Well, it’s time to lead by example, I think, and clean out my own closet. Not only is this early chill forcing me to clear out the summer items, but a couple of the winter cozies I’ve just pulled from storage are really not going to cut it this year.
I’m also going to try out an idea I’ve developed. Because I finally have a closet large enough to allow me to see exactly what my clothing choices are, I can organize and re-organize it to my heart’s content. I’m going to place the most recently-worn items from each section near to the back of that section. I’m thinking this will force me to wear pieces that I never otherwise touch (or even notice). If I still don’t wear them, after they’ve been staring me in the face for a few weeks, it’s time for those garments to move on to a happier home.
With that in mind, I also notice a trend in my life which goes beyond just clothing. Moving from Paris to Charlottesville last year gave me the opportunity to really take stock of what I own and what is actually valuable to me. An example of my current, say, soap inventory goes something like this: pretty soaps that I’ve stocked for a rainy day, good soaps for everyday use, soaps that I just love, but never seem to take out and then those very special soaps which never get used.
The same goes for clothing: gym clothes that really don’t do me justice are worn, for obvious reasons, every day. Beyond that, there’s the stuff that fits comfortably and looks good (old stand-bys, really), which I don frequently and then those pretty little numbers I love to take out on the weekends… but the real tragedy lies in my über-special pieces, languishing behind their less-deserving, well-worn cousins, instead of basking in the glory that they deserve.
It seems like such a shame to own lovely clothes and never wear them. Of course, there are so many factors involved. More often than not, I’m feeling just a little too bulky in something or I think my belly’s not flat enough to wear something else. Sometimes it’s too cold out for cotton or too warm for angora… There are those days when I couldn’t possibly put on a skirt to sit around the house, so I end up wearing jeans.
So, it’s time to reassess things. Instead of saving the best for… never, I’m going to move it to the front of the closet and finally let it see the light of day. After all, clothing is meant to be worn. Everyone and, perhaps, everything deserves its moment in the sun, doesn’t it?
