A couple of weeks ago I discussed my miraculous body and the flap with you. Among the many awesome comments, a long-time reader friend recommended I get rid of all the clothes in my wardrobe that don’t fit. There is something very, very appealing about the idea. But the idea also makes me feel really, really sad–and a bit nervous. Not to get all attached to material things, but I’ve been collecting amazing pieces of clothing for the last fifteen or so years–and the thought of getting rid of my collection is enough to bring tears to my eyes. The nervous part stems from the fact that even before I got pregnant finding clothing that fit me was a challenge. Would I ever be able to find similar stuff again? It’s as though vintage clothing was all made for tiny humans, and even on a ‘slimmer day’ I could just barely squeeze into the largest size of clothing at some of my favorite retailers like Madewell or Anthro.
Now nothing tailored fits. Getting rid of the items in my closet that don’t fit would be me getting rid of over half of my clothes. It’s a good thing that I like jersey because I’ve been wearing it for the past fourteen months straight. And thank goodness for accessories because I’ve been werking my jewelry, scarf, bag and shoe collections.
A big part of me wants to pass off (or sell) all of my clothes and start fresh. I can see the upshots: more closet space, an excuse to shop, not trying on things and being frustrated, sad and disappointed when I can’t get them on. But then another part of me thinks that maybe someday I’ll fit my clothes again–even if it takes a while? Maybe my clothes will act as motivation? Then a whole other part of me comes out– the part that just wants to keep all of my clothes regardless–like having pretty Tchotchkes or books or ceramics or something?? I recognize how crazy and borderline hoarder-ish that is–but I can’t help it, it’s how I feel.
Last weekend I wandered in a few shops on the 3rd St. Promonade and passed through two ‘petites’ sections. I felt really annoyed. I’ve got nothin’ but love for my petite sistahs out there (I happen to have a petite sister that I love very deeply) but why are you gonna have a grand petites section and not even a petite ‘Grande’ section?!? I admit, I’m ranting now–but the truth is, I would really love to have ONE pair of jeans that I love that I could fit into right now–one dress that I love that is not a muumuu, one great blazer that actually buttoned in front.
The collages above are made from photos from an impromptu photoshoot I took with Jason last weekend. I am wearing all jersey and a lot of great accessories–which has been my uniform lately. I wish that more fashion companies had the guts, the chutzpah and the smarts to start dressing curvy ladies. We want to have fun, look sexy and be comfortable too.
With that, I ask your help. What would you do?? Do you think I should get rid of the clothes that don’t fit me anymore and start fresh, knowing, especially how difficult it is to find great stuff in my size?
Getting rid of clothes you have collected can be hard. I know. If you intend to get back to the weight you were before Ida. I wouldn’t be so quick to get rid of them and if you did just be very careful to keep your true favorites.
yes–my true favorites will be passed on to little Ida for sure :)
I wouldn´t!
As I commented on the post you mention, it´s still very early months. Keeping a relatively healthy lifestyle you will return to your old shape, or at least to a very similar one.
I know it´s easy to dispair, but I think you need to be a little more patient. You´ll get there!
Oh, and love your blog!
x
June
impatience has always been an issue of mine– you are right!
I can’t totally relate (i’m due today but still fit into *some* of my regular clothes) but almost all my girlfriends have told me that breastfeeding melts a lot of the weight away over time. So don’t lose faith. That said, I have a feeling a lot of my old clothes might not totally fit…..my new lifestyle. So I think that should be the criteria: “is this item still *me*?
eep! How exciting congrats! I heard the same thing about breasfeeding melting weight–only I think I took it a little to literally–it hasn’t quite happened for me the way I’d hoped :( — but I love the question about if it’s ”me’!
Breastfeeding NEVER took away weight for me! In fact, I think it was my body’s primordial need to cling to fat to supply it to my baby. I was always hungrier nursing than pregnant. I’d keep your clothes a little while longer. If for no other reason than to not make a huge decision like that in the throes of nursing hormones!!! ;-)
ooo yes good point, Victoria. I haven’t done anything too crazy yet :)
Justina! i’m a new reader (found my way to your blog after following you on pinterest) and LOVE your writing and your style. I would take a middle-of-the-road approach. How about doing a swap with friends? That way, a) you don’t have to part with everything; b) you can ensure that your carefully collected pieces find a good home; and c) you might score some even better things. I’m an ambivalent collector myself, but when feeling stuck between keeping pieces that I love and parting with pieces that don’t fit, I remind myself that my closet is like the constitution- it’s a living, breathing document that is meant to be reinterpreted :)
Welcome! and thanks for sharing! I would LOVE to do a clothing swap–but unfortunately none of my gf’s are the same size as me–maybe I should start a plus-size LA swap–hmmmm…thanks for the idea!
Hi Justina! Long time lurker first time commenter! Love your blog and your style! I have some minimalist tendencies when it comes to clothes but I also love thrifting and have had some amazing things passed down from family members..I don’t wear these things everyday (some of them are too fragile because they’re vintage or their just not practical for whatever reason), some I think I may never wear again at all..but getting rid of them is out of the question. Therefore I made what I termed “the archive”…Put them in a segregated spot that’s out of the way for every day life..maybe I’ll want to wear them again at some point (this does happen!) and if I am looking for something different to wear thats where I go..and maybe someday when I have kids and grandkids they’ll like to go through them and claim some for themselves. I don’t think you’re crazy for feeling the way you feel.. People have all kinds of crazy collections..I think if you save the really special ones at least someday you’ll be glad you did. Just my two cents! xo
Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts! LOVE the idea of setting up an ‘archive’– makes it seem super legit!!
Hi Justina! Maybe compromise and keep some pieces that are close to your heart and may fit again in the next year. Also, where did you get your cutie harem pants? I’ve been looking for a similar capri style!
Love the blog, such a beautiful life!
Thanks so much Jessica! I got my pants at H&M ages ago. those kind are weirdly hard to find–but when I do see them I ALWAYS pin them–so keep your eye out on my Get In My Closet Pinterest board. They usually contain at least four or five comments about ‘hammer time” on them. hahaha.
I think I know someone w/ the guts, chutzpah and smarts- YOU. You could do a collaboration and create a collection called Zany & Zaftig! You have a great eye and style!
that’s a fabulous idea!
um… great idea. hopefully some amazing companies are reading this :P
My suggestion: don’t do it! I’ve been curvy and then curvier at some parts of my life. I kept a lot of my clothes that didn’t fit and now that I am back at the weight I once was it was like uncovering an entire new wardrobe, like shopping at my very own thrift store. It doesn’t have be the carrot motivating you, that would be a little torturous, but it can be an extremely satisfying and maybe even emotional reward.
And the baseline size of clothes, don’t even get me started!
oh gosh i know–it’s a pandoras box. oy.
i gave birth a few months before you and went through the same thing. give yourself time. i love your blog because you love yourself and your bod.. i am robust and feel the same about mine, too. i am a few pounds away from fitting back into my old fave jeans – and this was never even a goal. my only aim was to focus on the babe. my midwife told me that weight loss fluctuates after birth.. slow at first, then a little faster. so give yourself some more time.. you deserve it!
thank you –and yes–I have a tendency to be a bit impatient. I like fast paced things–that’s probably why Im great at blogging but not-so-great at weight loss :D
I have been reading your fabulous blog for quite awhile, and I think you and your style and your writing voice are just darling! I started out before my pregnancy four years ago as a curvy size 12 and 14; I was confident in my skin (the way to be!), but I, too, always had a hard time fitting into clothes at my favorite stores. After gaining 60 pounds during pregnancy and seeing numbers on the scale and sizes on my clothes that I had never dreamed of seeing, I was in a total funk. I wore the same few cute, but large, cotton sundresses and jersey getups and tights and sweaters for almost two years. I didn’t want to spend money on “fat clothes”. As a former stylish clothes horse, this was torture, but also instructional. I have known my whole life that it isn’t the clothes that make the woman, but I hated not feeling pulled together and with it. Frumpy is a state of mind. I kept some of my favorite pieces from skinnier days, and I put them in a plastic storage tote labeled “clothes that don’t fit right now”. After keeping the pregnancy weight for almost two years, I started working out regularly (which I had not done in a loooong time), and I just went out and got some cute clothes that fit. I discovered that Boden ( a fabulous British catalog company) has darling clothes in lots of sizes, and I even had to send some back to get a smaller size ( yay). I bought a pair of Not Your Daughters Jeans in a legging style, and they held in my tummy flap and looked super cute! Not jeggingish at all! I still wear them, and they have super cute skinny jeans in tons of fun colors! Having cute clothes that fit and getting stuff tailored to be flattering made me happy and put a spring in my step that helped me lose forty pounds and get within 15-20 pounds of my prepregnancy weight (mostly by eating healthy and being really active). Now, my daughter is almost four, and she loves going to the gym with me and going for walks, and my exercise is something she knows as just something we do. I have bought a small but fun wardrobe each time I have lost enough to change sizes. I was able to give some of my bigger clothes to my sister when she gained some weight. I have been able to loan cute party outfits to friends who are facing the same dilemma, and I just clean my closet out each season and thrift what I don’t want, and put in a storage bin things that are too big, but that I might want for perhaps the next postpartum slimdown period. For me, that was and is a long, ongoing process, but I look pretty snappy, and I haven’t spent too much, and I have learned that I can make cute outfits with stuff from any department of any store of any size. Your creativity is your best asset! I still have some of my favorite old clothes, and I have debated this spring about just getting rid of them, but I am going to give myself a little longer to decide. I may lose the last bit; I may not. But it doesn’t hurt to keep your most favorite things. My mom always did, and she had a fun cache in the back of her closet of some pretty outrageous clothes in lots of sizes from all eras. As the mother of a daughter, I think about that and about how the fun of clothes collecting and adapting to constantly changing bodies was always an adventure I shared with my mom. Sorry I have gone on so long, I just love that you are sharing this struggle you are having, and I and many others are in solidarity with you, Justina! You rock.
Thank you for this awesome share. A ‘funk’ is a pretty good way to describe how I’m feeling right now when it comes to getting dressed in the morning. I definitely plan to get in a better exercise routine once I’m not breastfeeding this frequently–and i love that you make your daughter a part of that–obviously a good thing for so many reasons. Thanks so much–and you rock too :D
I say wait! It’s too soon! I gained 35lbs with my pregnancy and everyone told me that nursing would take it right off, which of course it didn’t. Then everyone said, “9 months on, 9 months off” which at the 9 month mark didn’t happen. I just figured it was the new me. I’d say I wasn’t really back to my old weight until the 2 year mark? Give it time…for sure another year.
oy two years?? really? that sounds like forever right now :(
I ain’t no skinny Minnie either. I would chuck em out. Have a wardrobe that actually reflects you, the way you are, clothes that make you feel good not wish you ate celery on a treadmill
I’m toying with the idea–maybe I’ll be a little less drastic and just hold on to my faves….
I had a similar thing this weekend, I was cleaning out my dresser and closet after battling cancer for the past 18 months. I have found some new lingerie that I love that is comfortable and flattering for my new body, so it was easy to get rid of the underwires, lacy bits, etc…..but…. I could not have done it if I was not emotionally ready to move on to a new life. It sounds to me like you are not there quite yet and you should not part with it until you feel ok about it. I also agree with the others, that it has not been that long since Ida was born, your body will still be changing for awhile yet. So enjoy those clothes as art, hang them on a wall, enjoy the colors, caress the embroidery, and you will know when the time is right.
love your idea of hanging some pieces up as art–that way I can still enjoy them at least–and good for you for finding some lingerie you can feel sexy in after your own battle. Sending you love and healing energy, Lindy!
Don’t do it! I’ve done this twice in my life and regretted it both times. The first time I was transitioning from college to working full time and thought I’ll never need all of these giant sweaters, crazy dresses, etc and got rid of 7-10 garbage bags full of clothing and shoes. Some of those things I can’t even remember- so good riddance but other things I was crazy for ditching! The second time I did this I had gained weight after college and thought I’ll never fit into those skinny jeans and great work pants again. That was a huge mistake, I threw away tons of great clothing that would now fit me again. My solution to not tossing everything is to put things in giant tupperware in the basement and save them for later. If you have the space, you already own the items so you may as well store them for a little bit. This shall pass and soon you’ll be so glad you didn’t get rid of all the vintage that’s irreplaceable!
NO WAY!!! i’m actually pretty surprised that someone would even suggest that you throw out your wardrobe. geesh…you JUST had the baby a few months ago. i could see if ida was 10 and you were still hanging on to clothes you could no longer fit, but please, give yourself some time. now if you’re totally content with where you are now physically and don’t plan to ever get in those clothes again then go ‘head and toss ’em. but i think most women at least hope to and try to shed baby weight so i wouldn’t start getting rid of my wardrobe so soon.
that seems to be the consensus–guess I’m always in a rush :P
I came across this helpful pin on Pinterest that I think could help with your decision on to keep or not to keep your clothing. I know the feeling of being attached to a collection of clothing especially with vintage. I hope this helps! :) -Chas
http://pinterest.com/pin/237424211577506718/
ooo yes that’s a good idea for sure!
Don’t do it. I’m older than you, have been through several weight changes, have always hung onto my smaller clothes because I’m a clothes freak and love vintage (also need larger vintage sizes which are hard to find!). I joined WW (don’t laugh) and now I fit into many of my smaller clothes again and it’s such a HAPPY RUSH. I am so grateful that I have these OOAK treasures and don’t have to go out spending hard-earned money. I stored all my stuff in those big plastic bins with herbal moth repellent and everything was in mint shape — had I been wearing them all along, they would probably be rags by now. I “get” the wisdom of tossing out what doesn’t fit but I would do that with newer stuff, never with vintage or anything you really love or find inspiring. You can always sell stuff one day. (Btw, hoarders might rationalize in a similar way but they usually hang onto complete crap, not gorgeous vintage fashion!!!)
Um, I’m not laughing about WW–I’ve been there. My grandma has been on WW for like forty years. haha. and thanks for making me feel like my hoarding is justified :D
SHame on me, *forgot* to add I agree w/ all who mentioned how great you look NOW — you are absolutely gorgeous!
KEEP!!!
Hiya!
Firstly, can I say you always look wonderful in the photos you post. I adore your jewellery and accessories so much, and you wear it all with such style!
Secondly, why I don’t think it’s a bad idea to get rid of the less special, ill-fitting clothing and start fresh (I’m talking basics and things that aren’t too hard to replace), before you go to crazy with the clean-out, THINK OF IDA!! Think of any key pieces you own that are particularly precious to you, that perhaps defined your style at a certain point in your life, and save it! Even if it will never fit you again, even if you think “what the?!” about it now – if you felt fabulous in it then, Ida might feel fabulous in it one day too (in 20yrs or so!).
I say this as someone who wishes her Mum kept a bit more stuff, because man she had some amazing clothing! Oh, and if you do go with this option, you might want to give yourself a little limit… Only the BEST can stay.
Good luck.
Xoxo
Thank you for your kind words, Eliza–and I love your point about passing things on to Ida. I also wish my mom had held on to more things of hers from the 60’s and 70’s–such a great point.
Oh Justina! I feel you! I may not have had a baby yet, but I am curvy, and I find it frustrating how clothes are rarely built around the idea of curves. I worked for an apparel company for years, and of course everything begins on the small, evenly proportioned models. That’s another rant though :). Anyway, I think you should get rid of those things and start fresh! It’s a new chapter in your life… and you’ve got great hunting skills… so I’m sure you’ll stumble upon new amazing pieces. Plus, “Out of sight, out of mind”… sometimes I hold onto things I feel so connected to… but as soon as they are gone it’s really no big deal at all. Maybe let yourself keep 1 or 2 things you REALLY love, but go of the rest.
Either way, you’re beautiful, as is Ida!!
Awww thank you sweet Katie–and yeah– I think some things are just gonna have to go–the less special pieces. Out of sight out of mind is very, very true. thanks for sharing your two cents!
I give my clothes the 1 season or 1 year rule. Move them to another room or closet in the Jungalie. If after a year you don’t look for them, time to part with them. If you dearly want that cozy old sweater or bright pair of jeans–newly zip able, take them out of there and put them on! You will not be nursing forever–and will get back your figure once baby Ida is running about and you are chasing her!
ohhh yes..chasing a toddler around–I had forgotten about that. Thanks for sharing tanta!
hold onto your clothes. give yourself a year. you just had a baby a short time ago! at least get to the point of not breastfeeding before you say good-bye to your wardrobe.
i’ve not had any children but i’ve still put on pounds over the years. i used to be one of those very petite women. not so much anymore. however, i WANT to get in better shape. not merely for vanity, also for continued good health. i have a LBD from my honeymoon almost 21 years ago. will i ever fit in it again? idk. but i am not getting rid of it.
presently i don’t fit in half my wardrobe. while it IS frustrating, it also motivates me, reminds me of where i was. most of these clothes i;ve fit in 5 years ago or less. i want to be that size, in that shape, again. i WILL do so within this year. that is my plan, that is my goal and i will do so.
so give yourself time right now, and when you’re ready, reassess what you truly want. if you want to fit in those clothes again, you WILL. you’ll make it happen. if you feel healthy, fit and strong as you are right now, accept your body as is – then in a year – let it all go. right now, it’s too soon. just be kind to yourself. :)
yes. be kind so myself. gonna keep on repeating that. thank you for sharing.
I never lost the baby fat till after baby no. 2 :-). I agree that your clothes are a great Collection…particularly top side, while your boobs are full of milk, be patient with being able to button stuff again.
ok momza. maybe ill bring a box of stuff for you to ‘babysit’ for a few months :D
I think you look freakin’ fantastic! I say hold on to your clothes a little longer…then start your own clothing line. What say you!? xo!
Just found your blog, and Im new to this whole world of blogging, but love the playful spark that seems to swim flashing its cheeky silver fins all through your style and writerly voice.
I haven’t yet had children, but I work with health and bodies everyday as a massage therapist of over a decade, and I specialize in prenatal and postpartum modalities. It is obvious that the body is much slower to change than the mind; it took forty long weeks for your body to take on the shape of a woman that was ready to give birth and cradle a baby that she grew and nourished from her own blood.
Such a momentous undertaking and upheavals couldn’t be snatched away in a blink; and don’t throw out your treasures in a blink either! Bodies just need more time. Why not take it?
From a new fan
-Sarah
Good point Sarah. thank you for your sweet, eloquent words.
Whatever you decide to do – I’m positive that a lot of your clothes can be altered in a crafty Justina-manner! Use the fabrics and take them apart slightly and add to it to make new clothes from them! :-)
Good luck gorgeous!
NOOOOOOOOO!!!! Don’t do it! You have great stuff and the second you get rid of even one piece you’ll regret it! Give yourself some time. start pushing that beautiful Ida Sky uphill! that’ll get the weight dropping! The only problem with the “flap” is that it will go away with exercise, but lord when you gain weight I think it’s the first thing to come back! LOL
hahah! (and) OY!
I think it’s far too soon to consider it! I had my first baby 2 years (and 2 months) ago and I’m just now getting back to my pre baby body (well pre baby weight – this body is changed for good!) not that I’ve done much its just taken that long for my body to reset to its old ways and to have time and freedom to do some of the healthy things I used to do like meal plan and swim.
I’m so glad I didn’t get rid of the things that didn’t fit for those 2 1/2 years because I’m now rediscovering them and its like a whole new wardrobe! I did have the goal of getting back to my pre baby weight before I get pregnant again because I imagine losing double baby weight would be an enormous task!
I breastfed for the first 6 months too which was a HUGE acheivement for me (after breast reduction surgery 10 years ago – expressing between feeds to increase supply, taking supplements and medication, feeding expressed feeds through a supply line) but it did nothing for my weight loss – I think that’s different for everyone.
Give yourself a decent chance to get back into your beloved old gear before starting again from scratch!
good to know–thanks for sharing your story!
Don’t throw ANYTHING away that you’ve been staring at for months. If I had to vote I’d say that sticking stuff in boxes and putting it away somewhere works well for me. Separate your stuff into the “This will fit in 10 lbs…this will fit in 20 lbs…this will fit on my skinniest day EVER” etc. Then, you don’t have to stare at it/try it on every day and hope for the best.
If you lose 10 lbs, great! You go pull down your box, open it up see all the things you may have forgotten you had, and maybe realize that…with some distance and not seeing them every day, you don’t necessarily want to hang onto some of the other things in the box.
It’s like surprising yourself with a visit from an old friend when you DO lose the weight/inches, it’s a GREAT way to reward yourself for increasing fitness without spending money or rewarding yourself with food, and it’s a good way to get some emotional distance from your stuff…stand back, cock your head to one side, and say, “hmmmm…you know, I haven’t seen this piece in 6 months and I don’t miss it. It should go to someone who loves it as much as I once did.”
Plus…you gain yourself some closet space for new treasures. :-)
what a good idea! You should be a personal organizer :)
ive gone through a similar thing..pre baby size, post baby size, then pre baby size ( another size i had never been till my second child), post baby size, even bigger than the last post baby size..now im on my third pregnancy. i have kept many of the things throughout all of this in hopes it would motivate me. some things i am glad i kept, and it was like shopping through my bins of old clothes. But, lots of it i donated recently knowing it was never going to happen for me.BUT i have to say, over the past 3 pregnancies, my style has changed, which has helped me to donate lots of the items. I know how you feel. if i were you, i wouldnt be donating anything just yet. for me, it seems like it was a 10 year process. sad, i know.
-m
yikes. ten years huh? Well thank you for your insights and all my best wishes for your 3rd pregnancy!!
I say take a path that is fresh, loving, and spacious: give yourself time to once again feel at home in your body, but in the meantime, let go of things that make you feel estranged from your body. And if you want to be extra kind to yourself, replace them! There will always be new cloths and more clothes for any size; whether it takes you 6 months or 6 years to feel like yourself again, there will be beautiful clothes. In the meantime, though, I say give those clothes to the world. Let them be a “welcome home” for another woman rather than an admonishment to yourself. I think you’ll feel better; you won’t miss the clothes that much; if you *do* miss the clothes, missing clothes is a pretty tolerable experience; and you’ll begin teaching your daughter (if only through your vibes) that the present moment is where self-love really takes root and thrives. That’s my two cents!
I love clothes. I ve had 3 babies. I say don’t purge yet. Wait a bit more. There are some things I can’t wear anymore but I have also been able to repurpose some stuff- skimpy dresses now only worn with blowsy things over, each time it took almost a year or more to find my old or new shape:) love your blog I think you are adorable!
My first reaction to this post is… ARE YOU MAD? you cant just get rid of your clothes!!
this really hits home! Im sure you have beautiful wears that you know you look great in…Im around the same size as you and i struggle with wearing the same ish over and over again..wishing i could pull out my real stuff and wow them but in the meantime im holding on to most of it..i figure that what might be my uniform now might not be my uniform sooner or later i hold on to all vintage polyester pieces..great sweaters.. long tunics or dresses.. One Day I demand to revisit them in the flesh. I have had a few swaps with friends. we even opened it to the public and advertised…the xl table was scarce and the women who did come hoping to find something in our size were like vultures at the table…We all ended up going home with a bunch of things..i was so proud that i went with 3 bags of clothes and i came home with 3 bags of someone elses clothes..it solved the new clothing acquisition itch but not the clearing for space issue….i thrift once a month when the colored tags are right…So now i have alot of stuff and so much of it that i forget what i have..maybe you could design some great diy ideas on archiving clothes. If you are going to get rid of anything send it my way..i love your sherbert outfit in the picture!!
My dear, I hear the conundrum you are in. As a recovering clothes horder, I sympathize with how hard it can be to let pieces go. But having shed half of my closet recently and continuing to purge (new rule: something comes in, two things have to go out!!) has been very cleansing spiritually. I’m also applying the if I’m not going to wear it 3x month rule it also doesn’t stay. Now, I can open my closet and actually see what i have. Outfits fall into place more easily. I don’t feel as overwhelmed and the I have nothing to wear mantra is growing weaker because I actually love what is in my closet. I’d start with the basics and invest in quality over quantity. Find a great legging you love, a great jean (i’m making it my mission to find something good for you!)a stellar tee and good jackets (military, jean and bomber are crucial). Obviously as you’ve discovered you can transform anything with accessories!
I hope you keep us up to date on your journey. I think it’s one a lot of women struggle with!
Oh my goodness you are way too sweet. If you find me a pair of jeans, Erin–I will love you forever!!!!
If you really don’t want to get rid of your collection quite yet, maybe give yourself like a year and a half to keep them…just put them somewhere in storage, not your closet. If your clothes that don’t fit are in your closet, you’ll just see them and be sad that they don’t fit (yet).
I think you should go out and get some basics like some nice new jeans, and maybe some shirts and cardis.
If your old collection doesn’t end up fitting next year, you can just accept that your body changed and love it. You can go start your new collection and give your old one away to people who would appreciate it!
Another VERY important thing to keep in mind: I am sure Ida would love to be the wearer of her momma’s funky vintage clothes in the future!
so very true. Thanks for your wise words!
(hi–I’m new to your blog and love your creativity and sense of style.)
One thing that puzzled me after reading all of these great comments: what has happened to altering clothes to fit? Sadly this seems to be a disposable culture where re-thinking outmoded items just isn’t done very often. I am old enough to have owned several very different body types which required me to work with what apparel I had at the time. Re-think what you really like and make it work for you now. Sure, some pieces are going to need to be ‘archived’ in a rubbermaid bin for a year or so, but wear the cool stuff now. Consider this: a vertical band of rib knit down the side seam can re-size any knit top. Same thing using an awesome ikat to size-up a skirt. Come on, show us how you can play with your clothes to bring them back into your life!
Thta’s a really good point–especially given my backgrouns *is* actually in upcycling clothing–but there are certain basics that you just want in your wardrobe–like a good pair of jeans, for example–without having to open up the sides or turning them into bell bottoms :D
Justina, first off, thanks for talking about hard or less than glamourous subjects! As a fellow zaftig lady who has also just had a baby, I wouldn’t pass on that wardrobe just yet! I’ve just had baby number two and she’s glorious. You mentioned that you’re breast feeding, and from my experience with my first baby, it isn’t until you’ve stopped breast feeding and your body has had time to regulate its hormone production that you will begin to lose the remaining baby weight. Your body is holding onto some of that weight to help it fuel milk production. So, there is the very real possibility that you will be able to fit in all your fabulous and collected clothes once again!! Keep up the good work.
Sort through your clothes. The things that don’t fit that you love and feel nervous about, pack them away. Put a time limit on the clothes 6, 9, 12 months and if you’re unable to fit them get rid of them.