#Goals

5 Serious/ 5 Fashun

HNY. How hangs it so far? Are you @Meghan sauntering in the sand or a burning Tesla at Trump Tower? I find myself somewhere between the two and thus maintain reasonable optimism.

I don’t usually set New Year’s goals. Talk about setting yourself up for failure. The kinds of people who practice this tend either to be self-help warrior-ish or just plain intimidating. Alastair Campbell does goal-setting.

But finding myself firmly on the wrong (/right??) side of 35 it’s time to force out some niggling immaturities in my personal life and, to lighten the tone set the fashion bar a little higher for the year ahead.

So excuse the navel-gazing but I gotta get these down in order to keep ‘em up.

Jean Seberg in Jean-Luc Godard’s ‘Breathless’, 1960.

1. Be in the moment when with my kids. Phone down and out of sight but also genuinely present and not thinking of my to-do list. Actually participating in the game they are playing if I can hack it, or at least engaging in proper conversation with them. We’ve finally hit the stage where both can express themselves verbally and I mean to take advantage of it, with the ultimate goal of promoting verbal expression of any worries as a fruitful alternative to tantrums.

2. Not a drop of alcohol for the entire month of January. I like a glass of Chablis as much as the next wasp (ie. I effing love it). Though I’m glad to say I haven’t had a glass of hard alcohol/ cocktail in five years (these makes me feel nauseous).

Wine though, I drink pretty regularly. I think wine is a fine part of culture, history, socialising, gastronomic experience et al. and I’m very grateful to live in its top country, but am looking forward to seeing if I feel any different without it this month. And how my skin fares. Hubby’s on board too. Let’s see if we sprout six packs sleep the promised eight thousand hours a night.

3. Give birth to 500 words every morning. Even if they suck. I can edit them in the afternoon. Can’t write in the afternoon. Come on Monica just do it.

4.Find my charity. The One. To get into a serious relationship with. One-offs off the menu.

5.Better use of what free time I have. I was reassured to see that this is an issue for lots of parents of young children, who apparently also find themselves scrolling mindlessly once the kids are finally asleep. There’s even an official term for this bad habit: “Revenge Bedtime Procrastination”: the subconscious decision to sacrifice time asleep for leisure time — a common technique for people who are over scheduled and lack time to themselves.

So this year if I must do something engaging before my eyes slam shut ONLY READING ALLOWED. Like, books.

Part two of this involves when I go out. In case you missed my video about the advantages of the Irish exit, it’s here and I’ll be doing one from now on.

Ok, now some fashion intentions:

1.Wear more colour that isn’t red. It seems that in colour psychology, red provokes the strongest emotion of any colour which may explain why I’m so consistently drawn to it. While cool colours like green and blue are generally considered peaceful and calming, red is apparently both the warmest and most contradictory colour, linked to both passion and love as well as power and anger. No, I’ll never give it up, but in view of reducing anxiety for digestive reasons maybe I should try wearing some pale green (ew lol —unless you’re a redhead. Looks great on redheads). Khaki! Is that a colour? Pale powdery pink I do enjoy, despite its girly associations. Stay tuned.

2 .No non-vintage shopping. Unless it’s T-shirts and undies. Massive caveat: I am hugely lucky to be given most of my clothes by brands. So the least I can bloody well do is buy vintage when I get the urge for a fancy new purchase.

3. Wear everything in my wardrobe. Even when I’m just in my home office or a cafe writing. Make every morning a creative adventure by finding new ways to style old pieces. Stop wearing the same damn turtle neck and jeans Monica, live a little! It’s not just about who is seeing you in them it’s about how they make you feel! Also, what is the point of owning things I don’t wear —anything that’s gone unworn for over a year needs to be shifted, sold, or donated.

4.Plan party looks in advance. Ding dong I’ve come out the other side of a wedding dry patch. For the better part of five years, everyone who cared to get married already was but suddenly weddings are back in my life this summer. I have four (!!) including my own very stylish brother’s to his very stylish fiance Madeleine. Must not let the side down. This time round, I won’t be flailing for looks last minute, I will know well in advance what I’ll be wearing (something borrowed?) to each. Other shindigs too. As soon as the weather improves and I can imagine wearing dresses without shivering I’ll make a us a new edit to get the ideas going.

5. Dress Like An Adult. This might sound counterintuitive because everyone seems to be trying desperately to look ten years younger, but in my twenties there were all these beautiful, confident pieces I used to see on glamorous thirty and forty-something women and think , “I’ll wear that when I’m a little older; when it won’t look like I’m playing dress up.”: Now I’m the official age for tailoring, gloves, belts, the works and it’s time to get serious on a regular basis.

You may be thinking you already see me wearing that stuff on Insta but trust me I am writing this with baggy jeans tucked into wellington boots in the manner of a four year-old. More grown up clothes, more often. And great lingerie!

Hit me with your resolutions in the comments section if you care to share.