This year is about allowing. My daughter Madison chooses to live comfortably with any purchase or clothing she wears. When we shop she is stylish yet the first agenda on her list isn’t fit, color, or style, it’s texture and comfort in her look. One of the goals for me this year is to allow clothes that do not feel good, look good, or travel well to go. It has occurred to me that I have three “go to” outfits for home, three more “go to” outfits for travel in the cities, and three “weekend favorites” that are my go to for relaxing. I challenge you to find your own 3 for 3 outfits. Use your favorite go to’s to begin culling why the others do not work or simply take up real estate in your closet. Let go of the excuses to keep things you do not love in your closet. Here were some of the excuses I had to silence:
- but that outfit cost xyz
- but that outfit is a “good” brand, I shouldn’t…
- but I was told it looks good despite its misery wearing it
- but I might be that size again
- but I might change my mind
- but but but but but
I am officially declaring myself and you permission to allow our daily lives to get easier. I can reduce the number of clothes in my closet to those that I truly love to wear and that fit me well. I can choose to have 50 pieces or less of clothes that work, have stylish go withs, and are comfortable to wear. I can realize that anything that requires me to have to say “but….” is probably already needing to be gone for the shame, blame, guilt, and frustration it causes. I can allow myself to replace excess laundry, time finding things and the space taken up by keeping clothes that do not work for me with the joy and peace of mind that when I enter my closet EVERYTHING there fits, feels great and is easier to keep.
Have you thought about the clothes taking up real estate in your drawers and closet? When I was in Arkansas for my dad’s illness for six weeks I had four outfits and one dress outfit. Everything fit, was fashionable, and had inter matching key elements for several of the outfits. Whew, how much less stress, care, and ease did that bring to my time there? Coming home it seemed so ridiculous to have more clothes in my closet. I’m not quite ready to get down to the 17 pieces some organizers suggest for a base wardrobe, but I can so see how that makes your daily decisions, laundry life, and financial life easier when you choose fewer, but more specifically supportive of you clothes in your wardrobe. What are the criteria you would describe from your three favorite outfits in each category? (home, work, weekends) Here are the criteria I am using for mine!
- I feel great in this outfit
- The clothes are the right size, color, style to fit well
- The outfit is in good repair
- The colors are flattering
- The textures next to my skin are comfortable
- The care of this outfit doesn’t require more than ironing or ease in care
I feel best when I am well put together first thing in the morning. Reducing the number of choices, wild ransacks for THE outfit, number of items to launder, and keeping my life easier is about ALLOWING for me. Allowing my style to shine through with ease, comfort, and less stress or guilt from poor choices of the past. What can you allow to encourage ease in your wardrobe today? I challenge you to pick your favorite THREE outfits for home, work, and weekends and begin to evaluate other things hanging in your closet base on your qualifications to remain taking up real estate in your space.
Today’s 5 minute Goal: Pull together your 3 favorite outfits for daily life. Evaluate what works about them and why they are your favorite. If you’re in a rambunctious mode, choose your three for home/work and weekends. Start looking at what is left in your closet and see what you’re immediately willing to allow to go somewhere else to bless someone else.
Tell me what made your cuts for the three favorites in each area or better yet, share a picture on the www.facebook.com/sweetieland page and let me see yours!
