My Get Real Mega Purge - YouLookFab Forum

Sorry to have MIA for most of the spring and summer. Lots going on, some good, some a challenge but better now.

I have just completed what I am calling my “get real” clothing purge and it was huge.

Reality 1 is that I have gained about 30# over the last several years (multiple injuries) and it is unlikely I will lose it all. I am returning to activities but I will not be able to do the level I was before. I do think I can lose 10-15# as I have been soothing myself with food and that has to stop. Plus I am slowly returning to some of the activities I love and finding others that I can enjoy.

So out went almost all of clothes I have been saving for “when I lose the weight”. Keeping them only makes me feel frustrated and bad about myself. I did keep ~ 20 essential items in smaller sizes- jeans, black pants and some slightly snug tops that I particularly love. These are all in a bin in the basement now. If they don’t fit when the next season starts I will donate them.

Reality 2 is that the wardrobe items I want/need to wear at home (~60-70% of my time) are quite different than what I call my “out in the world” (OITW) clothes. As I aspire to a smaller wardrobe I keep trying to merge these and it isn’t working. I buy inexpensive items for home because “they are just for home” . They are comfortable but they don’t “spark joy” And I don’t have many items for OITW because “where I live is really casual and I can wear my yoga pants and I am mostly at home so I don’t need them”

So out went most of the at home clothing that does not make me happy. I did keep a few items as placeholders so I can get dressed right now

Reality 3- I am not going to wear traditional button up shirts or blouses. I might wear the longer arty top in the spring as a tunic or shirt jacket so I kept that. All the others are out the door.

Reality 4 is that I really have no idea what I want to wear in the spring/summer but I have not been happy with my wardrobe this past season. I have defaulted mostly to Lucy/Lululemon pants with tees. I actually really like the pants for at home wear and travel so I kept them, except for the joggers that I am over. I also keep some of the tees that I really like. Aside from those I have a 1 pair of lighter wash jeans, black dress pants, olive pants, a kimono topper and 2 dressier tops that I have enjoyed wearing. All told about 20 items.

So now to see what is left for fall/winter and create a shopping/sewing list to fill in needed items.

I also need to go through my outerwear and shoes.

Thanks Angie for the challenge and to all the others who posted about their closet edits. They encouraged me to do this long needed task.

I feel good !!!

5 years ago

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Congratulations on the big clear out! It does feel good to know where you really stand with your wardrobe. Looking forward to hearing how you proceed.

rachylou

This sounds great. *I* feel good

Angie

Fashion Stylist

WOW.

I'm impressed. WELL DONE, Lynn.

AMAZING realizations. I look forward to seeing you put these thoughts into action with your next wardrobe refresh.

Cardiff girl

Well done.You have faced up to some really challenging issues in your wardrobe here,it can’t have been easy to accept that you aren’t going to go back to the weight you were before .l salute you and wish you all the very best in rebuilding a new wardrobe for your life as it is now.

cheryl

Way to go!

Anonymous

Wow, Lynn. It sounds like you have a clear head. You’re on the right track.

I too have major issues coming up with good at-home looks. Mine are not really “looks”. They are more like “random old stuff”. I will be watching your journey!

Alexandra

Wow, good job! Sounds like you’ve had some important realizations. I look forward to seeing how you refresh your at-home wardrobe because I have a similar problem.

unfrumped

Super impressed because this will let you move on, feel better and that morphs into making small manageable health changes.

Have you read Toban’s posts? They are not just about weight loss but how to shop for and manage small capsules of good- fitting clothes you wear a lot, and adjust as you go along. They are good inspiration for me because I tend to have too many similar things at once and don’t wear them enough before my style, tastes, shape change.

Sal

Well done. This sounds like a big learning experience re your real lifestyle and likes.

I think there are some great casual options out there now that are comfortable AND smart. I have some black Lululemon pants that can go from the sofa to a restaurant with a change of footwear. And there are some neat soft fabrics.

For summer I do like dresses and there are some great tee dress options - long, short, sleeved, sleeveless, plain and striped. Some of the draping can be really flattering as well. I like these as you can easily wear a cropped jacket and suddenly look quite dressed up, or you can wear with slides or flat sandals or thongs and be ready to go to the beach.

cindysmith

Good job!

Jessikams

Sounds like a big job, well done. I look forward to hearing more as your “at home” clothes evolve. I have been happier with my at-home clothes since I strictly limited the palette: now they all go together and I feel less like a crazy cat lady.

Bijou

You have done a great job. Please post some WIWs of your at home style. It will probably help you to find tha balance between comfort and practicality and also wearing items that feel great.

Barbara Diane

Congrats on your edit. DH and I just took a walk. I was in casual wear around the house or out on a walk clothes but pondered how I would feel if I ran into certain people. Still pondering.

Colette

You should feel good, this is a difficult task. Congratulations for getting it done!

What a GREAT post. I was especially fascinated with Reality #2. That is a dilemma that I face. The idea of merging at home and OITW wardrobes is the obvious solution. Do you know why merging hasn't worked? Do you intend to build up your OITW? I'd love to hear more about your future plans. I found that by purging those items that were mere place holders, I was forced into wearing some of my nicer OITW clothes.

Lynn

Thanks everyone for your support, it means a lot. I I really feel so much better now and have energy for moving forward rather than feeling stuck.

Unfrumped- I do remember reading Toban's post but should to go back and review it. I remember it had a lot of great information.

Sal- You are right I think I would feel OK in my yoga pants for quick errands if I had some more flattering tops. I did find I really liked to wear the 1 dress I have this summer. I am difficult to fit in dresses but more dresses are in my sewing plans for next summer

Bijou I will try to post some pictures.

Sterling- Merging my home and OITW wardrobes hasn't worked for me because at home I will always reach for comfort clothes- knit pants and loose unstructured tops which are not all that flattering to my pear shape and I tend to just simple tees a size up, so pretty boring. Not the look I aspire to OITW. I have tried wearing jeans at home but alway end up changing them. So I am going to proceed with these as separate wardrobes. Perhaps some of the tops might overlap. I hope to have some time tomorrow to really assess what is left after my purge and do some styling. I will definitely post my plans as I develop them.

Joy

What an accomplishment. It sounds like you thought a lot about what you wear and don't wear and how things make you feel..

Chris987

Good for you to decide to live in the present as far as your wardrobe. It's not always an easy thing to do and it sounds like it has taken some emotional/mental work to get there. I can totally empathize with the whole "just for at home" thing you described, good for you to start to break out of that pattern. It works for some people but not for to others. I want to do this too but have decide to postpone until early next year because I want to spend my budget elsewhere for the rest of this year. Like others I'll be watching with interest as your journey unfolds going forward.

Lynn - I very much look forward to hearing how you develop your at home and OITW wardrobes. I hope you'll find the time to post after you do your post-purge assessment.

Congratulations on the mega purge! Im with you on home vs oitw clothes, strictly cosy no buttons/zippers at home for me too and definitely no jeans. But, there should be some delineation between home in the day and sleepwear...working on that!

Tina

Active Member

Yay you! Last time I did this type of purge, I ended up hardly anything but 40 scarves. It's probably time to think about at least a mini purge again, but I probably have even more scarves now.

Toban

What a great accomplishment! And a great start for a wardrobe that fits you and your lifestyle.

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