Just Stuff

I spent last night – well past midnight, mind you -purging my closet.

It’s that time of year, I suppose, in which I’ve grown absolutely weary of my summer wardrobe, and am none too keen on my current fall offerings.

Something inside simply won’t allow me give the stuff away, even though I know darn good and well that there are many women in my area who could use it. So I shall compromise: mark each piece down to an almost sinful price and sell, providing me with a little extra cha-ching for the new clothes I’ve been coveting in boutiques all over town.

As I sorted through my stuff, I got downright sentimental about a few things. Could I possibly say goodbye to the fabulous little white Calvin Klein all-weather jacket that protected me from inclement weather during my trip to Italy? Could I bear to part with what I affectionately refer to as my ‘Mary Tyler –Moore’ wrap dress that my wonderful husband bought me a few years back? And what about those bright yellow stilettos that turned oh-so-many heads back in the day when I actually wore them?

The answer, sadly, is yes. Though I hate to see some things go, I realize they must. They’ll hang neglected in my closet, eye-balling any new wardrobe editions, and become jealous. Some may grow depressed, others may riot, and I just don’t have the time to deal with any of their drama.

So here they sit by me in my office, stacked up, bearing little stickers that read $1, $2, and so forth. Signs for my afternoon ‘Patio Boutique Sale’ have been placed throughout the neighborhood. I’m hopeful each will go to a good home, to be worn with pride by someone who cherishes them as much as I once did.

Each piece really does have a story to it: the awful suit I bought last year because I simply felt I must have an actual suit. I wore it twice, and felt like Hillary Clinton each time I did. The long satin skirt – an EBay find – that made me feel like movie star. The cropped jacket with ¾ sleeves reminiscent of one of my fashion idols, Jackie Kennedy. I wore it quite a lot during my teaching days, and it will always remind me of the girls in my class who raved about it each time I did. Oh, and my favorite travel bag, the one I just found over twenty euro in, that was by my side throughout France, Spain, and Greece…if that bag could talk…….

But the fashion beat goes on, and I must dance along with that beat. Such is life: change is inevitable, and when we recognize that change is in order, we must take action. We must let go in order to make room for new, beautiful things to enter.

Beth Newman
Image Consultant/Life Coach
Newman Image
www.newmanimage.info
www.firststyle.webs.com
My book, 'Become a First Style Fashionista' now available through Amazon!