to chuck or not to chuck. That IS the question

My wardrobe is over flowing. I have no room left under my bed, my chest of draws is bulging and there is a bow in the rail in my spare room cupboard. I have am not going to say I have too many clothes. I simply don't have enough room for them.

10 years ago my mum and dad split up and my dad moved out. From the cupboard "space" left in their bedroom you wouldn't have guessed he'd ever lived there, my mum had managed to some how use up their entire 7 wardrobes!!

A newly singleton she decided she needed a makeover, and gave me, her impressionable 16 year old daughter, who thought dressing like a member of Steps was the height of cool, the job of attacking her wardrobe.

My Mum & Auntie - probably late 70s

When I think back to what I made her chuck away, as she sat on the end of her bed watching me throw handfuls of her clothes into old bags, it brings tears to my eyes...

• 1 ivory linen drop waist maxi dress - chucked.

Mum:"are you sure you won't want to wear that one day" Me:"yuck, no its gross"

• 3 long sleeved 1970 baby doll dresses - chucked.

Me: "Oh my god Mum how did you ever get away wearing these"

• 10+ 90s rock t-shirts, one for every concert of Guns & Roses, Metalica and Smashing Pumpkins she had been to.......ch uck ed

Mum: "do you know how much they cost me?!"

•  Packs and packs of 80s stockings and coloured tights - thrown
• 1970 beaded handbags, beaded clutches - gone
•  Multiple Laura Ashley 70/80s tea dresses - chucked

70s Vintage Beaded Bag

So in summary my mum was 10 years ago sitting on a gold mine of what today, would be the staple basis of my wardrobe. Devastating.

Clearing out the family home only 5 years later, having now graduated from Uni, I found the contents of my dressing up chest. To my delight I came across an original 1970s tan leather belt, 60s white leather waist belt with over sized buckle, a shoulder length multicoloured beaded bag, a black beaded clutch bag, my nan's 1940s dusky pink drop waisted tea dress and a 80s sequined boob tube. These items have now been placed firmly in my expanding wardrobe.

So was my mum on to something? Will one day I be sitting in my bedroom with a daughter wishing her to wear the contents of my most treastured Noughties outfits? Probably not. But  for me with my bulging wardrobe and over spilling chest of draws, I am going to say Yes, I hope so. For her sake I am prepared to save and hold on to the staple Noughties key peices, hope they stand the test of time and wait for the fashion to come back around!

fabulous fifties

Yesterday having tea at my Mum's in her garden amongst her vast collection of potted plants my Nanna pointed at my handbag, propped up against the foot of the patio chair I was sat on and said "oooh I like your handbag! I've been looking for one like that for ages?" to which I replied "Matalan £6"!

The bag I wish I owned!

The bag was in fact my bargainous white quilted purse, with a gold buckle and chain strap. I bought it because it's as close to Chanel as I'll ever afford and for my Nanna it reminds her of 1955, not because it was the year Coco Chanel launched the design, but because it was a very poignant time in my Nanna's life.

Nanna, probably on holiday in Jersey

My Nanna, who grew up in the North and came to Surrey to live with her Grandmother, as a WW2 evacuee, met my Poppa at 16 and married him 2 years later. At 21 in 1952 she gave birth to my Mum and 2 years later, my Auntie. I can't imagine being married postwar, with 2 young children, a tin bath in the kitchen, an outside washroom and feeding a family on rations, but to my Nanna, it was manageable. 45 years later she lives in the same home her and my Poppa scrimped and saved to buy from the council.

My favourite picture of Nanna & Poppa

She was madly in love with my Poppa, they didn't have a lot of money and both worked extremely hard for what they had. She puts the secret to her long and very happy marriage down to "ensuring he feels the boss and making him think he's right when secretly knowing you are". Perhaps not everyone would agree with this, but not everyone gets to celebrate their Diamond Anniversary! I think from the outside it was plain to see they were just sole mates or simply 2 peas in a pod.

A love letter to my Nanna

I love this picture. What beautiful handwriting.

My Nanna & Me

Growing up, my Grandparents were great story tellers, we heard stories of the 40s, 50s and 60s and their childhood. With a garden you could explore and a vegetable patch you could pick at, they spoilt my sister and I rotten. We ate sweets and cakes 'till our teeth ached and made endless bookends from spare bits of wood in my Poppa's potting shed.  

N&P on their 60th Anniversary

Sadly my Poppa passed away in August 2008, at 83, having celebrated only the month previous, his 60th Wedding Anniversary with my Nanna. 

When I think of my Nanna, sat in my Mum's garden in her floral belted tea dress, winkle picker style heels and wearing her Aviator Sunglasses (the same pair she had in the 60s), I see a women stuck where her memories are most treasurable. Life won't be the same for her now without him, but ask her and she'll tell you she's the luckiest woman alive.

Here are some photos of why I love the fifties, through their stories and photos.

my marvelous motif

After my boyfriend of 4 years decided to get down on one knee in our flat wearing PJ's last year and presented me with the ring of my dreams, I of course said YES!! I had been waiting for this moment since not long after we met in 2005.

Shortly after announcing our engagement my Mum's partner, the very talented and indiscreet artist, John Adey presented me with this. It is not his usual style and he apologises profusely to Laura Ashley from where he drew inspiration. Using my favourite flower, colours and design, we hope to use this as a running theme for our wedding and use it in our stationary.

Isn't it beautiful!

My name is Sarah and my fiance's Ant