Can you be a fashion platter?

I'm not a fashion plate.
Never have been.

But I want to look nice, a little classy, a little funky, I don't want to be the mom in ill-fitting jeans and a baby-snot stained t-shirt. I don't want to be the one in the too-tight shirt over a badly fitted bra.

And. although I am working, even casually, at losing weight, and getting back to some semblance of my fit self, I need to do something now. I have exactly one pair of pants that fits me for the warmer weather, another pair of shorts. There is a third pair, but I have no idea if they fit or if they do, what they are going to look like.

I've been so angry lately - at not being able to fit into my clothing and at not being able to fit my clothing into my life. (I have a ton of clothes, but it seems so much of it is wrong for the semi-stylish mom on the go life I've got.)

I know what I'm supposed to do - take everything out of the closet, sort it by season, by whether it fits (both my body and my lifestyle) and get rid of the things that don't work. But it's such a bold move. So many pieces serve to remind me of the life I had before. Work clothing, even a pair of nice fitting dress pants, reminds me of those days. Of sitting in meetings, of taking a coffee break with a friend.

Yet those pants have been sitting in my closet, mostly unworn for more than three years now. I stopped working when Claire was born, which realistically means I haven't worn that stuff in more like four years. Am I going to wear it again? When I do go back to work, should we assume that I'll be the same size as I was when I started wearing maternity clothes the first time around? And after who-knows-how-many years, will the classic black pants from 2006 still be just as classic? For all I know by the time I go back to work, we could all be wearing jumpsuits or something!

So, I'm committing to this much over the next week:
  • I will go through my wardrobe - when I can, and sort through it.
  • I will toss things I know I won't wear again. Maternity underwear, I'm looking at you.
  • I will create a bag of clothing for donating
  • I will store the clothing I want to keep, but don't have a need for right now.
Even if I end up with 4 t-shirts and 2 pairs of pants. At least then, I'll be able to find them!

Comments

Jen said…
Great plan! Maybe because I've moved so much, I'm ruthless about closet cleanouts. And sometimes I have a twinge when I give something away ... but I think it's better that skirt/shirt/whatever go to Goodwill or Dress for Success where it will benefit someone who really needs it, then for it to sit in my closet any longer.
It is so good you are sorting things out! It really does help to make a clean break with the old stuff.

I think you are right about the work clothing. It is so hard to tell what will be classic. I got rid of a bunch of suits I bought back when I was interviewing. They were *definitely* dated. Some things are classic, but some things just aren't no matter how hard you want them to be.

I sooo need to do another round of that and be ruthless. *sigh* But I just haven't been able to deal. I have to very soon especially as we need to move. And I don't want to take things I won't wear.
neen said…
Black pants will ALWAYS be classic. Alas, all of mine are decorated with white cat fur.

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