Right around the time I found out I was pregnant, a good chunk of my everyday wardrobe was in major need of overhauling. During law school most of my investments went to suits and “business formal” clothes, then I found myself in a job where things are decidedly casual (I wear jeans to work nine times out of ten) and quickly my “everyday” was wearing out. Then I was pregnant so everything got boxed up or pushed to the side and I had brand new clothes to wear! After Gracie was born I lived in that post-partum yoga pant/nursing tank phase, and then when I went back to work I found myself pulling things from an even older section of my closet, everyday wear from when I was more slender (thanks to nine months of throwing up on the regular), and besides, everything was in transition body-wise so it was no time to invest.
Which brings us to now. And the tragic state of affairs. Over the past two months I’ve been making myself pull the tired, the downtrodden, the fraying hems and spotty neckline (what did I spill there?) out of my closet. A few pieces at a time. Yes, Daisy, it is time to let go of the sad, stretched, off-color Gap “favorite t” that you would be mortified if anyone saw you in. When you do it slowly it feels less painful, and finally this past weekend I pulled some final plugs. That Target cardigan that doesn’t really fit anymore? Goodbye. That old tank top with the tiny tear “no one will notice” is in the rubbish bin (I’m not insulting a second hand store with things not fit for wearing out of the house).
My closet has a lot more room, and I pulled out every random hanger, moving them all to the front. Now begins the process of rebuilding. I’ve been working on that slowly- some extra room in the budget, a good Gap coupon, a younger cousin with a good eye for fashion, slowly but surely I’m adding back. This week Target has many of their tank tops on sale for $5 each, which was the kick in the pants I needed to replace some old white tank tops that had seen much better days. New riding boots are on the list (my last pair is worn through thanks to the great Winter of 2013), I have my eye on some Breton tops from Boden (not affiliate links) and I’m on the lookout for a great pair of courderoy pants. These things are all for me, and sometimes I struggle with feeling selfish (I could use this money on house stuff/Gracie/B/family fun) but I think I know that sometimes doing something for yourself is important to. Even if it is just a little shopping.
It is amazing how much better I feel in the morning when I open my closet, and rather than seeing it stuffed with things I don’t want/can’t/will not wear, it is trimmed down but has items that make me happy, that fit, that don’t make me feel the need to change five times before walking out the door. Sometimes it really is the little things, and that clean closet has inspired me to clean out a few junk drawers, a cluttered corner, a cupboard of towels put away without any thought. I pulled out shoes that need to go to the cobbler and found some that just needed to go in the rubbish bin. Lets just mark this whole thing down as a grand experiment in “yup, sometimes you gotta take care of yourself” and call it good, eh?
