What happens when your WARDROBE doesn’t look like you at all? I recently went through a TWIST OF A PERSONAL TYPE A CRASH, and this is what I discovered.
In my 20s, I used to go out to bars and clubs for meals. I was always looking for something new and was always buying new clothes. I was in a workplace and had many work-wear items. The importance of appearance outweighed ease of wearing. I was obsessed with fashion and making every outfit be distinctive, and I was wearing heels to work and at any occasion that I went out. I was always dressed well to look good and showing off my physique. It was a time when I was young, and in the fashion world and later started my own business in my twenties. This was an era that was mostly relaxed fun, and I’m happy I did it, especially when I was full of energy!
Adam and I have recently renovated our bedroom. I made the switch from an IKEA-branded Pax to a home-made open concept closet system which meant I spent many months sorting through our possessions. It was a great experience to purge my closet (you can read my top closet cleaning strategies in this article) and I cut my clothes and accessories to around 40% of the items I originally bought. That’s a huge leap!
As the winter of this year was coming to an end I took a look at the remainder of my closet. I realized that I only wore less than a quarter of the items on display.
This was when I realized I wasn’t dressing for this season of my life. I FEEL LIKE I was holding on to the person I was in My 20s, despite the fact that I didn’t necessarily want to be that PERSON for a long time.
Guys I’m working from home and have a dog. I’m often here. I have around eight pair of leggings made from black I use for loungewear, and I am in love with it. I prefer convenience and comfort over everything else. I am a snowshoe wearer in the winter as well as rain boots during the drizzle, as well as a massive warm winter coat for cold winter days. Since our dog has separation anxiety, taking him out for dinner or getting dressed up is not a frequent event. That’s fine by me. Going out is more enjoyable than it was and I am a sucker for dressing up to make it look more special. Also the health and diet benefits of cutting down on food at restaurants has been a huge plus for Adam and me. The mini skirts and flirty dresses and imposing platforms are of been of no use to me. I prefer to reduce my cleavage instead of showing it off. I prefer to shop smarter and shop less often. I like timeless pieces that can be used in a variety of ways.
A while I was embarrassed by the way I’ve gotten casual in my role as an “fashion blog”. When I stopped fighting it and started to embrace things, I felt an ease in getting dressed every day. Fashion and wearability don’t have to be separate and that doesn’t mean I’m happier or don’t dress in a way that seems to be me. It’s just that I’ve evolved in a totally organic manner and I’m finally getting rid of the old me and accepting the change in my life that is natural.
I can see this happening to me and others around me. People who hold on to an old body shape. Friends who have gone from pregnancies to motherhood and trying to figure out what they look like as mothers and what they should wear to reflect that. People clinging to old trends or the way they were feeling decades ago. Seniors who don’t have any clothes that are tucked away in an old closet. Many of us are caught in the trap of storing pieces for absurd “just in scenario” scenarios. It’s time to own the person we are today, as we are in this season. It’s going to change I’m sure of it that, but it’s worth putting in the work to look and feel your best now aren’t you?
This epiphany, which I’m experiencing right now, is still in the early stages I’m still studying. I’ve purchased dresses I could have predicted I would never wear, or items that are more appropriate for my previous lifestyle. But, I’m deeply aware of the importance of being happy with all the clothes I own and being happy can be different ways. A majority of it is a T-shirt, jeans and sneakers in the present. The most difficult issue I’m trying to overcome is the issue of repeating clothes. It’s difficult to let go of the notion that wearing an item or a style multiple times is considered a bad idea because it’s deeply embedded in my mind. It’s a ridiculous notion that you need to purchase something new to celebrate events like weddings or vacation. I’m disgusted at how wasteful that was, and I am working to be more efficient when it comes to buying things that can be used for multiple purposes and documenting my remixes of the outfits.
This capsule collection has been extremely beneficial in this process and I’ll be talking more about this idea in future blog posts. Are you able to relate to these ideas in any way? Do you have any similar tale to share I’d love hearing about your story in the comments below!
