I’m conflicted about The Chew. Mario Batali and Michael Symon are fantastic; I love the show's food focus and my good friend’s husband works there. My hesitation centers on the choice of wellness personality. Daphne Oz is charming, smart and a vegetarian but stumbles over nutrition info and certainly wasn’t cast for her cooking skills. It’s nepotism in action and it is what it is. Anyway, I digress (so what’s new), I still DVR it and Clinton Kelly consistently cracks me up. Clinton was the host of What Not To Wear. On Saturday, I watched an episode in which Clinton did a segment on Spring-cleaning your closet. I’m paraphrasing but he said anything that doesn’t fit must go. If it’s too small it’s depressing to think about and why keep “fat clothes” it just encourages you to go back there. He suggested trying on every item in your closet.
This reminded me of a recent session with a client. I was trying to incentify her to lose weight. I asked her if she had any goals she could pinpoint maybe an upcoming trip or a certain size she wanted to be. Without missing a beat she said, “Lauren, I have a closet full of goals.” I think most women have a range of sizes in their closets. When I edit, I generally toss things I no longer love or don’t wear versus the fit. What Clinton said struck a chord, why hang onto stuff that doesn’t make you feel good now? Clinton would be against the concept of reference clothing.
With this on my mind I decided to approach my jeans with the Clinton directive. I have a favorite pair of Joe jeans I wear with heels and a Current Elliot selection I wear with boots. I consider myself a proud purger. or whatever the opposite of a hoarder is, but there was a full cast of denim understudies still hanging around. I psyched myself up, noting in my head that our bodies change and that certain things may not fit. I tried on the first pair and they looked fine; I started a “keep” pile. This seemed like beginners luck but pair #2 was pretty good too. I don’t know why this was surprising given the fact that I eat very well and enjoy exercise but it was. There were jeans I forgot I had, various washes (don’t judge) and the jeans my husband likes the best. In all I tried on 17 pairs of jeans. One pair is going. They fit albeit snuggly but dug in in all the wrong places.
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| Bye bye muffin top maker |
Who needs that? There was also one pair I am taking to the tailor, is it possible I was 4 inches taller last year?
While I didn't end up giving away much, I finished knowing I had options other than my two preferred pairs. I will have no disappointment when I pull something out from the pile ready to wear it and I know what not to wear.
Do you have more than one size of clothing in your closet? Any items you're hoping to fit into in the future? Or any larger clothes "just in case"? And do you watch The Chew?
Do you have more than one size of clothing in your closet? Any items you're hoping to fit into in the future? Or any larger clothes "just in case"? And do you watch The Chew?
I am the opposite of a hoarder, so I literally get rid of everything I don't wear!! I do have some larger clothes, simply because I know I will be gaining a few more pounds in the next couple years (and I'm ok with it) and I've been throwing away some of the "child sized" clothes I used to own (which always makes me smile!).
ReplyDeleteI've never seen the Chew, but I want to because I love Carla from Top Chef!
Gina you mean baby gain? And "child size"? So many people love Carla from Top Chef, I don't watch that but she's sort of all over the place on The Chew. Purgers unite.
DeleteI just purged my closet last month of some jeans I didn't even remember I had! Going from 12 to 6 felt awesome. I actually tossed a couple pairs I bought when I was a little tinier than is comfortable for me and just needed something that would fit—looking at them made me cringe, thinking about how much insomnia sucks, so it felt good to get rid of that energy.
ReplyDeleteThere is something about purging that feels to good, wonder why that is Jess. Anything that makes you cringe should go. Love the closet cleaning when not sleeping, your insomnia is very productive.
DeleteI enjoy going through my clothes and getting rid of things at least twice a year. I need to do it now. I have three pair of size 4 jeans I don't want to give up. I have three pair of my current size 8. I'm heading into a 6 (I'm training) and only have one pair of those. I try to keep my size 8 stuff until I'm tired of it. I know 6 is only temporary and I may never see 4 again, but if I train for a full marathon, I'll need those and I'm never in the mood to spend money. I can find the space for three pair of tiny little jeans!! Can I ask: Am I the only woman in North America who despises spandex? I would like a pair of jeans that don't sag after an hour.
ReplyDeleteI'm all about comfort too Caron, that's why even if things "fit" me I don't like snug. I think your system makes sense. Maybe if you wear the 4's toss them when you clean the closet again or keep 1 of them? I'm all about whittling if you couldn't tell. Truth is, if doesn't upset you than, as you said, not such a space issue.
DeleteI've seen you in person...you have nothing close to a muffin top. Not even a smidge of one!
ReplyDeleteI am a huge closet purger...I constantly give bags of stuff away. This isn't due to size but my very fickle fashion taste!
Happy Monday my friend.
PS: So with you on the nepotism.
First, anything that causes indentation causes overflow...it's may be a mini muffin top but it's there in those jeans (out they go). I would expect you to purge a lot. Happy Monday, it's glorious here and I would never use such a dorky word if it weren't the case. Nepotism- insane. Why not hire my kids if "child of a healthy person" is the prereq, oh yeah my last name isn't Oz.
DeleteI'm definitely huge on re-assesing my closet, if for no other reason than remembering what I actually have in my closet and committing to wear things other than my "old standbys." And I so enjoy getting rid of things I don't love/don't fit/don't make me feel good. Sometimes I think the less stuff I have (that I truly love) the happier I am, and the easier it is to get dressed.
ReplyDeleteMay need to start dvr-ing The Chew.
And I'm a little late, but I'm in on the bean-soaking! We eat so many, and have never tried.
never to late for soaking, we have all month. make sure it's a versatile bean, I'm day 3 on chickpeas and starting to tire of them. Less is more with jeans and life?
DeleteI admit - I have two pairs of "disaster alert" jeans on hand that I treat like a home security system. When they start to feel a little too snug, I know I need to get to the gym a little more or take a look at what I've been eating. But they sound the alarm before things get dire (sort of like sounding an alarm before the intruder breaks in). Otherwise, the close goes through purging every 3-4 months (out with the old, in with the new!)
ReplyDeleteI just spit out my tea, that is so funny. Do the disaster alert jeans blink when snug? I sense an infomercial. I guess not technically "fat" clothes so Clinton would be ok with it. Hysterical.
DeleteLiving in NY and frequently switching apartments have taught me to purge regularly. I find clothing and books (esp cookbooks) the easiest to purge for me.
ReplyDeleteI don't have many "larger" clothes, mainly b/c I didn't want to move and find space for them. But I have a few items that are more "goal" clothes. Like the Banana Republic dress that fit very snugly when I bought it. I want to wear it this year to a wedding with a fabulous hat!
I think a goal item is great as long as not too many. Why did you buy the dress snug? I hear that a lot. Let's see you in it for the wedding (when is it?) and hats...they always fit.
DeleteI used to keep way too many clothes that didn't make me feel good. Sometimes it felt I had a closet full of clothes but nothing to wear... In the last couple of years I have been going through everything in my closet twice a year. I do have a few items of clothing that are a bit more "stretchable" and that I don't really wear. Now I'm wondering if I should just get rid of them...
ReplyDeleteI only saw The Chew once, and it really didn't catch my interest...
I agree about the Chew, it's a hard format to watch but with DVR I can watch a few segments, catch a recipe etc. I say toss the "stretchables" a closet should be only things you wear.
DeleteI'm actually a purger with pretty much everything except clothes! I cant explain it. Although just last week the hubby and I piled up all the "not-worn-in-a-while" clothes into giant bags, ready to donate. So there's hope for me...
ReplyDeleteand is not wearing your criteria for donation? Have you ever thought of trying everything on?
DeleteI'm a purger (speaking of which, has anyone seen the show hoarders? Its given me nightmares). Clients often tell me they've been shopping and purchased a new pair of pants, one or two sizes smaller. Then I systematically ask them whether they can throw or donate their older sizes. Unless you're planning another pregnancy, I think it's important!
ReplyDeleteI don't know why it makes sense to buy clothes smaller than you are. We don't know, even if we get smaller, if they will fit. I love the get rid of something every time you get something.
DeleteHaha I DO hold onto larger sizes! They're tucked away in a drawer in my closet for the day I get preggo [if it ever happens at this point! eek tryinggg!] but I will get rid of and donate unflattering clothes periodically. I figured if all that's left in my closet is the cute stuff... then I'll HAVE to wear it right? =)
ReplyDeleteI get the whole preggers thing Jenn but truth is when pregnant (my opinion) don't want to wear jeans all that much. Good luck sweet girl.
DeleteI love What Not To Wear and have heard them say numerous times about buying clothes that fit your body now. I think so often we have a goal..I want to fit into my old jeans..etc. I think it is ok to help provide motivation, but if you try those jeans on and even if you worked really hard, if they don't fit you may be really frustrated.
ReplyDeleteI think one "goal" item ok as a marker, too many goals (like client above) sort of suspends contentment.
DeleteAs you know I recently purged 3/4 of my wardrobe. I got rid of all the things that fit me when I had to starve myself and workout like a mad-woman to fit in them. And I threw out all the things that no longer suit my lifestyle. But I held on to some larger items. I have a silly superstition that giving away "fat jeans" is bad luck. I base this on my own experience.
ReplyDeleteYou know that I have issues sometimes keeping my sink clean :-), but my closet is another story. It is actually quite well pared down and organized (except after my daughter comes in to play dress up!) and save for a couple of (two small) items I'm hanging on to, pretty much everything fits! I still haven't seen The Chew-thanks for reminding me I can DVR it!
ReplyDelete