When I look back on the lessons I learned this year, I think I have quite a few things I could discuss. I learned lots about how unqualified I am for working in ministry. I learned that college students can completely amaze you when they are living fully for the Lord. I learned how hard it is to be in charge of a summer camp program (read: it's a lot less fun than counseling). I learned how to make marshmallows. Through study of James, I learned how importantly God sees our generosity - and how much I suck at giving.
Moving twice within the year taught me quite a few things about minimizing personal possessions. Renting and loading and transporting all that can fit within a U-haul and a Subaru is not necessarily fun, but definitely a profitable task.
Part of the minimization process included A LOT of wardrobe decisions. This leads me to my biggest lesson of the year:
How to Dress Like a Grown-Up
I had always been that girl who dressed in garish colors and gaudy patterns, because I considered my style "artsy." After getting married, my husband (with a real eye for design) informed me that a plaid skirt, a paisley blouse, and striped tights do not comprise a decent outfit. I raided my wardrobe, pulling out many blouses, skirts, dresses, cardigans, and pants. Barely any plain, solid-colored items existed there! It proved my poor shopping track-record: I selected clothing items individually, based on each piece's particular beauty (which, to me, meant purple and pink paisleys or red-and-green plaids).
One time, I bought a skirt that I thought was amazing, at my college town's mod consignment shop. It was a knee-length A-line... and it had POCKETS. Pockets!! The fabric itself was cotton, a buttery yellow with a delicate, art nouveau-esque blue-and-purple print. By itself, it may have been a pretty skirt, but it matched NOTHING. I thought, "So... this doesn't match any top I own. Or any top in the world. I'll save the fabric and make it into a throw pillow or something." (Consider the fact that I don't know how to sew). This year, I finally forced myself to part with it. I had owned it for nine years. I think I had worn it about five or six times, total.
(If you're rolling your eyes, thinking, "This girl is so shallow, the biggest thing she learned in a year was how to dress?" ...you're right. But with my history of hoarding, getting rid of so many clothes was a big deal to me. And dressing nicely - for the first time ever - was a great result).
It felt very freeing filling up a second massive bin of clothing to donate (to the local women's shelter). I had so many things - even warm, toasty, winter clothes - that I so rarely wore. The best way to put it is that it felt right to share all these earthly possessions with folks who actually needed them.
My true inspiration came from a great sermon (heard at Great Island Presbyterian Church) on James 5. The "moth-eaten" clothing and riches were decomposing not necessarily because their owners were wealthy, but because they didn't put their possessions to good use. A closet filled with unworn clothing should be emptied and given to the naked. A pantry full of more food than one could eat within a year could be given to the hungry. A family's extra car could be given to a person in need of transportation to a job.
So I guess the underlying lesson beneath my wardrobe changes is that... too much is too much. We've all heard (in magazines; on Pinterest) that if "you haven't worn it within the year, get rid of it." We all have our favorite jeans, favorite tee-shirts, favorite sweaters: the ones we wear at least once or twice a week. Decide for yourself! Pick those favorite things and key wardrobe items, and discard the extra. It'll help you see your closet more clearly. And sorting the surplus clothes to give to those in need is worth it!
How to Dress Like a Grown-Up: Simplify. Wear what looks good on you. And share your extra clothes with those who may need them.
One time, I bought a skirt that I thought was amazing, at my college town's mod consignment shop. It was a knee-length A-line... and it had POCKETS. Pockets!! The fabric itself was cotton, a buttery yellow with a delicate, art nouveau-esque blue-and-purple print. By itself, it may have been a pretty skirt, but it matched NOTHING. I thought, "So... this doesn't match any top I own. Or any top in the world. I'll save the fabric and make it into a throw pillow or something." (Consider the fact that I don't know how to sew). This year, I finally forced myself to part with it. I had owned it for nine years. I think I had worn it about five or six times, total.
That was one of many ridiculous articles of clothing I owned that didn't match anything. Therefore, since we had to move twice within this year... my wardrobe changed. I got rid of all my tie-dye. Yes, a part of me still longs for my beautifully crafted tee-shirts... but my husband prefers that his wife not look like she's still in junior high.
Solid colors were in. Basic colors were in. Simple articles of clothing were in.
Pink was OUT.
I did purchase a few new items this year: black cigarette pants, grey flats, a grey cardigan, a few v-neck women's tees (more flattering than jr high soccer tee-shirts, right?). I learned that grey is my new favorite color for basic items. A grey pair of shoes can match with black, brown, or blue pants! It's like magic!
I surveyed my favorite blouses and cardigans, and then made sure I could match them each with several skirts and pants. The rest... went away! The ridiculous patterns, the ugly colors (no shade of pink or coral will ever look good on me), the fun colors that didn't match anything else... all went into the donation bin. What I was left with was a simple, comfortable, well-fitting, and (dare I say) stylish wardrobe. I can put together decent-looking outfits with so much ease now.
It felt very freeing filling up a second massive bin of clothing to donate (to the local women's shelter). I had so many things - even warm, toasty, winter clothes - that I so rarely wore. The best way to put it is that it felt right to share all these earthly possessions with folks who actually needed them.
My true inspiration came from a great sermon (heard at Great Island Presbyterian Church) on James 5. The "moth-eaten" clothing and riches were decomposing not necessarily because their owners were wealthy, but because they didn't put their possessions to good use. A closet filled with unworn clothing should be emptied and given to the naked. A pantry full of more food than one could eat within a year could be given to the hungry. A family's extra car could be given to a person in need of transportation to a job.
So I guess the underlying lesson beneath my wardrobe changes is that... too much is too much. We've all heard (in magazines; on Pinterest) that if "you haven't worn it within the year, get rid of it." We all have our favorite jeans, favorite tee-shirts, favorite sweaters: the ones we wear at least once or twice a week. Decide for yourself! Pick those favorite things and key wardrobe items, and discard the extra. It'll help you see your closet more clearly. And sorting the surplus clothes to give to those in need is worth it!
How to Dress Like a Grown-Up: Simplify. Wear what looks good on you. And share your extra clothes with those who may need them.
