Comments | fatshionista: Closet Purging and Feelings of Scarcity

sparkymonster in fatshionista

Closet Purging and Feelings of Scarcity

Jan 16, 2007 18:58

I'm doing a closet (and storage bin) purge to prepare for a Boston area clothing swap. I have this huge pile of clothing that I already know doesn't fit yet i have not removed from my home. It's insane. haptotrope was saying once that there is this feeling of scarcity when you're fat and fashionable. It's so hard to find good clothing, that when you find ( Read more... )

personal style, how to

Comments 16

opn January 17 2007, 05:07:21 UTC

I so cannot hold with the "if you haven't worn it in this-long-a-time, ditch it" rule. It has never worked for me as a rule. As an exception, yes. Rule, no. I am constantly learning, making new combinations, trying on different costumes, and assuming unfamiliar roles (if even just in my head) that that rule is terrifying to me.

I am, however, learning that if it looked bad then and still looks bad now, it shouldn't stay with me.

Taking photos of myself has been a gigantic help, too. Grab your camera (or have me come over on Saturday while you try on every single thing you own) and get pix of yourself in outfits. When I see myself on film (digital film!), *that* is the real help to me when deciding should something stay or should something go. In doubt? Have a Kodak moment!

elusis January 17 2007, 07:27:13 UTC

I absolutely agree that any kind of "if you haven't worn it in ___" rule is completely impossible for me to follow. I do too many random costuming things, sudden re-inventions of self, and so forth to just get rid of things. I am always pulling stuff out and going "hey, wait a minute..."

But at the same time, I'm overflowing. I need to get rid of things. I need help!

sparkymonster January 17 2007, 17:10:55 UTC

I just added pictures of the PILE OF HORROR to this post. Oy. OY. You're right though that photographs give you much more of a sense of how the whole item looks because sometimes you only look at your torso, or you waist and think "oh that is horrible" but hten you see your whole body and think "wah? I look fine". Or vice versa.

metagnat and I are trading off the "that item passes/fails" on Saturday, but I may yet call upon your clothing culling skills.

opn January 17 2007, 19:13:23 UTC

I also want to add that *in my experience*, the folks who adhere to or have offered to me any kind of "time" rule about clothes are *often* people who either have the money to replace stuff fairly easily or are a size that doesn't have to struggle to find good clothing options easily.

I do want to stress my use of "in my experience" and "often" here. Of course, there'll be exceptions, but, um, not-usually-in-my-experience. :)

I'll happily be your Pass/Fail Second on Sunday. :)

similarmistake January 17 2007, 07:03:54 UTC

I'm brutal and ruthless when it comes to my closet: if I end up not absolutely loving it, it goes, as quickly as possible. The thing is, I'm mostly a thrift-store shopper, so I end up with A LOT of clothes, and I'm reasonably confident that I will continue to do so, so I have no problems at all re-donating or ebaying things.

My problem is purses and shoes. Unlike clothes, I get attached to them, even if they're not perfect. For those, I try to keep a one-year rule for the everyday types. (Special-occasion or vintage shoes just never get chucked.)

bloomie79 January 17 2007, 16:10:05 UTC

Wow I was just about to post on this as I am the ABSOLUTE WORST at cleaning at my closet/dresser/bureaus etc...This also started when in talking with my non from NYC roommate that I have a truly inordinate amount of clothes. But I hate giving things away, because like I am the queen of what if...I mean just yesterday I wore a sweater that I hadn't worn in years. But I wore it and liked it. See...

rosecampion January 17 2007, 23:12:01 UTC

I don't have a lot of space to keep clothes and I hate a messy closet. I don't have a dresser or room for one either. All my clothes, except undies and socks, have to fit hung up onto one of those rolling garment racks. So you can imagine, keeping the deadwood out of my closet is very important to me.

At this point, I have a strict one in one out policy. I buy something, something has to go. Also, I find it helps to sit down and figure out how much of a particular kind of item I need. Like, I want to have at least six dresses, but no more than that, twenty pairs of shoes, not a pair more, etc.

This obviously wouldn't work for everyone and most people aren't under the kind of space restraints I am.