For the past few weeks I’ve noticed that there are a handful of items I no longer wear in my closet. After my thorough KonMari-ing and inventory-keeping, it’s become easier to see which items aren’t making the cut (items I only reach for when I haven’t done laundry in a while). It only took a few minutes to clean out the following:
1 workout tank that I’ve worn for the past 7 years. It’s gotten so stretched out that I have to wear a sports bra underneath even though it comes with a built-in bra.
1 pair of my (beloved) Frye boots. I’ve had these boots for years and years and I’ve gotten them re-soled a number of times, but now they’re just looking so tired that I can’t wear them to work anymore. Years of wear and tear has turned them into the leather boot equivalent of Uggs.
1 pair of Feiyues sneakers. Love these! I got them a long time ago when we hosted a Feiyue giveaway on this blog and fell in love with their shape (molded to the foot) and comfort. They’ve held up after a few washes, but the inside soles keep rolling up and no matter how much glue I use, they refuse to stay in place.
2 black shirts. Both have some sort of embellishment (one has a sheer back, the other has zips on the side), but I rarely wear them because I have so. many. other. black. tops.
1 Topshop ring – it was a favorite last year. I still love the style, but the metal is changing colors and the plastic gem is super cloudy – it was around $15 so no surprise there. I almost kept it, but wearing a ring that is obviously cheap makes me feel like I’m not winning at the whole adulting thing.
4 necklaces that I think are fantastic but never wear.
3 bracelets – they came in a set of four and I only wear one at a time.
1 Zara bag that Lar gave me last year. She used it for a few years and then I wore it to death. It was an awesome bag, but it started to fray around the handles. Once again, frayed purse handles = not adulting.
Now that my jewelry board is so empty (my sad 5-year-old DIY tissue paper tassels had to go), I need to rethink my jewelry storage set up. Any suggestions?
This clean out also gives me the chance to see what I need for the spring:
1-2 work-appropriate skirt(s).
3 work-appropriate blouses that are not dry clean only.
1 nice gold ring in a modern shape (it might take me some time to save up for this one).
I’m not going to lie, I’m pretty pumped about buying some new clothes. Shhhhh, don’t tell anyone!
Cath, you are seriously always my inspiration — especially on the jewelry front. I need your help to get me to whittle down my collection. Also you are always winning at the adulting thing. Yes, you are! I’m always inspired by how pulled together you look. Because I never have to dress as professionally as you do for work, I always want to after I see what you’ve been wearing!
I can’t wait to see the few items you buy! Also, you should do a post on how you wear your necklaces — I would love to see that!
xoxox,
Lar
I never thought about how I wear my necklaces. Hmmm. . . the wheels are turning 🙂
I can’t wait to see the few items I buy either – hahahaha. I always feel like you have a much better shopping eye than me. Maybe I should just wait to go shopping until we’re in Seattle together!!!
I have always had a bit of a thing against fake gold (weird I know!). I don’t wear much jewelry, so only buying real is doable for me, but in my student days and when I first started working and wasn’t earning much I often bought 2nd hand, at estate sales, car booties ir even pawn shops, it’s cheaper than buying new and you can find some really unusual pieces that way. Might be a great way for you to buy that new ring.
Brilliant idea! I don’t know why I never thought of shopping for nicer jewelry secondhand. Having a thing against fake gold is definitely not weird – totally makes sense. I’m staying aways from it from now on! Especially since it turns my skin green!
I’m pretty pumped about you buying new clothes, too, because it means I have my shopping buddy back!!!
I am super inspired by your post to bust out all my spring/summer stuff and cull!!!! I just did that this past couple weeks for my winter stuff but I feel like I need to do it now too! AND I love your statement about adulting with jewelry 🙂 I sometimes feel very naked because I only have a few pieces of jewelry that I wear these days, but I’ve stuck to only keeping those that are quality (usually handmade!) pieces so I may feel naked, but I sure feel like I’m somewhat adulting!
Laura, if it’s any consolation to hear this from a random internet stranger, I think that only have a few pieces of jewelry is totally adulting. You’re not naked, you’re perfecting your put-together look! I always seem to remember one or two “signature” items people wear… I’m not even sure if it’s intentional or just a favorite, and maybe they have closets full of other jewelry, but repetition really cements a look, I think.
It’s also really lovely to hear validation from someone else. The other day I wore a turquoise beaded necklace that I literally bought at a farmers’ market (I love it but impulsively picking it up next to a booth selling organic apples didn’t exactly make me feel chic). My boyfriend saw it and said something to the effect of, “Oh, that’s my favorite necklace you have – it suits you so well and you always seem happy to put it on.” I suspect he thinks it’s more expensive, but the fact that he notices it as a part of my personal style makes me feel like I’m successfully projecting a well-edited sense of fashion – the dream of all this capsule wardrobe mania, ha! I’m sure the few pieces you have now invoke similar memories in your friends.
I use a jewelry tree (one of those ones that looks like an actual birch tree or coral or something) and I love it both for storage and (stretching here) as a sculptural piece of art on my dresser. It didn’t work well when I had a ton of necklaces – most were too long and tangled easily – but after Marie Kondo-ing, I love it.
I’m curious: what do you do with jewelry you don’t keep? Donate it with your clothes? Try to sell it? I have no trouble parting with H&M pieces but get stuck when I think about dumping pricier or more sentimental jewelry…
PS: Cath, I have that same Ikea rug! Love it.