Wardrobe Decluttering - A start is the best that can be said.

 

Decluttering is difficult and I find my wardrobe is particularly tricky.  I do go through it fairly regularly and tend to recycle suitable items through eBay.  The principal problem, however, is that I have a lot of clothes I like and they fit me, for the most part as I am not shy on getting anything I like altered.  That, in itself, can make getting rid of anything a little harder.  If it has been altered specifically to fit me, selling it on or donating it is unlikely to be a success.   The other problem is that so many items  belong to a time prior to March 2020.  On the face of things nothing has really changed for me. I do the same job, I socialise with, more or less, the same people, I go to broadly the same places.  I just do not wear the same clothes.  Or, at least, not really and not mostly.

When in the office (3 days a week) it is a casual affair and a blazer over the top of straight legged jeans, same colour T-shirt/sweater and finished with ankle boots/loafers will suffice for all but the most formal of occasions and those are not that frequent.  Add a scarf and even without artful French tying it’s feeling positively chic.  The warmer days of summer might mean that the basic black/blue winter column is swapped out for white, the blazer for a coloured linen shirt and boots/loafers for espadrilles.  WFH is pretty much on par less the blazer (unless on a video call) and out and about outside of work might involve slightly more casual jeans and a wider range of sweaters/tops.

In contrast, the wardrobe rails show no shortage of skirts, tailored trousers, suits, blouses, shirts, dresses and a variety of smart jackets.  14 of the latter at last count - I wear three regularly, one summer, one winter and one whenever a formal outfit is called for, the others, not so much.

Today, however the weather is awful, it is warm inside, so I poured myself an espresso martini (this involved opening a can from the fridge - I so, so went OTT on the grocery shop at Christmas!) as a caffeine and vodka hit might possibly numb the pain, and got to work.

LIsting on eBay

• Dorothy Perkins dark blue cocktail dress with sparkly bits (bought in the January sales 2020 - worn once)
• M & S blue geometric patterned dress (worn to work a few times pre Covid)
• M&S black puffer coat.  A gift and very warm but too big and even if it weren’t it I just don’t want that much additional bulk.

To charity

• Beige and black stretch dress that has spent 2 years on eBay to very few views.  I know not why but suspect it is one of those that needs to be seen in the fabric so to speak.
• Gold sandals by Dune.  Seemed like a good idea for summer holidays but have only been worn once.

Recycling

• M&S cream cashmere sweater that my elbow has gone through.  I’m not sure yet how I do/who does this but I’m sure cashmere is recyclable.

Landfill

• Hotter brown leather ankle boots.  Comfy but need re-heeling and on closer inspection the side of the heel is delaminating, the sole is losing grip and the toes are scuffed a little beyond polishing disguise.  They are at the tipping point of casual to scruffy and I feel I would be paying too much to prolong an obviously limited lifespan.   
• Blue patent loafers - also at that tipping point plus cracks in leather around the heel suggest my feet may shortly be getting wet.
• Black ankle boots - my feet did get wet around the toes last week.  I do not need this in my life.

It’s worth noting that I already have replacements for the aforementioned landfill and recycling items.  Their exit was more a matter of exact timing than surprise.

Also heading out - destination to be determined.

• my motorcycle boots.  The rest of my leathers have already gone.  I will not be riding anything bigger than a Vespa henceforth.  We have one bike left to go apart from the Vespa and that will be it for both of us and motorcycling.  It’s coming up to 13 years since I sat outside a CT scanner following S high siding off his Honda VFR 800 and whilst he has yet to hit 60 I consider we are too old to be bouncing back from such exploits.  

Reprieve for now

• black with cream horizontal stripes, short sleeve F&F sweater.  No idea why I bought an acrylic, short sleeve sweater.  Acrylic these days risks me overheating and I’m really not sure why I thought short sleeves on a sweater was a good idea though possibly it would be less likely to make me overheat.   Still short sleeves are is handy for getting a flue jab which is when the weather gets cooler.  It is now officially my vaccine top.

Slim pickings though it is, I’ll take it for now.  Whilst I rather doubt it I just don’t know if all (wardrobe) things 2020 will come back before it hit retirement.