Saturday, July 24, 2010

Limited apparel


There was a thing on TV and then on the Internet about a woman's book about limting one's wardrobe to 6 interchangeable pieces of clothing. Thank god she included a pair of blue jeans as I would never be able to imagine life without them. When I went to Australia to teach for six months, I took one suitcase of clothing and a footlocker of teaching materials and books. I lived out of that suitcase for six months. Only had to buy a heavier jacket and warmer socks (cold there in July) and a couple of T-shirts when it got warmer. But I will have to say I was pretty tired of the clothes when I got home and it was winter all over again.
The Australian faculty dressed a little nicer than we did in the States and I had one cab driver tell me he thought I was a student because I dressed like one. Oh well, I was a great lecturer and fortunately in the art department no one particularly cares what you wear. But I can say that after 6 months in the same clothes I was really tired of them and then having to continue wearing them because I came home to winter again was the pits.
Yes, I learned I can do with a lot less but Not for months...6 weeks easily but not months. And I do tend to hang on to favorites for a very long time. I am wearing a Blue Fish top that is 20 years old and have other Blue Fish pieces in my closet that old or older. I still love them and wear them. And they certainly mix and match...expensive to buy but when you spread the cost over 20 years, it isn't much per wearing. And I do have a basic jersey travel wardrobe that never wrinkles and will roll up in a ball to pack. Great stuff. It is the dress up stuff that I should eliminate from my closet...I never go anywhere that requires dressy stuff.
I've tried taking my beautiful Mother of the groom dress to the resale shop and they said it was out of style. But how does a simple straight blue dress with a beaded neckline ever go out of style? Oh well, it's been donated and now some lucky tall lady is going to have a beautiful blue dress to wear to a wedding.

3 comments:

Crazy RAvens Studio said...

I love Blue Fish clothing. It is expensive so I will try to make my own. I bet you look spectacular in it.

picklesandroses.blogspot.com said...

Paula, I do love Blue Fish but since they essentially went out of business several years ago, closed their shops in Taos, NM and Austin, TX I haven't bought anything. The shops used to have great sale racks. The designer has since reopened in New Jersey with a website but I just can't afford their prices anymore.

Kristin Allen said...

ooh, Kay - that is CUTE! I really like it. I would wear that all the time, too. Especially if it weren't so hot all the time. Glad to see you are blogging it up.