We all have an imagined Christmas, be it laughing and chatting with family around the table, unwrapping gifts with your kids under the lights of the Christmas tree, or snuggling up on the couch to watch a holiday movie with loved ones. Even though these festive ideals may stray from the reality of our Christmases, I feel as though they capture the essence of what we love and what we believe in. Yesterday I asked my husband what his special moment might be, and his response was telling of a long and busy year. He said “sitting on the couch, watching Christmas tv and being left alone” 😆 For him, renewal is getting a break. I get it. For me, renewal is in sitting around the table with my (tired but beloved) husband, my girls and my family, and reminiscing, being thankful, and setting aspirations for the year ahead. So much so, I’ve asked my girls to get thinking about how they might answer the following three questions at the Christmas dinner table:
What they have felt proud of this year.
What they have enjoyed.
What they are thankful for.
I am most definitely my late father’s daughter as this is exactly the sort of thing that he would have orchestrated when we were young. You see, an imagined Christmas is often a learned Christmas!
As this is primarily a sustainable style blog, I thought it would be a good practice to apply these questions to my wardrobe, my style practices and my outlook this year.
What I have felt proud
This year I started My Style Rush and penning style-focused posts with a sustainable slant. I saw it as a way to chart my personal journey towards more sustainable style and to help me to stay on track. It was a much needed shift away from Instagram, influencers and overconsumption. Plus I’ve always enjoyed creating - studying art at school, merchandising jewellery, making and selling my own raw chocolates, and writing a jewellery blog - so this felt like the perfect safe place to lay bare my thoughts on personal style and what sustainable style looks like for me. I’m proud to have stuck with it, and that over 600 of you have joined me on this journey! I am proud (and grateful, but more on that later) of this space, of you and of us.
The second style-related action that I’m proud of this year is in digitizing my wardrobe, using Indyx, and in charting my outfits as a way to maximise how I use my wardrobe. It is unbelievably satisfying and is such a great visual tool to help hone my personal style.
And as it turns out, it has helped! While I haven’t recorded every daily outfit across the year, my data is showing that I have used 56% of my wardrobe in 2024! Rather kindly, Indyx have compared me to ‘the average Indyx user’, which makes me feel as though I’m winning at life!
Another win/ point of pride this year has been leaning into my own wardrobe to recreate outfits that have inspired me, or in the case of The Row, just for fun. You know I love a recreation, and I plan to do more of this in the coming year.
Shopping, my wardrobe: #2
Whether it’s the soggy UK weather at the moment or a midlife related slump, I have been feeling tired, with a capital T. Trading a few extra mins in bed in place of an early morning run and curling up on the couch at any given opportunity, it definitely feels like huddle-down time! This seasonal/ hormonal tiredness has partially sapped my usual overflow…
Through the style lens of…The Row
Welcome to the second in the series of ‘Through the style lens’. These are fun to prepare! You might remember the first in the series, a piece I wrote having felt inspired by Sheerluxe’s thoroughly enjoyable and voyeuristic feature ‘Inside Monikh’s wardrobe’
What I have enjoyed
Aside from all the fun stuff above, half the joy in starting my Substack journey has been in finding other like minded writers! In September, I distilled my reading list at the time (see below).
The (s)low down
If like me you’re ‘time light’, you will appreciate a succinct synopsis on any given topic. This week’s post aims to do just that, the low down on the slow down, if you will. My current reading list of Substacks with a sustainable slant. Obviously this won’t be a
Since then, I’ve avidly added the following writers to my (s) lowdown:
- ’s writing is slow fashion wired and her focus on simple, long-lasting looks is so inspiring. I just loved her Predicting the Future of Fashion for 2025!
- ’s writing is part prose part life wisdom, honestly this girl, she’s incredible! I love her balance of style and wellbeing explorations to better understand her personal style and her life requirements.
- is beautiful soul, a writer who reads and generously celebrates other writers. She uses her platform to explore both her own wardrobe and Hidden Gems from Hidden Brands, which is an excellent look at independent and often female-led brands.
- focuses on maximising her ultra minimalist wardrobe, with a focus on the best secondhand buys and sustainable brands, like Agolde (which I hadn’t realized, I just loved their denim!)
- writes with pragmatism about sustainable style and the small shifts that we can make - If you can do one thing better than yesterday that’s excellent. I’m always inspired by her unerringly wise notes.
What I am thankful for
I’m feeling thankful (*read smug) for the best preloved goodies that I’ve managed to add to my wardrobe this year. This year I’ve managed to tip the scales from new to preloved in my accessories line up, which makes me proud as well as thankful. See my recent post for the stats.
What I bought, loved and learnt in 2024
Apologies for missing last week’s post - I’ve been offline and laid low for a full week! But you know how it goes, the school run still needs to be done, small people fed, homework done and bedtime stories read. That’s just the deal once you sign up to this rollercoaster called motherhood! I’m back now, and looking forward to bringing you this piece whi…
You know me, I love to shop preloved, always have. So much so, I’ve written two posts on tips for preloved shopping. I set searches, I wait (sometimes months) and I finally pounced.
Tips for preloved shopping
I’m not an expert in much, but I do know a thing or two about preloved shopping. So much so, I called it out as my ‘starting line’ (in last Sunday’s post) on this journey of ours towards more sustainable style. Not a bad starting line at all, but with regards to shopping habits and behaviours,
Preloved shopping, with intention
Well hello again! This post is Part Two of a series on preloved shopping, which I see as a big part of my journey towards more sustainable style, and that journey being the raison-d’etre of My Style Rush. Hopefully it is or can be a big part of your journey too!
There are so many preloved highlights for me this year, for example, I could have added my COH horseshoe jeans or Loewe anagram khaki t-shirt, but the following three items feel like once in a lifetime finds and therefore make it into my top three preloved buys of 2024.
Wales Bonner track top
Celine tote (similar here)
Loulou Studio jumper
I am also extremely thankful, that last Christmas after a few gin and tonics, my husband finally agreed to getting a dog. This little arrival was the big moment the year She has stolen my heart. And what a poser!
Inspiration
What I love about this outfit from
is that it’s simple, it’s stylish, and that I can recreate it with what I already own. That’s the best form of inspiration!
With the addition of my Loewe anagram t-shirt to my wardrobe, I’ve been exploring ways to style it for winter.
has just given me the permission (and the inspiration) I needed to layer it with a similar toned long sleeve top!
Wish list pieces
As it’s too late now to make any more purchases ahead of Christmas, I feel as though including some wish list pieces is safe territory. The idea behind these items is to inspire you to create these looks in your own way with your own wardrobe.
Cos knitted vest
This may not look like much but if you’ve been
AND style it, you know it’s gonna be good!
Autry Reelwind trainers
I first spotted these on
in her So You Want to Wear Sneakers with Jeans, in which she styled these to perfection with cropped COH Ayla jeans - chef’s kiss. I love this brand of sneakers, having bought the Medalist style preloved, so I just know these would be great.
Beth Pegler rope necklace
While this piece may not initially seem like my style, I bought a similar piece of rope jewellery this week, and I’m really enjoying styling it in my own way, over a sweatshirt for example. I’ve been aware of this brand for a few years, from writing that jewellery blog I mentioned earlier, and love that Beth uses recycled rope and the age-old art of knot making to create these beautiful sculptural pieces.
And here we are at the end of 2024, so I wanted to say a huge thank you for reading, for commenting, for engaging and for encouraging this year! I wish you and your family a lovely break, and hope to see you early in the New Year, Jenny x
Whether you subscribe, follow or pledge, and whatever way you choose to read My Style Rush, I really appreciate you being here x
I love your writing, Jenny! Hope you had a wonderful Christmas x
I've so enjoyed reading your newsletter this year, Jenny!
I also love the idea of the three questions, they've given me food for thought as I reflect on my 2024.
Have a wonderful Christmas with your family 🎄