Why the radio silence this week? I was sick. My poor sick brain does not think of ideas or write words very well.
But, the germs have been conquered and I am back in the blogosphere!
I remember the moment I decided to overhaul my wardrobe.
I walked in the door of my home after a Bible Study and looked down at my clothes. A stain bloomed on my shirt. I didn’t know how it had gotten stained how long it had been stained. No one had said anything at the study, maybe they didn’t even notice. But I noticed, and I was mortified. I looked a little harder at my clothes. The shirt was one of my favorites, but many years of wearing had made it baggy and unflattering. The skirt I was wearing didn’t fit right and looked more like a tent than a skirt.
I didn’t look put together, nice, or classy. I looked frumpy. I have always enjoyed looking nice. Doing my hair and putting on a nice outfit gives me a little boost of confidence at the beginning of every day. Yet somehow, I had slipped into frumpiness without noticing the slow slide.
At that moment, staring at my outfit choice, a decision clicked into place. I was going to look nice every day, and I was going to start by throwing away the offending shirt.
The rest of my night passed in a whirl of inspiration via Pinterest. (because where else would I go?) I looked up actresses I thought dressed classy and made notes on what they wore. I looked up different styles of clothing and chose the one I was already drawn to. I had begun emulating it without realizing it.
I also got rid of an entire pile of clothes. My closet was a little bare after that… But it felt good. Out with the old, in with the new. And the easiest part, for me, was out with the old. I got rid of almost everything that didn’t match the style I was going for. I say almost because I hung on to a couple of comfy favorites. Also, I still needed something to wear.
I realized something else that night. The style I chose was the style I had always loved. I had never gone for it because I thought I was too fat for that style. “You know what?” I thought to myself as I clicked away at Pinterest. “Who cares. I like it, so lets go for it.”
And guess what? I looked fine. Good even. I found things which fit well, looked nice, and boosted my confidence.
In case you were wondering, my original style inspirations were Audrey Hepburn and Carrie Fisher. The style I started going for was business casual. Though with a few tweaks, because I prefer skirts over suit pants.
Another big thing I changed in my closet is how I shop for clothes. I don’t usually go to thrift stores anymore. I want my clothes to last and to look nice for a long time. I buy new, quality clothes when I can get them. Which means I don’t shop for clothes as often, but I also don’t need to as often because my clothes don’t wear out as quickly as used ones do. (is it just me, or do Goodwill clothes always end up with holes within the first two months for you too?) Recently, I also started making a clothing list, kind of like a grocery list. Which means I am looking for specific items instead of mindlessly browsing through racks until I see something I like. It saves time, money, and energy.
I am still in the midst of redoing my wardrobe. (I am starting to have the sneaking suspicion it is a lifelong affair.) Every season when I get my new clothes out I wonder what on earth my past self was thinking. I still end up with random stains on clothes that I only find after an event. (just why)
I think, if I had to sum up what look I am going for at this point, I would say classy and professional. Clothes which transcend the trends. Ones I can feel confident in whether I am at a job interview or meeting up with friends.
Phew. Thanks for reading till the end! I hope your day is fantastic and your clothes stain free.
Shaina Merrick
The Beauty of a Story 