the dress clean-out of 2011
The dress section of my wardrobe is the most problematic one. It is filled with dresses I bought to suit some alternate personality, dresses that look fine but are of middling quality that I can't find good replacements for, dresses of excellent quality and fit that I like, but don't love, and hence don't wear enough of. There are a couple of stars in there and my rational mind says to give away/sell everything else, but I hadn't really been able to muster the energy to deal with it.
Still a purge was in order and I finally dealt with it last weekend. The keepers are six everyday basics; four "special occasion" things for those more formal occasions so that I'm never at loss at what to wear; and two "sentimental" pieces because I have such good memories attached to them even though I don't wear them often anymore.
There are a couple I'm undecided about.
-White cotton shirtdress from Lover.
Very nicely made and I love the way it looks on me, but somehow I never wear it. I bought it last year and I've worn it maybe four times. But well-made classics are a keeper no?
- Vintage nubbly cotton shift
I bought this for about $5 three years ago, and I always wonder why no one makes dresses like this anymore - made of nubbly comfy cotton that's aging nicely, in a clean classic cut. But I've also stopped wearing it in the past year or so.
I threw out and gave away eight other dresses. Felt good!
Anyone purging stuff? How is it coming along?
Comments
I am not decluttering in a major way - might get rid of a couple of shawls, but nothing else. I am however going to buy much less - trying to follow the 4-5 piece shopping dictum this season and keep a list.
Not everything is saved, old t-shirts & things that no longer fit I give away. But mostly I save.
I have things from the 1940s and forward that I don't want to get rid of really.
I also vote keep for both pieces, I've thrown out things in the past only to crave them a few months later. It is awful!
On another note, I ordered a white sykes silk shirt too and it has just arrived - unfortunately at size xs it is still too long and boxy for a tiny asian physique. :(
Thank you for writing such a great and refreshing blog!
x
I did a closet clean-out but it was nothing major - just old jeans that don't fit and t-shirts that were yellowing and full of holes. I need to do a 2nd round, I have so many tshirts and don't wear a lot of them - they're all folded together so it's hard to find the one I'm looking for. If I had less it wouldn't be such a problem.
slowly
trying
to purge...
one garbage bag went to a charity shop...today. ;)
I just finished moving and unpacking my clothes so I've been purging heavily lately. It was hard at first to part with so much, but since I didn't really wear those items as much, I didn't are about them in the end.
Good luck with your closet! =)
Pret a Porter P: I have blogged about the Lover dress, good memory! I don't think it's so much that the dress is white, I think i's the crispness of the material that puts me off on most days when I don't want to worry about looking crumpled.
And yep, there's no hurry to get rid of things that have nothing "wrong" about them - it's partly my mania for tidying :)
And you are absolutely right, I love everything about that Akris collection, especially that dark teak belted dress. Resort collections are always a winner with me because they have a more relaxed feel than main collections.
Alex: I wear a lot of white, so by now I'm used to it; but it's actually not as challenging as you might think.
Ammu: I will, for now. And so great that you don't have much to clear out - a sign of well-edited wardrobe!
kkkultur: I do the same sometimes, provided I can find the space for separate storage. And things from the 1940s sound like they should be saved, even if they don't get worn.
Vika K: I fell in love with the tux pleats and velvet ribbon, and realised later how much better it would be as a shirt - maybe some alteration is in order...
It works fine for me as a dress though - you must be really tall :)
K.: I am STILL waiting for the shirt to reach me; how unfortunate the shirt doesn't fit well! Maybe it can be altered?
I'm rather large by Asian standards, and ordered the shirt in a medium which is my usual for UK sizing. Fingers crossed!
And thanks, I'm glad you enjoy my ramblings!
koko: Good idea, taking it out for more test runs. Maybe it takes time for me to fully appreciate it.
And I like knowing what I have too, instead of being unable to find what I want - one of my major impetuses for doing cleanouts of any kind at all.
If Jane: The first step is the hardest!
Stylepint: Thanks! Yes, it's quite amazing how little we miss things that are gone sometimes.