Quite recently I’ve discovered the joy of selling my clothes for cash. It’s not about the money – although that part is nice. I was inspired by the blogger Holier Than Now, who blogged about why she sells her clothes. Some gems that stuck with me:
- Getting rid of a fabulous thing [makes] room for another possibly more fabulous thing to come into [your life] – both financially and karmically.
- Being sartorially “rich” means doesn’t mean having a lot of stuff; it means having the right stuff – great pieces that look great on [you].
- Let’s be honest – after you wear it a few times, do you really need it? Let someone else own it while it still looks relevant.
While I’m used to going through my closet to choose stuff to give away, selecting clothes to sell is a new experience. I had to learn to be more ruthless, objective, and strategic about my own closet. Case in point: two shirts that I love, but that I’ve never worn very much:
The first top, by Human Woman, I bought at my favorite recycled clothing shop in Tokyo; I hate giving up anything I acquired in Tokyo. The second top, by Ambre Babzoe, I snagged while interning at the Beta Boutique in Chicago. So both of them have their own sense of place. But you can’t wear a sense of place.
I tried wearing the Human Woman top the other day. Getting dressed for work I struggled a bit to get my arms through the sleeves (sleeves are often too tight for me). I pushed them through then realized I had to button up the back. In that moment I decided: I don’t have time for this, I’ll wear it on the weekend. But who am I kidding? I’m not doing it on the weekend either. So it has to go.
I also had trouble squeezing my arms into the Ambre Babzoe top, but I was able to take it to a tailor who cut an opening in the sleeves. It hits me pretty high in the torso, but if I can layer it right I’ll be able to make it work. But if it doesn’t – that top is going too!
Going through my closet with this new mindset I’ve found so many things I didn’t realize I was holding onto without a good reason. Pieces I was trying to remember to wear, or felt guilty about not wearing because I didn’t want to admit that a purchase was a mistake. I’ve also found pieces that I’ve sartorially outgrown. There’s something to be said for playing around with a difficult item, but there comes a time when you have to say ‘enough is enough. this just doesn’t work on me’. And that’s good because then you stop wearing things that don’t look right on you!
I definitely recommend that everyone try going through your closet to find items to give away or sell. Be objective, ruthless and strategic. Having a leaner, more concentrated wardrobe will feel better, enable you to dress better and makes room for better stuff to come!
What's your opinion?