Check your closet: Advantages of going through your wardrobe

It happens to so many of us. A formal event is in the offing. It’s one of those occasions when several fashionistas will be on the guest list, and we don’t want to look drab alongside them. 

A cursory glance at what’s hanging in the closet is a convincing argument for going out to buy something new. But there’s very little in the stores that really appeals. If anything does take our fancy, it’s far too expensive, considering it won’t be worn very often.

My late husband’s stepmother was an immaculately tidy woman who believed there was a place for everything and that everything should be in its place. The one exception was her wall-to-wall closet. On one occasion that it happened to be open when I was visiting her, I saw that it was crammed with clothes, from contemporary classics to vintage. Shoulder pads and skirt lengths accounted for the main differences between the two. Clearly, unless a garment was torn or stained, there was no way that she would discard it. In that respect, we were very much alike.

Professional organizers of other people’s mess usually say about clothing: “If you haven’t worn it for two years, throw it out or give it away.” That advice works for some, but not for me, and I would guess not for many others.

I’m a hoarder, and my husband, Danny, was a hoarder. One day we reached the conclusion that we must get rid of some of our junk. It wasn’t just clothes but also books, old newspapers, souvenirs, and more.

We sat down on the living room floor with two huge piles of potential discards. He went through my pile and I went through his, placing items to be thrown out on one side. Then we each went through what the other thought we could live without – and we put it all back.

During spring cleaning this year, I decided to reorganize some of my clothes; not an easy task because they were hanging in six closets and on seven mobile stands and three multi-hook door hangers.

I had neither the time nor the patience to go through all of them, but suffice it to say I found more than a dozen items that had never been worn. Others hadn’t been worn in over a decade. But there’s a good reason for the latter. I have an accordion-type figure that has, at various times, expanded from small to extra-large and back. A dress I love and had purchased several years ago, even though it was too small for me, is now too large – but at least I can wear it because tent dresses are back in vogue.

The moral of the story

The moral of the story is that most of us have items of attire that we haven’t worn in a while, and have even forgotten that they exist. 

Some people are very careful about how they hang their clothes, making sure the items are compartmentalized – with dresses, skirts, blouses, coats, and jackets separated, and each type hanging together as they would in a clothing store. Others, however, simply cram a hanger with whatever it’s supporting into the closet wherever they can find room. Due to such crowding, many garments are often obscured by others. 

Any reader in the latter category would be pleasantly surprised if she/he took everything out of the closet and started rearranging it, not only by category but also by color. It is highly likely that some of the garments that were previously not visible are in near-new condition, fit perfectly, and are in line with current trends.

Sometimes tastes change, and you might ask yourself how you ever thought to buy some of the garments in your closet; alternately, some tastes remain constant, and you may find several garments that are almost identical, despite being acquired at different times from different stores. In either case, while they are items you don’t need, you may find it difficult to throw them out or give them away.

The easiest solution to such a problem is a clothes swap party, with friends bringing items they no longer want or need. In the spirit of “One man’s meat is another man’s poison,” most items will find new owners.

That may not create more room in your closet, as discards are replaced with new acquisitions, but it can be fun and can save a lot of money that might otherwise be spent on new outfits.

Men probably suffer less than women from an overstocked wardrobe, as there is less variety in style and color in men’s clothing; still, they too can have fun at a clothes swap party, particularly if they have conservative tastes. Men might be reluctant to try on brightly hued pants and tops or a strawberry-colored suit in a store, but at a clothes swap party they might be persuaded by friends to see how they look in something far removed from their usual style. 

Aside from anything else, a clothes swap party is good for social interaction because almost everyone will have an opinion on how others look in the items they choose from other people’s closets. 

However, even before getting to that stage, just going through your closet can be a voyage of discovery in which you may discover several fashion treasures.

For women, whatever you decide to disown, make sure that you retain at least two or three black dresses, tops, or pantsuits. 

A bit of fashion trivia: When black is a dominant fashion trend, it’s a sign that the economy is in trouble. 

Looking around our city streets, we can see a lot of black, in both casual and formal wear. The compensating factor is that black can always be accessorized, and a basic black dress can be given a different look depending on jewelry, scarves, cardigan, or jacket.

So, whatever goes into your dispense basket, make sure that you keep the little black dress. It’s a perennial must. 