Weeding out the Closet

Winnie Yu

It's spring, and many people are outside weeding their gardens. Me? I'm inside weeding out my closet.

For years, I've kept clothes around that don't really excite me. Sweaters that have gotten pilly. Pants that are too baggy. Sale items that I thought I'd wear but never did.

Because I work from home, it's easy to give little thought to my wardrobe. Instead, I tend to dress in a style that's best described as practical. I wear what I wear to keep warm or feel comfortable. Rarely do I put on an outfit because I feel so absolutely fabulous in it.

This has to change. I don't want to go through my days dressed in clothes simply for warmth. I want to actually revel in what I wear. When I do wear something I love, it makes me feel good and gives me more confidence. Shouldn't we always feel that way?

It wasn't always like this. When I worked in an office -- and even during a teaching stint -- I paid careful attention to what I wore. I made sure I actually liked the clothes I put on each morning and that I felt good wearing them.

These days, with no place to go and with a tight budget to boot, I restrict the clothes I buy. I must really need them -- or they have to be on sale -- in order for me to plunk down the credit card. I don't ever buy clothes simply for the joy of having something special to wear. Most clothes I buy are for my kids: outfits for track, a dress for a dance, new shoes for a concert.

I'm sure many moms know what I'm talking about. But why should it be that way? Why should it always be that our family's needs come before ours? What's wrong with indulging in a new outfit just because you feel like it?

So this spring, my spring-cleaning involves a careful look at my closet. Out with the old, boring and useless. In with the new, fresh and fun.