by being a mother (I need functional clothes, but I also think the softness and romanticism that has come into my style- which used to darker- some from motherhood) .As a feminist I want to dress in a way that is feminine, strong, and sexy, because I think woman can be all of those things.

I think I try to express my creative engagement with the world through colour and folk influences, and my desire to have an individual style.

As an environmentalist I want my clothes to be either secondhand or from an organization that has an ethical business model. I don’t want to be part of the culture of consumerism or excess.

My clothes make me feel:
Feminine, light, strong, sexy a modern woman, like a mother, aware of the past (60’s, 70’s) and individual.

“Accessories are a huge part of making my wardrobe work. I tend to think of my wardrobe as a set of outfits, rather than individual clothes. Each outfit will have a summer and a winter version (if possible). For example, every dress has a pair of flats and a pair of boots that I wear with it, and a jacket. This means that I wear the same clothes all throughout the year.” (see picture of outfit on floor).

“A few things I’ve documented with my camera in the last week:

Picture 1.Making cheese requires an artisans outfit, going for style and a good cheese hat, this combo made mozzarella that melted and tasted amazingly, but wasn’t pretty to look at.

Picture 2.Working from home requires the ultimate in comfort and style. You’ll see I’ve got my moccasins, African pants, and my bear t-shirt. Soon it will be naptime on the sheepskin rug.

Picture 3. Incorporating a hat at work was a tough one, I figured my Sherlock hat could be used in situations where a lot of brain power was required.”

Additional comments: “I haven't got the courage for African outfit yet, although I was wearing just the pants with my cow shirt yesterday...but that was at home.”

“In Queenstown now and you'll be thrilled to know I wore my long fake sheepskin coat.... and my bright blue pashmina!”

“I wore the Black dress for NY Eve...head was in good space.”