A fashion resolve

I keep resolving to get my wardrobe under control. I know the stats that say we all wear 20% of our clothes 80% of the time - and I truly believe. But I wish there was some fool-proof system for identifying that 20%!!

It didn't used to be so complicated. People had fewer clothes - they truly did. It seemed outrageous to have 12 pairs of shoes - as in, "Oh my gosh she has a dozen pairs of shoes!!" And now it doesn't even seem outrageous to hear that someone has 3 or 4 dozen pairs of shoes!

I went away to college with a planned wardrobe - 3 or 4 wool skirts, 3 or 4 wool sweaters, 3 or 4 blouses, one or two pairs of jeans - which you have to remember people really didn't wear jeans or even pants all that much. The photo above is an example of the way I thought then - "separates" that worked with other things. The skirt had a jacket to match (both made by Alice!), the vest went with 2 other skirts I had, and the blouse also went with a very cute jumper I really loved. Sweatshirts were in, as were cut off jeans and Bermuda shorts, but tee shirts were only for very casual.

I think that has something to do with it. The fashion industry has made casual clothing very acceptable for all occasions - a trend I enjoy and appreciate. But it's pretty easy to acquire lots of tee shirts and jeans - whereas it doesn't seem quite so automatic to get lots of wool skirts and dresses.

I purge my closet all the time, but it still seems to grow anyway. My fluctuating weight doesn't help matters either. I feel like I should discard "big" clothes so I'm not tempted to put on weight - then I do put on weight and have to get some new clothes that fit! (Actually the converse can happen too - I seem to have lost 2 or 3 pounds this holiday season - there has been some stress and with stress I don't eat. And so the 3 new pairs of jeans/pants I got to accommodate my bigger size are now somewhat large. Do I get rid of them and forge ahead with weight loss - i.e. hope for the stress to continue so I won't eat? Or do I keep them "just in case" and go get something a tad smaller?)

(I think I will just move the buttons over!)

I also forget what combinations I've made in my closet - and often am stymied in the early a.m. about what to wear. Fewer choices would make life a lot easier. The weather plays a role, what I'm doing that day at school plays a role, what is clean plays a role, and of course, what fits plays a big role. It often hinges on how I feel when I see my reflection in the mirror!

When I was a girl - I don't want to sound like I'm really from the "olden days" - but I had a school dress and a Sunday dress. When I got home from school, I changed into play clothes and hung up my school dress to wear the next day. It got washed once a week. At Easter and Christmas, when we got new Sunday clothes, it was nice because for a few months, the old holiday dresses could be school dresses for awhile and I could wear two dresses to school in one week.

Perhaps there is some merit in that plan!

I have read articles and blogs about women who strictly limit themselves to a certain number of tops, pants, skirts, dresses, and shoes - and if they get something new, something is discarded. And there was that blog about the woman who wore the same dress for one year - no kidding, it was a pretty fascinating story - I'm thinking she made money doing it - what else would motivate you to do that? And we even have a family member who went one year without buying any new clothing - but he may have done thrift stores. (and my take on that is - what if no one bought new clothes, the thrift stores would soon be out of merchandise!!)

I guess it could be worse - although I'm not sure if living where they have true seasons makes it easier to keep your clothes "categorized" or not.

But I'm working on it. Paring things down that is!