Tuesday 22 June 2010

Editing


Do you have a finely edited wardrobe?

My friends, I'm here to confess, that I do not. I have a wardrobe that's like ivy. It's slowly, every so slowly growing out of control. It's getting into everything, it's everywhere and before I know it, our house will be overrun with my clothes.

I'm not one who loves shopping, however, I am one who loves hoarding.

I keep clothes 'in case they come back'. I keep clothes for sentimental reasons (I have the jeans that I was wearing when I met Matt, despite the fact they're not that comfortable and I always share my plumber's crack when wearing them). I have a lot of my Mum's clothes too. Oh and I keep clothes for when Tiny is older. Like this awesome pale pink cord miniskirt from Zimmermann.

Once an old flat mate of mine went through my wardrobe with me. I remember the horror on her face when she pulled a linen dress from my wardrobe and said "What is this?" I told her I wore it when I was 16 and I was holding onto it until I could wear it again. She grabbed it, and another of the same ilk and said "They ain't coming back sister" and tossed them into the charity bag we had on stand-by.

Vicious. Don't think I wasn't tempted to go fish them out again. I do this regularly. As if I owe something to these clothes.

Today I am madly trying to edit. I've so far tossed one dress, and one skirt. The dress I have only worn once and I just don't feel love for it. The skirt I have worn many, many times, however it's unflattering and all the buttons are coming off and I don't know where they are - but most of all it's unflattering. For me, that is enough reason to evict it.

What are your wardrobe criteria? Do you regularly edit yours?

Image via the beautiful Vintage Rose

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have no wardrobe criteria. I'm equally into hoarding and sentimentality. I even have the manky set of theatre blues I was wearing when I found out I was pregnant. Now that is gross. No-one keeps those awful things.

Good luck with the purge. Perhaps I'll have a go too. Goodness knows what I'll find.

Jodi said...

i have made a lot of money in the past few years selling my old designer labels on ebay. i don't wear silk and heels anymore so out they went. i used to work for alannah hill too so i developed a nonchalance for big price tags - $400 did not phase me in the slightest. however, my clothing choices did change - with motherhood. and since i teach a lot of yoga i spend a lot of time in lycra! yeeks.

i know buy clothes that i know will stand the test of trend time. classic items made from quality fabrics. i do like to declutter the wardrobe at least once a season. it feels good to be rid of excess.

you need a friend to help you sort otherwise i have a feeling that you won;t be saying goodbye to anything!

Jodie said...

I still have a top I bought purposely to impress a boy (who is now my husband). It doesn't fit me anymore and I wouldn't wear even it if it did. But I just can't bring myself to throw it out. I feel ya, sister!

sophie said...

I chuck ALL the time, it's compulsive, but alas, I have no money to replenish so end up wearing the same clothes over and over...

kris said...

I think a good rule is if you haven't worn it in the last year... you never will...

I like this rule. I think sticking to the things that make you feel good when you wear them is a great idea as well!

But I mostly tend to buy one thing... like a great skirt... and wear it til it dies and then I get something else and wear it til it dies...

Good luck!

Laura Jane said...

YES that is a good reason to toss it.

I too am a hoarder, but I am a multi-size hoarder. The other day I retrieved a bag of classics that I realise I had put away in (mumble, 2000) there were clothes there from 1994. But they were classic pants and suits, and were mostly acceptable for the person who needed a wardrobe boost. And some were just weird and we tossed em. Oh, or we kept some to make craft items.

Next day I went through my whole drawers with my sister and made room for more stuff and tossed a whole large garbage bag worth of stuff. I have another pile suitable for adoption by the next person with size 10 feet and a fat ass like mine.

Tania said...

Oh, crikey, not another one. I'm the same, and I blame my Mum. She held on to ALL of her clothes since forever, and then edited 'em the entire collection off to the op shop a season before the look came back in. I was young and furious and now scarred.

Gill@OurParklife said...

oh no I don't edit at all....I don't even edit my kids wardrobes...always thinking "maybe we will need this sick stained, ripped little beanie again. Truth is, its just too cute to throw away..

But good on you for giving it a go...I am soo bad for keeping old jeans that I love and am waiting to squeeze back into. One day.

teddybearswednesday said...

I'm with you on this one lex, a total non editor over here. I know what you mean about feeling you owe the clothes something. I keep all my clothes that are full of holey and falling apart, because I love them too much, and don't want to hurt their feelings. I keep this with "one day I might..." and because I'm lazy.
xoq

Trula said...

My wardrobe keeps changing a lot because I tend to change items that don't seem to be quite right. Or I use the fabric of something I don't wear. In fact my wardrobe has a special 'make into something new' drawer. But some pieces manage to wriggle their way out of that drawer time and time again.

Cath @ chunkychooky said...

I am a chucker and anyone who is a friend of mine and even vaguely my size will be treated to large bags of clothes to go through before they are sent off to Vinnies on a yearly basis. i am one for the one if you ahven't worn it in 2 years then move it along... I am due for a chuck out now actually...

Alice Becomes said...

I used to have a crazy wardrobe filled with clothes I just couldn't throw away regardless of whether they fit. But since having my second child I have been very conscious of clearing out the clutter in my life as a way of making room for the new things.
The wardrobe is no where near organised, but it aint full of clutter any more. Nic