How’s your new year resolution going? Or should I change the subject?

If you did one I hope it’s going well for you. I stopped announcing mine many moons ago after I failed to deliver any of my objectives.

One thing I am prepared to announce is that this year I have decided to accept I am no longer 18.

I’m nearly 30 and I don’t feel comfortable wearing a short top that shows my belly button, skinny jeans are just too tight to be sitting in them all day and high heels just hurt and make me look like Bambi on ice – especially after a few drinks. But what’s more important, I’ve decided that it’s okay.

So I’ve emptied my wardrobe of whatever I no longer feel suits me and donated it to charity and taken advantage of the post-Christmas sales. And thank God for the internet! Although we do have a great selection of high street shops and local independents alike in West Cumbria, I really didn’t feel like fighting my way through baskets of stuff. It sounds lazy, but after a very short break and working on New Year’s Day, don’t blame me for shopping from the comfort of my sofa.

I wasn’t a fan of dresses until recently, maybe because I’ve always been a bit of a tomboy and I had a psychological block when it came to wearing anything remotely girly. Well, I’ve thrown that out of the window! Particularly when it comes to choosing what to wear at the office, dresses are my go-to outfit and my favourite website for this purpose is Zara. I like the variety of styles and that you can filter the search by length of the dress – mini, midi or maxi.

I find it really useful that for each dress the website tells you the height of the model pictured so you get an idea of how it will fit on you.

There is also a feature where you enter your height and weight and preferred fit and it tells you which size is better for you. It’s no mystery that different dresses fit differently and although you may normally be a size 12, for a certain style of dress you might find a 14 is a better fit. It’s not an exact science, but it hasn’t let me down.

Thanks to the sales I managed to spend just over £50 for three really nice dresses.

Now, it’s winter you might want to wear something a bit warmer. For some reason I can never find trousers that fit me the way I want.

But I soon found a solution to my dilemma. I stumbled across Lucy & Yak. It’s a new company, created in 2017 by couple Lucy and Chris on a wet English night in Yak – their campervan – with their last £400.

They mostly make dungarees and trousers and the products are handmade ethically and responsibly by a family-run tailors in North India.

The packaging used to deliver the items is biodegradable, re-usable or recycled – mine came in a lovely fabric bag that I’ll definitely re-use.

The best part – all the items are very affordable. I bought a pair of high-waisted lightweight corduroy trousers, designed with a paper bag top, in petrol blue. They have an elasticated waste and came with a matching corduroy belt. I bought them because they looked stylish and the paper bag top just added that touch of originality I was looking for. And they were only £30.

I also bought a pair of black high- waisted trousers in a mom-style fit - which I find incredibly comfortable and flattering. They are made out of twill, which is 100 per cent cotton – the fabric is warm and breathable and although it’s as strong as denim it’s lighter and very soft. These were £28 and I find them great to wear at work with a flat ankle-boot or out with a pair of colourful all-star trainers for a more casual look.

I also like that behind the brand there are real people you can actually talk to. I messaged the company’s Facebook page to ask permission to use the pictures for this column and Lucy replied almost immediately. No automated messages, customer service call centres or generic email addresses pointing you to the FAQ section.

Chatting to Lucy, it also turned out her partner Chris is originally from Silloth – small world!

I hope these tips are useful if you’re planning to start the year with a wardrobe revamp. And keep up those new year resolutions!