Too Many Clothes, Not Enough Wardrobe

The Visible Woman...owns.

I was looking at this picture. I didn't find much to like about this one until I started to wonder why it looked like I had on a collection of winter scarves or a bunch of layers like the bag lady I usually resemble on my walks. I think, however, the clothing was in this shop window.

Which got me thinking about my wardrobe. My clothing storage area in the apartment (half of our walk-in closet with a tiny bit of overflow into another closet and six drawers in our bedroom storage) is crammed with stuff. And, yet, as the saying goes I often have nothing to wear.

So much of my clothing is so old. Custom pants and blazers from when I worked, ahem, years ago. Some custom blouses, too, although most of those have gone the way of frayed collars and cuffs. A few newer off-the-rack things. Some ancient off-the-rack stuff. Some after five tops. Shoes with soles and heels redone many times. I have a few nice jackets and pants I've gotten off the rack and had altered.

I was telling myself last year that I would eat more healthy stuff, eat a little less, drink a little less. I'd lose ten pounds and then and only then...get some new custom clothes. Maybe after I kept it off for six weeks or so. I initially lost a bit and then...back to the old weight. Not a serious yo-yo (I never do that). Just a blip.

So still...wearing the same old stuff. Occasionally and with great regret I throw stuff out. Usually the item has a hole in it or cuffs or collars that are tattered from wear and washing. I was wearing a polo yesterday. It was a logo thing from when I worked which, let's be honest is over eleven years ago now. A small hole is pulled near the placket. I was just wearing it for a hike around the lake. But still. I do have newer polos and they were clean. I was wearing a pair of black jeans faded from many washings. They are a Men's style of loose fit Levis (560's) that I discovered fit pretty darn well in a certain size years ago. (34x30 to be exact.) I haven't bought new ones since we moved downtown. I have a dozen or so pairs and only a couple have holes (along the back pockets) that have taken them out of circulation even though I haven't thrown them away. Anyway, so all these are over five years old. Some are black (or were) and some are other washes. When I travel I pick the blackest of the black ones for the trip (so they don't show so much grime and also can 'fool' people into thinking they aren't jeans). I vaguely remember actually getting jeans laundered with a light starch before a trip because they stayed neater and the starch also helps resist stains. Sure enough when I was taking these off yesterday I noticed that my hubby's name was penned on the pocket inside with a laundry marker...this pair had been to the cleaners. (He was always a dear about taking stuff to the laundry hence his name, not mine. We've never worn the same size jeans although if he keeps losing weight it may happen.)

I have a few pairs of tennis shorts, a couple of pairs of sweat pants, a sweat shirt, a Polartec jacket. I have some walking shorts, some T-Shirts. (Those multiply don't they? People are always giving us T-Shirts.) I have lots of underthings. (These I replenish by ordering online. Then I throw out the frayed and tattered.) I have a few sweaters and most of them are relatively new. It is sweater weather here today but we don't get as much use out of them as people in colder climes. I have two overcoats and a couple of anoraks. Mufflers. Including the one I bought in Germany in 1972. Really don't get much use out of the overcoats here but take one on trips in the cold weather.

 I replace sports shoes and hiking boots every couple of years. I don't throw enough of them out but keep them around 'just in case.' There are several pairs of boots and tennis shoes in the trunk of my car I think. I found this picture the other day I took of all my sport shoes in 2003. So ten years ago. Looks like I had running as well as tennis shoes and five pairs of hiking boots? Really. This was taken at the old house before our bedroom remodel. In fact, we were probably clearing out for that remodel. I hope I've gotten rid of some of these shoes!

All of this is to say: I need to beef up the wardrobe. Get some really nice stuff. But do I try to lose some weight before investing in anything custom? And can't I get rid of a bunch of stuff first? Truly a first world problem of the very lucky (who can afford the clothes even if they can't lose the weight).