It’s here. 2012 has skipped into the not-so-distant past and in its place is a shiny, new 4-digit year with just as many adventures, if not more, packed into it. Well, we can at least hope 2013 will be as eventful as the year preceding it…

But a new year means new promises; purchases that are deceptively ‘reduced’ but really suck our finances dry and a whole lot of push-ups and pedalling at the gym.

NYE hangover aside, waking up to 2013 I thought not of the long-forgotten healthy regime I had mentally mapped out across my bedroom ceiling as part of the habitual New Year’s resolution-making (more refuse-olution, if I’m completely honest) ritual, but of the wardrobe woes I would eradicate by way of strict fashion resolutions I would have to adhere to, or else risk the wrath of the fash pack.

So, here’s to eating as many cakes but carefully avoiding carrot leg trousers; going insane with thoughts of fresh brioche passing my lips on a continuous basis whilst considering a Balenciaga bag an investment rather than insolvency-inducing article and rolling out of bed and staying in my pyjamas all day, as long as they’re silky Equipment beauties.

I present to you my 5 New Year’s resolutions:

To become a handbag hedonist

To some this resolution may come across as way of acquiring not-so-cheap thrills, but for me it will be a Neil Armstrong kinda step into the world of fash-cessorising. Partial to a secure (read: boring) 3.1 Phillip Lim Pashli in black, and even Wang’s trusty Rocco (again, in black), I really want to use 2013 as an excuse to venture into undiscovered handbag territory, and invest in a novelty bag or two. A Charlotte Olympia book clutch, or, maybe a cross-body bag in a zingy shade with an upmarket price tag for the sake of ‘lifting’ my look. Why not?

To wear more statement skirts

Now, excuse my fashion sense if you find this particular sartorial pledge somewhat disturbing. Having stayed loyal to the over-done pencil skirt and boring leather box skirt for some time now, I feel it’s time to cut some serious 45 degree angles with my skirt hemlines. I’m talking origami folds, horizontal tiered-skirts and leather-chiffon layered beauties that scream to be paired with cosy Angora knits. And as for trousers, they’re so 2012. 

To perfect the art of layering

Several successful bloggers possess this innate quality, off-duty models make it look far too easy and Blighty’s blustery weather makes it all the more relevant; I need to flex my layering muscles. Without verging into frump territory, 2013 will see me aim for those annoyingly perfect, Olsen-inspired layered looks that scream “this is how it looked anyway”. No more matchy-matchy, neatly put together, single-layer outfits; it’s time to bring the heat (quite literally) with a t-shirt and vest, or three.

To give wedged sneakers a chance

I am probably the only deviant of the wedged sneaker/comfort-over-style condoning pack who hasn’t yet exposed her oft-sore feet to the cushioned heavenliness of this ingenious creation. A trainer with an inbuilt heel is akin to a weight loss aiding cake: all the fun and zero pain, and Isabel Marant’s various versions promise us Gisele-esque pins for a measly £300, or so. I think it’s time to welcome this quick-fix solution into my life, but the only problem I face is having to choose between Bobby, Bayley, Bazil, Beckett, Betty, B…

To haberdasher-ise the contents of my wardrobe

Yep. Austere times call for (art and) crafty measures, and I find nothing better than reviving an old top with a splash of sequins or studs to drive envious fashion friends crazy thinking about how I stretch my mediocre earnings to accommodate so many new purchases. I’ll be scouring vintage fairs, charity shops and haberdashery stores for knickknacks to fuel my growing penchant for customising almost everything that comes into my field of vision.  And if customising old clothes to give them a new lease of life will do the same for my not-so-ripe textiles and fashion skills acquired in my teen years at school, I’ll happily chain stitch my way around my entire wardrobe before someone steps in to officially diagnose me with Obsessive Customisation Disorder.

So there you have it: my New Year soul laid bare! And now it’s your turn. Whether it’s investing in shape wear, thinking outside of the trend box, perfecting the art of denim bleaching or de-cluttering your wardrobe, do share your fashion resolutions for 2013!