I feel like a little girl playing dress up in her mother’s wardrobe today. The formula for this whimsical trip down memory lane?

Take one oversized man’s shirt

Add a string of pearls that swing on down to your knees

Wear open toes with school girl socks

Voila! Instant seven year old chic. One of my favourite pastimes as a child was rootling through too-big clothes and parading about in all manner of outfits… which is actually not that dissimilar to my favourite pastimes as an adult! Between them, my mum and grandma had the most wonderful collection of couture, including a full length rabbit fur coat, a Versace suit in electric blue with gold buttons and killer shoulder pads and countless pairs of towering heels. The Holy Grail, however, was my mum’s wedding dress – a true 80s classic complete with billowing lace sleeves and 55 pearl buttons up the back (my sister and I counted). 

I was a precocious child and forced my long-suffering siblings to act as groom (poor brother) and mother of the bride (poor YOUNGER sister!) many a time. We would clump up and down the garden path, often greeted by a shaggy dog acting as vicar. My dad filmed some of these special occasions and watching them back now makes me weep with laughter. 

There are a number of pieces in my wardrobe that I know I’ll keep for my children’s dress up games. The LK Bennett dress I wore as a bridesmaid for my mum last year (second time around and no, she didn’t wear the original dress!), the Dune shoes with towering, glittery heels and the outrageous leopard print faux fur jacket I wore all last winter. Clothes like these deserve a second life as too-big costumes for excitable youngsters, not a lifetime of drudgery in a dusty storage box. 

Do you have memories of dressing up as a child? Is there anything in your wardrobe you’ll donate to the dressing up box? I’d love to know!