I’ve been cleaning out my closet recently. It’s kind of like going on a little archeological dig right there in my bedroom. Each item is a symbol, of who I was at certain points in my life. There are the few remaining button down collared shirts I bought just out of college thinking they were a “must have” for my work wardrobe. The long, off-white, drawstring, one-size-fits-all, crepe-y cotton skirt I purchased from a vendor at a music festival when I decided in my mid-twenties that collared shirts were never really going to be a part of my wardrobe. I wanted to get as far away from them as possible. Then there are the multiple pairs of dress pants that were paired with cotton shirts and fun jewelry; the work uniform of my late twenties. This is followed closely by my recent obsession with anything with birds on it. (yes, I know, I know . . . insert Portlandia “put a bird on it” reference here).
It’s been a bit of an archeological dig of sorts, looking at the stuff that makes up the image I present to the outside world. There’s a clear progression in my style, from trying to fit into some ideal I thought was “required” to buying fun, whimsical things that just make me smile.
So what insight lies waiting in your closet? What do your artifacts say about where you are? Are you trying to fit into an image that doesn’t quite match you? What could you shift or change to feel more like yourself? What’s that impulse buy that you fell in love with and rarely wear? Find (or make) an occasion to wear it. What about that sweater you’ve moved from one closet to the next over and over again? What are you hanging on to? Are you waiting for the perfect dress to wear it with? Does it remind you of someone or something? Is that good or bad?
Next time you take an item out think about the bigger story it’s connected to. What does it say about who you were, who you are and who you will be?
I’d love hear your stories. What’s the craziest thing in your closet and the story behind it. Take a minute to share in the comments below!
Mary Chris, I know what I’m holding onto in my closet. A short black skirt and a long-sleeve, red top. I wore them on a blind date. At the end of the evening, he asked if he could see me again. I told him no. He went to work the next day and told the guys he worked with that he had met his future wife the night before. Six months later we were married, and we’ve been married for 24 years. I’ve put on some weight over the years. I would like to lose that weight and wear that outfit one more time on a date with my husband. 🙂
What a great story, Maddie! Thank you for sharing. I certainly wouldn’t want to part with that outfit either!