Or, in this instance, what a difference seven years makes. In an attempt to do a little "spring cleaning" I'm going through my old magazines and culling the herd...the good are staying, the marginally interesting are being dis-emboweled and thrown out (what a wonderfully cannibalistic way to spend a Sunday afternoon). The one thing that I am continuously being struck by as I go through this process is how dated (and just plain awful) the majority of the pictures and clothes look. After all, it's only seven years...I know, I know, fashion is constantly evolving, change is necessary...and some pieces do retain their charm, but a good 90% look terrible.

It's discouraging, and a reminder to wear clothes when you get them and not fall prey to the tendency to save them "for best". It's also a reminder not to spend a lot of money on trends that I know are fleeting, which is something I am bad at...like a child at looking in a toy shop window, I have a disturbing tendency to go for the shiniest, brightest, newest toy...

So, as I go off and recycle some more magazines, I leave you with the following quote and images from the April 2000 issue of British Elle...with a startlingly young Kate Winslet on the cover and an ₤80 leather belt from Chanel on page 52..."Good taste has been left behind in 1999, along with All Saints and sportswear...As Dolly Parton once said, 'It costs a lot of money to look this cheap'".