So you know the feeling. An invitation drops onto the doormat or a friend announces they are getting married or throwing a special party. My first thought is “what am I going to wear?” As a wedding guest you start to think about clashing with bridesmaids or, heaven forbid, the bride.

I don’t know what compels me but I have this overwhelming urge, nay need to have a totally new outfit to wear including shoes and matching accessories.

Over the years I have accumulated a lovely collection of dresses, from short cocktail dresses to long sweeping red carpet affairs. Most have only been worn once and now permanently reside hanging in the wardrobe. I have bought new dresses for the last five weddings I have been to but decided that I just cannot afford to keep spending over a hundred pounds for one day.

So a couple of weeks ago I headed home and routed through my clothes at my folks house determined to come back with a dress that had not been seen out for some time.

And success! Not only have I come back with four different dresses but also a handbag that I have always wanted to use for a special occasion.

So for the next wedding I am going to I have decided to wear the same dress that I wore to my brother’s just over ten years ago. It is a beautiful bias cut dress in a 20’s inspired style in a deep red (I love wearing red to weddings) detailed with slim beading in a chevron design.

The handbag is a vintage 1980’s clutch bag in gold. It was my mum’s and I have held onto it for so many years now I’m so glad to have a chance to show it off again.

I also have a gold coloured necklace and pearl necklace to choose from for my jewellery so I don’t need to worry about forking out on anything new in that department either.

The only thing I might need to buy is a pair of shoes but since I haven’t had to buy anything else I don’t begrudge it 😉

It’s been nice not to have to panic about what I wearing for once. I did have a good nose around the shops to see if anything could tempt me but all I could find was dark coloured dresses, coloured in black, purple or orange. Not really me at all.

What it has reminded me is that I do have a vast wardrobe of clothes which can be “recycled” and made to look new with clever accessories, so instead of rushing out each time for a brand new outfit I will try to re-wear what I already own.