Wardrobe Architect - week 1 - making style more personal

Hi. Lately I've discovered that I am in serious need of a wardrobe revamp, and was introduced, by my daughter, to wardrobe architect by coletterie . This is a series of weekly exercises used to help you determine your core style and develop a wardrobe capsule.

The following will be my look into the world of wardrobe capsules and how I'll find my core style.

HISTORY

How has your personal history informed the way that you dress? When did your tastes crystalise? Have they changed over the years and why?

I would say that dress sense comes from my constant awareness through my family who were very talented in tailoring and dressmaking and when I began working, I received a full wardrobe of corporate wear, that was way ahead of the fashion with regard to South Africa, because it was tailor made for European clients. Although the suits weren't appropriate for my level of work, and was actually more suited to someone at least two positions higher than myself, I still wore it, as I firmly believe in dressing for the job you want and not the job you have. I would say that it has changed because, as I progressed in my work, so did my style of dress.

PHILOSOPHY

How does your philosophy, spirituality, or religion affect you aesthetics and buying  habits? What aspects of those things would you like to see reflected?

Spirituality and religion both play a big part, as I am a Muslim and onw of the requirements of me as a woman is to be fully covered except for my hands, face and feet (hijab). I would like to maintain this as it is something I feel strongly about. 

CULTURE

How has your cultural backgound shaped the way you look now? How did the aesthetics and values you grew up with affect your tastes as you got older?

Well, culturally, growing up it was very popular for everyone to wear what was trendy and in  fashion, but as I got older, and more spiritual, I realised that I wanted to incorporate Hijab into my everyday life and began to wear hijab permanently, but still in a modern, fashionable way.

I heart cycling

Where did my cycling interest start?

Well, I am one of those people that only started to learn to ride when I was 17 years old. Well, one afternoon’s “lessons” and one hectic fall, made me put it to rest until when I was married.

This was for me the real first time I rode and owned a bicycle; I was about 24 years old. By then, I was already married for almost  5 years and had 2 young children. My husband and I bought us bikes at Dion / Game and 2 child carrier seats as well. We would spend a lot of time on weekends running our normal errands on our bikes until one day when a Hiace taxi almost rode me off the road, and I ended up brushing more than just my behind. My ego was crushed and I stayed off my bike for almost 2 decades.

When the cycling bug bit my husband again and he decided to enter the Argus Cycle Tour in 2009 (the very windy one); I knew that I better get my act together and get with it; or get left behind. I didn’t want to sit at home and he rides his heart out, or wouldn’t be able to understand his cycling conversation which was always spoken or written in enthusiastic  font. Yes, I might have been suffering from what I now know as FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out), but also know that having done so many things together with my husband, that not cycling, will have a negative impact on our relationship. My biggest motivator was though, when I looked at female cyclists, how they looked. I had quite a bit of kilos that I needed to lose.

[These had packed on, after 2 major hip –graft operations that was required, and I had to stop all impact sports I was doing. As these were the only sports I did, the kilos obviously crept on.]

I have always been very active and although I am a practising Muslim woman, wearing full Hijab, managed to participate and try out sports that interested me. So cycling was going to be approached with same enthusiasm. I needed to be fully covered, so under my helmet, I wear a bandana, wear long pants over my cycling shorts (long cycling pants wont work, as it is form fitting), and if the cycling shirt is short sleeve, I wear the arm covers as well.

So here I was, bought myself a 2^nd hand hybrid, a true ladies bicycle and on our way to Oak Valley. Told my husband, that I first want to ride off road, to get used to cycling and will then venture on the road. Back on the road, I would not allow anybody close to me, and would when required to stop at the robots, get off, and walk my bike across. I started entering races and my biggest goal was to finish.

I quickly progressed from the hybrid to a MTB, and eventually to a road bike. One that my husband is very jealous of, as it is full carbon. This is my 5^th bike, and I still haven’t made myself broke. Like all my previous bikes, it is also 2^nd hand. My husband and I started riding with a club where I learned such lot. We sometimes had a guy from Cycle Lab coming to give us some helpful tips.  Last year, I was nudged to get cleats, as I entered the Argus and it would be very beneficial. I noticed the difference as soon as I started riding with it.

Now, I am still the slowest rider in the club or of anybody that I know, but I enjoy cycling so much and know what value it added to my life. In any case, even if I am last to finish, I still get same medal as the other riders.  I have done my first Argus and have loads of medals of other races I never thought would be possible. I see my city for its true splendour. As a cyclist, you see nature as it truly is, and not just drive swiftly past it. The best benefit, besides meeting all the wonderful fellow cyclists, is probably that although I haven’t lost all the kilos I picked up, I have shrunk a lot in size and am proud and confident of my body. I am more toned and fitter than I was 15 years ago.

I am so proud of my new found sport and would do it for as long as I can. I am so passionate about cycling, that it features in my blog, on Pinterest and I document all my rides when I go on weekend getaways that I arrange specifically around cycling, every 3 months or so. I can also speak Cyclanese, and pronounce many of the Tour de France riders names. Selene Yaeger is my mentor, and I already bought 2 books of hers online.

I have also been contacted by a lot of other ladies who want to start cycling, so watch this space as I am shortly going to organise a beginners workshop.

Here’s me when I started out… 

This is me, at the finish of my first Argus (2013)... 

After the last Epic Burry rode in , the fun MTB (Moutain Bike) Race...

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Earn your descent......whatever goes up must go down