I'm a fan of random thought exercises so thought I'd challenge others to answer this question:

If there was a fire that was contained to your closet but you had time to save only 5 things from your closet, what would they be and why did you choose them?

It's a similar question to that posed on http://theburninghouse.com which asks you to photograph and post what you'd save if your house was burning down.

For this thought exercise, I'm asking it purely in the realm of your main closet, that contains the bulk of your wardrobe. So, for example, I have some sentimental pieces that I keep in a closet in my office and elsewhere. So I would not include anything from those locations.

I do, however, keep a jewelry armoire in my walk-in bedroom closet, so any jewelry contained in it would qualify as "save-able."

I actually had a harder time with this than I thought I would. My criteria for what I'd save was that it be either incredibly difficult, if not impossible, to replace (so I couldn't take insurance money and just go easily buy a new one) and/or have sentimental value.

So here's my 5 along with some photos of how I've worn them.

1. Vintage Elsa Perretti for Tiffany & Co. Sterling Scorpion necklace. I'd save it because it took me over a decade to finally get my hands on one. She made it in the late 70's and early 80s and it's been out of production since then. I used to deal antique and vintage jewelry and this is one of her very rare pieces. So it immediately made the top of my "rescue" list.

2. Vintage early prototype Elsa Perretti for Tiffany sterling snake necklace (gee, can you tell I like Elsa's early work?) This too is a really rare piece. It was a 1970's early prototype for the snake necklace she produced for Tiffany in the early 80s, which they've recently reissued). I'd save it because I could never replace it and I love to wear it often.

3. Christopher Kiodo for DSquared2 leather motorcycle jacket with shearling collar. I'd save it for two reasons, it has enormous sentimental value to me and it's not something you can get again (except maybe aftermarket/used if you got lucky). Kiodo designed several moto jackets for DSquared a couple of years ago and once they were sold, that was it.

4. My other Christopher Kiodo DSquared2 leather motorcycle jacket. This one has massive industrial studs along the neck and sleeves. Saved for the same reasons as above.

5. My vintage 60's Emilio Pucci dress. (no picture of that one provided because I haven't worn it in the last year or so but I'd never get rid of it and I'd definitely save it). It's very sentimental to me. It reminds me both of when I was a vintage dealer and when I first met my boyfriend of 10 years (it was an often worn date night dress!)

So how about you guys? What would you rescue and why? (and post some photos of your key "rescue" items. I'd love to see and hear about what others would save).

...and, boy, do I really hope this has never actually happened to anyone here IRL! I have a friend it happened to and it was really devastating, but thankfully he had insurance and did save some important family pieces from his home as he was getting his family out).