Ever been intrigued to see what your favourite Influencers have in their wardrobes? Want to know where they like to shop, what their favourite items are and discover their most treasured accessories? This new Series of mine lets us discover the truth behind the style, the old clobber among the new and reveal the stories within the wardrobe.

Wednesday’s Wardrobe Presents….

WHO?  Franki Clothier AKA @TheMiddleMama

TELL US ABOUT YOU? I’m a 27 year old mum to one living in Hackney, East London.. I write a blog called THE MIDDLE MAMA, where I chat all sorts of bits and bobs and take too many pictures of my baby. Come say hi!

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR STYLE? My style is casual, cool and almost always comfy. I’m trainers 80% of the time.

WHO OR WHAT INSPIRES YOU? I love living in East London for style inspiration. There are so many well-dressed people around. I definitely take a lot of inspiration from the streets, cafes and pubs of Hackney.

DESCRIBE THE CURRENT STATE OF YOUR WARDROBE! Pretty full! And with probably the most colour and print it’s ever had.

Franki’s wardrobe consists of plenty of dresses!

WHAT’S YOUR MOST RECENT FASHION PURCHASE? A black, baggy top and joggers co-ord from Zara. I can’t wait to wear it in spring with sunnies and a basket bag.  It looks so comfy but cool at the same time. Perfect for mum-ing.

IS THERE A TREND YOU’RE LOVING RIGHT NOW? Leopard print. I seem to be drawn to leopard print loads at the moment. I’ve read that it’s a neutral so, you kind of NEED it in your wardrobe anyway, right?

OLDEST ITEM IN YOUR WARDROBE YOU CAN’T SEEM TO PART WITH? I have a chunky, off the shoulder, pastel pink jumper that I think I’ve worn once. I absolutely love it, it’s really beautiful but it doesn’t really suit me. It would look so much better on someone with smaller boobs but I can’t bear to part with it!

ANY FASHION FAILS YOU’VE MADE? Probably! When I was younger I went through a stage of ONLY wearing clothes if they were Nike or Adidas. I know that’s kind of cool now but at the time it wasn’t really. I was a massive tomboy and whilst other girls my age were wearing crop tops and flared trousers and listening to steps. I was head to toe in tracksuits and at Elland Road watching Leeds United. My mum even cried once because I demanded to wear my trainers under my Holy Communion dress. I would only wear my hair scraped back in a low ponytail too. Again, kinda cool now but it really wasn’t at the time!

IS THERE A PARTICULAR COLOUR YOU’RE DRAWN TO? Black. It’s safe and always looks good.

FAVOURITE HIGH STREET BRAND AND WHY? I used to buy EVERYTHING from ASOS because I’m pretty lazy and free next-day delivery makes it so easy but I’d have to say Zara. Recently, I can’t go in there without wanting everything! It’s so reasonable too.

This pink Zara Suit is one of Franki’s favourite Wardrobe items, which she recently wore to a wedding

Another favourite piece of hers is this gorgeous wide-leg Stella McCartney pair of Jeans

MOST TREASURED ACCESSORY YOU CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT? Ed bought me a Sophia Hulme cross body bag for Christmas this year and I really love it. It’s quite understated and simple and I really like that. I also wear my mums first wedding ring (it’s my wedding ring now) every day, so that too.

HAS YOUR STYLE DIFFERED FROM PRE TO POST MOTHERHOOD? I don’t think it has really changed that much. One thing I noticed when looking though old pictures was that I only ever really wore black, grey or white before and since becoming a mum I tend to wear more colour. I think that’s the instagram effect! The biggest change I made was chopping all my hair off after having a baby though. I used to have such long hair and now it’s shorter I feel much more grown up and stylish.

Franki pre-motherhood, with her envious long locks!!

And finally…

WHAT MESSAGE WILL YOU BE GIVING (or do you already) TO YOUR CHILDREN ABOUT STYLE AND BODY CONFIDENCE? That she can wear whatever the hell she wants and will look fabulous in anything that she decides she likes. But also, that there is so much more to body confidence than what you wear. It comes from the inside and I’ll try my best to teach that to her.

QUICK FIRE QUESTIONS:

LEOPARD OR STRIPE? Leopard

SECOND HAND OR DOUBLE CLICK? Double Click

HEELS OR FLATS? Flats

STATEMENT EARRINGS OR NECKLACE? Earrings (hoops every time!)

HOARDER OR CLEARER? Clearer (and constant replacer!)

Franki has become one of those great friends I’ve met throughout the world of Instagram. She’s a cool East London mama with lots of style. You’ll find her over on Instagram @themiddlemama sharing her recent fashion purchases and plenty of gorgeous pics of Mally her daughter! With her experience as a former Teacher, she has recently shown an interest in the Period Poverty discussion/ debate and is helping challenge the stigma which surrounds speaking up about Menstruation. If you head to her blog www.themiddlemama.com you’ll find a number of amazing campaigns you too could jump on to help make a difference. One of which is The Red Box Project which Franki herself is running in Hackney xxx