Sometimes Clothes Do Matter

Just the other day I had an epiphany. Yes, about clothes! In this blog post, I’m going to tell you how I suddenly realized that sometimes, clothes do matter! Grab a cup of coffee or tea, a cozy blanket and snuggle in as a share my tale….

It goes something like this…

I awoke with the dawn that fateful morning. Pulling on my old sweats and a crusty old sweatshirt, I began walking toward the bedroom door, mentally preparing myself to enter into a new day. There was baking that needed to happen, a blog post to prep and last night’s dishes to be washed because yes, I left them sitting in the sink after supper!

As I walked toward the door, I cast a downward glance at myself…and stopped short.

My clothes! No, not the ones overflowing in the laundry basket, or the dirty pair I had dropped on the floor the day before. I stared down at the clothes I had on, my many-times stained sweater and the old black sweats I snagged out of a “giveaway” pile during college days.

They were well worn, these clothes. Stretched out of shape. Nasty. Ugly. Suddenly, I felt…so sloppy. Grungy and well, unprepared for the day. Like I was starting on the wrong foot!

I tell you, I didn’t like my clothes. Not one bit! So as I went about the house that morning, I took time to stew over my dilemma.

But aren’t clothes just clothes?

Now I’m not a particular individual when it comes to clothing. Really! I don’t shop “certain” name brands. I’m not particular about style or color. I like a good fit, but clothes are…well…just clothes. Something you wear because your parents and natural instinct tells you it’s the right thing to do. Clothes don’t define you, aren’t something that should mean very much to a person, in light of the grander things in life!

However, as I stared down at my gray sweater all morning long, trying to count no less than 500 grease, paint and food stains on the front of it, I suddenly realized I wanted to feel good in my clothes!

And as I thought about it, I suddenly realized the desire to beautify has been surfacing in numerous areas of my life. I’ve been thirstily looking over décor ideas for our new home. Instead of mulling over vegetable seed catalogs (as I usually do in the pre-spring season), I’ve been buying flower seed packets and bare root roses. I’ve been taking time to arrange flowers in jars and teacups. Shucks, I’ve even found myself spreading tablecloths on our dining room table!

Looking down at my nasty old clothes, I suddenly realized I wanted beauty here also.

And I realized it was time for change…

I realized that adding clean, unstained items to my wardrobe was something I could do.

After spending several years in extreme saving mode and being laser focused on reaching our financial goals, my man and I sort of got into the habit of putting up with things we didn’t like or enjoy. But now that we’d reached the other side…? If my clothes made me feel uninspired and set a low standard for the day, why not do something about it?

When I brought it up, my man thought a few new clothes would be a good idea! So several days later, we headed north in our old vehicle with cash in our pockets, smiles on our faces and hope in our hearts that thrift stores in a neighboring town would turn up some good finds for us!

Going Thrifting!

Ahh, yes. I have to confess that I love thrift shopping. Even if I made a million dollars a year, I would probably still shop at the thrift, just for the fun of the search! Oh, we don’t buy everything secondhand. Some things aren’t worth buying used. But some are.

In spite of the face that I enjoy thrifting, I am not a collector. Very particular in my shopping, I am! Primarily because clutter and I just don’t jibe.

When I go thrifting, I try to avoid overthinking. If I find myself waffling over an item, I take it as a sign that I don’t love it enough to keep it around, long term. By only purchasing items I know I love, it helps me keep it simple, saves time, money, space in my home and also, on future deliveries to our nearest thrift store!

We spent the morning browsing and shopping. My man only got into one mishap. While I was busy in the change room of a quiet little thrift shop, he got bored and, true to his mischievous nature, decided to see which of the displayed, antique ladies hats best suited his complexion and brown curls.

Was it the pink one with white lace? Or the purple one with a black, velvet bow? After he had spent several minutes trying on this one and that one, a little grey-haired lady came trotting over to inform him that those hats were for display only.

I nearly die laughing every time I think of it!

Out with the old, in with the new!

That was our only mishap and I’m happy to report we returned home in one piece, each of us with several good finds!

And now it’s time for me to get rid of some of my grubbies, because I certainly don’t need them all! Like the pink hoodie that has been through numerous chicken butcherings, 10+ year old sweaters with holes in the elbows, old t-shirts stained with paint, sweat, blood, caulking and everything that comes with building a home…oh it’s going to feel good to clear some of it out!

Of course, I will keep a few old items for when I tackle nasty jobs on the farmstead. But I don’t need an entire wardrobe of the stuff…!