Nothing to Wear?

I have a theory about women and clothes. For myself, anyway, I can “be” different people, or different versions of myself depending on what I’m wearing, or rather how I present myself. Because really, it’s a whole presentation; the siluette of the outfit, the look of the hair/make up, and jewelry choices, the message the bag is saying. And the shoes are, of course, the cherry on top.

Reading this you might picture a perfect barbie outfit on a perfect barbie person. That just makes me laugh. I am not perfect or barbie-like in any way. What I mean instead is, who will I be today? Who will I show the world that I am? Will I be a classy/preppy girl with pearls? or a skater girl with my baggy cargo pants and skate shoes (which are crazy comfortable). Do I wear my chucks with skinny jeans and look like every other hipster? Do I want to stand out, or blend in?

Sometimes there are too many choices, each dependent on a previous choice. If I choose skinny corduroy pants, that eliminates which tops I can wear. The top (and the pant leg) dictate which shoes options are available, and then I have to take into account season, weather, intended activity and over all comfort. It’s no wonder I stand staring at my closet, like one would stand in front of the refrigerator if they have little will to cook, and there is nothing ready made to eat. The words slip unbidden from my lips, ‘I have nothing to wear!’. It’s not that I own no clothes, obviously I own lots of clothes, but at this point in time, probably minutes from when I have to leave the house, I have nothing to wear which suits the occasion, weather, active and my mood.

Thankfully it is winter weather where I live now. Winter is easiest for me because of the layering. All I have to do is start layering things and the winter look makes it’s self. I also always wear my winter boots when the weather hits, and since shoes are more than half my problem, I’m happy. (I have little patients for uncomfortable shoes and just wear flip flops for as long as the weather permits me). Summer is easy too, it’s also layering, but with flip flops and fewer, lighter layers. Spring is dressing for winter but with a shoe dilemma and no coat. But Autumn is what really stalls me. Will it be hot or cold? It’s too cool for flip flops, but too warm for my winter boots and I don’t like wearing tennis shoes unless I’m running.

The clothes per season/ activity/ and style also makes it hard to get rid of anything. Obviously if it doesn’t fit one way or another (too small/ too big/ just fits weirdly) it’s easy to say goodbye. But if nothing is inherently wrong with an article of clothing, how do I figure out if I don’t need it anymore? I don’t have the answer to that yet, which is why I have multiple drawers with clothes, and multiple clothes hanging locations. How does one say, ‘no, I’ll never be this version of myself again, goodbye sweater (or whatever it is)’. And, also I keep buying things, because if I buy new skinny jeans I have to make sure I have shirts that are going to be the flowy to my tight lower half. And yes I have boots, but do I have any comfortable flats to go with the skinny leg?

I finally just got rid of all the shoes that aren’t comfortable, regardless of what they “go with”, it hasn’t solved my problem but at least now I don’t end up in shoes that hurt just because I think they looked better than the comfortable pair. I’ve read about turning all your hanging clothes so the hanger faces the wrong way (hooked toward you instead of away from you), and when you wear something put it back the right way. Then at the end of the year, or season (however your closet works) get rid of anything you didn’t wear. I haven’t tried that yet, but maybe I will.

But with all of the organizational tips and tricks out there, all of the cheap clothes and endless fashion magazines, I think the real issue is still at large, and maybe always will be; women want to be something else. They could be perfectly content with their lives, but they just want to play dress up and feel what it might be like to be someone else. And there isn’t anything wrong with that really, it’s just closets need to be a little bit bigger, that’s all.