I can also find it difficult to let go of clothes and struggle with the thoughts of 'where does it all end up'. I have found myself in that difficult position of having too many clothes but I do think the damage has been done and my only option is to reduce my consumption in the future. Of course I will always try and re-home these items first but I do need to pass things on to good will as I just have too many that I need to deal with. I have recently been listening to the Marie Kondo audiobook 'The Art of Tidying' and have taken a lot of gems away from it to help me let go of things. One is having a ritual of thanking the items for their service. I have been able to sell a few of my clothing pieces recently that I was not wearing but unable to part with by thanking them. I have a feeling of completion just by doing this simple ritual.
Reducing future consumption is definitely the way to go! Having fewer things coming in means fewer things going out, so we can reduce our worry and increase our savings at the same time. I read her book a long time ago but I do remember that part...I will start doing that as well with items I have a hard time letting go of. Thank you for the tip!
Hi Gillian, If the mohair blazer is causing you to take too much time deciding about it, it fits beautifully, and you really love it, why not just throw it on with wide legged pants or jeans (as pictured) and just go ahead and wear it for walks or errands?? I am not trying to suggest you keep things you don’t need but I think the concept of “dressy” and “casual” clothes keeps us from wearing what we love and keeps us in fashion jail. The plaid and colors look like they keep the formality out of the jacket. Then, if you hate how you feel wearing it in your actual, real life, then out it goes. Decision made with no regrets. You may have already done that; it’s just a thought coming from my own struggle with trying to be bold and just wear the beautiful “fantasy life” pieces to keep from buying even more clothes for “every day”, and to try to look how I picture myself in my head 😂 Great post, I really resonated as always. Good luck with the clothes in the trunk!
Hi Karen, thank you for your great suggestions and will look at my "dressy" items through this lens going forward! I think I'll let it go and I'm at peace with that decision...the more I think about it, it fits great as in it's figure flattering but it's a little too fitted for my personal tastes (if that makes sense). As for the clothes in the trunk...my boys are heading out for a football game today so it seems like the perfect time for my daughter and I to make a run to the consignment/thrift shops and drop them off. I hope you have a great Saturday!
Hi Gillian, I've been following your work for a while and really enjoy your writing. Personally, I have a difficult relationship with decluttering. On one hand, I too idealize having a small, curated wardrobe and it always feels good to clear the lesser worn garments out of my tiny apartment. On the other hand, I'm a big fan of Orsola de Castro's "loved clothes last" motto, which is about embracing sentimentality and cherishing the clothes you have for as long as possible. It's a dichotomy that has torn me for years.
I recently had a baby so I'm trying to disengage from both adding clothes and decluttering for the next while. Years ago I started a blog (https://someusesomewear.wordpress.com/wardrobe/) where I endeavoured to write a detailed essay about each item of clothing in my closet. Eventually I abandoned this but I'm thinking about restarting this exercise while I'm on maternity leave -- to help me really examine what I have and meditate on things a bit.
On your last point of taking photos, I always try to take pictures when I first acquire an item, which I keep in a folder on my computer desktop. Later, if I let the item go, I move the picture to a "wardrobe archive" subfolder. Occasionally I'll go through all the clothes from my past and relive those eras of my life. Aside from a few items hastily discarded, I hardly ever feel regretful -- I can appreciate the enduring presence of those pieces as part of my style story without having them physically in my space.
Thank you so much! I'm so glad you're here. And a huge congrats on baby!
Your wardrobe essays sounds like such a great project...like love letters to your clothes! And how nice to have all of these items in picture form to look back on and remember that version of yourself when you wore them...it sounds like you are very considerate when it comes to the clothes that you own.
I've just put two coats (vintage leather 80s cropped jacket, vintage 60s/70s corduroy coat) in my car to take today to my fave vintage store (to put on consignment). I keep packing them up and putting them back in my closet; back and forth, back and forth They are absolutely fabulous, but I only wore them a combined 5 times last year. They need to go no matter how amazing. Thanks for the push.
I recently did an experiment where I created my ideal minimal closet and put everything else in boxes. It was great! After a week I started selling unwanted items online. I'm not doing it for the money. I'm doing it to try to prevent the items from going to landfill by making sure they go to someone who likes them enough to buy them (I keep my prices quite reasonable). If they don't sell by January, I will donate them.
That's a great idea! Are you hoping to have 2 smaller wardrobes where you're finished...1 warm and 1 cold? And I think that is the best reason to sell online!
I have a problem with clothes because I really go back and forth with things. For a while, I only want to wear black, then I get desperate for deep colors, then all I want is pastels, etc. It's probably seasonal- when I am yearning for warmer weather in late winter, I feel so depressed by an all black wardrobe and I just want flowery feminine clothes haha. I think my goal is to edit out anything I don't love and keep some excess in boxes, and rotate when I start to feel miserable about my wardrobe. That way I can shop my storage boxes instead of buying anything. So basically like a capsule wardrobe for mental health and seasonal depression? :)
I relate so much to this! I was debating last night if I should keep a small selection of colorful clothes for those times when I inevitably want to add some color to my wardrobe. I love the idea of shopping the storage boxes instead of buying!
Oh, I should add that, now that the weather is cold, my minimal closet has gotten chaotic again! I haven't had time to try and figure out a winter version! But I hope I will get around to it. I have been pulling cold weather items in as needed so it's a mess now hehe
I can also find it difficult to let go of clothes and struggle with the thoughts of 'where does it all end up'. I have found myself in that difficult position of having too many clothes but I do think the damage has been done and my only option is to reduce my consumption in the future. Of course I will always try and re-home these items first but I do need to pass things on to good will as I just have too many that I need to deal with. I have recently been listening to the Marie Kondo audiobook 'The Art of Tidying' and have taken a lot of gems away from it to help me let go of things. One is having a ritual of thanking the items for their service. I have been able to sell a few of my clothing pieces recently that I was not wearing but unable to part with by thanking them. I have a feeling of completion just by doing this simple ritual.
Reducing future consumption is definitely the way to go! Having fewer things coming in means fewer things going out, so we can reduce our worry and increase our savings at the same time. I read her book a long time ago but I do remember that part...I will start doing that as well with items I have a hard time letting go of. Thank you for the tip!
Hi Gillian, If the mohair blazer is causing you to take too much time deciding about it, it fits beautifully, and you really love it, why not just throw it on with wide legged pants or jeans (as pictured) and just go ahead and wear it for walks or errands?? I am not trying to suggest you keep things you don’t need but I think the concept of “dressy” and “casual” clothes keeps us from wearing what we love and keeps us in fashion jail. The plaid and colors look like they keep the formality out of the jacket. Then, if you hate how you feel wearing it in your actual, real life, then out it goes. Decision made with no regrets. You may have already done that; it’s just a thought coming from my own struggle with trying to be bold and just wear the beautiful “fantasy life” pieces to keep from buying even more clothes for “every day”, and to try to look how I picture myself in my head 😂 Great post, I really resonated as always. Good luck with the clothes in the trunk!
Hi Karen, thank you for your great suggestions and will look at my "dressy" items through this lens going forward! I think I'll let it go and I'm at peace with that decision...the more I think about it, it fits great as in it's figure flattering but it's a little too fitted for my personal tastes (if that makes sense). As for the clothes in the trunk...my boys are heading out for a football game today so it seems like the perfect time for my daughter and I to make a run to the consignment/thrift shops and drop them off. I hope you have a great Saturday!
Hi Gillian, I've been following your work for a while and really enjoy your writing. Personally, I have a difficult relationship with decluttering. On one hand, I too idealize having a small, curated wardrobe and it always feels good to clear the lesser worn garments out of my tiny apartment. On the other hand, I'm a big fan of Orsola de Castro's "loved clothes last" motto, which is about embracing sentimentality and cherishing the clothes you have for as long as possible. It's a dichotomy that has torn me for years.
I recently had a baby so I'm trying to disengage from both adding clothes and decluttering for the next while. Years ago I started a blog (https://someusesomewear.wordpress.com/wardrobe/) where I endeavoured to write a detailed essay about each item of clothing in my closet. Eventually I abandoned this but I'm thinking about restarting this exercise while I'm on maternity leave -- to help me really examine what I have and meditate on things a bit.
On your last point of taking photos, I always try to take pictures when I first acquire an item, which I keep in a folder on my computer desktop. Later, if I let the item go, I move the picture to a "wardrobe archive" subfolder. Occasionally I'll go through all the clothes from my past and relive those eras of my life. Aside from a few items hastily discarded, I hardly ever feel regretful -- I can appreciate the enduring presence of those pieces as part of my style story without having them physically in my space.
Thank you so much! I'm so glad you're here. And a huge congrats on baby!
Your wardrobe essays sounds like such a great project...like love letters to your clothes! And how nice to have all of these items in picture form to look back on and remember that version of yourself when you wore them...it sounds like you are very considerate when it comes to the clothes that you own.
I've just put two coats (vintage leather 80s cropped jacket, vintage 60s/70s corduroy coat) in my car to take today to my fave vintage store (to put on consignment). I keep packing them up and putting them back in my closet; back and forth, back and forth They are absolutely fabulous, but I only wore them a combined 5 times last year. They need to go no matter how amazing. Thanks for the push.
I love your mindset! Stuff can have such a hold over us but I think there is so much freedom in letting go! 👏 👏 👏
I recently did an experiment where I created my ideal minimal closet and put everything else in boxes. It was great! After a week I started selling unwanted items online. I'm not doing it for the money. I'm doing it to try to prevent the items from going to landfill by making sure they go to someone who likes them enough to buy them (I keep my prices quite reasonable). If they don't sell by January, I will donate them.
That's a great idea! Are you hoping to have 2 smaller wardrobes where you're finished...1 warm and 1 cold? And I think that is the best reason to sell online!
I have a problem with clothes because I really go back and forth with things. For a while, I only want to wear black, then I get desperate for deep colors, then all I want is pastels, etc. It's probably seasonal- when I am yearning for warmer weather in late winter, I feel so depressed by an all black wardrobe and I just want flowery feminine clothes haha. I think my goal is to edit out anything I don't love and keep some excess in boxes, and rotate when I start to feel miserable about my wardrobe. That way I can shop my storage boxes instead of buying anything. So basically like a capsule wardrobe for mental health and seasonal depression? :)
I relate so much to this! I was debating last night if I should keep a small selection of colorful clothes for those times when I inevitably want to add some color to my wardrobe. I love the idea of shopping the storage boxes instead of buying!
Oh, I should add that, now that the weather is cold, my minimal closet has gotten chaotic again! I haven't had time to try and figure out a winter version! But I hope I will get around to it. I have been pulling cold weather items in as needed so it's a mess now hehe
Cold weather makes a minimal wardrobe much harder to attain! So many coats 😆