Sunday, May 25, 2008

My Wardrobe is a Hot Mess


Recently, as I went through all my clothes to pack the maternity and unpack the summer and normal clothes I had a sad realization...my clothes stink. Or rather, I stink at buying clothes. I was trying to organize my closet as I unpacked it, hanging up all the sweaters together, all the button front blouses together, all my favorites front and center together, and all the old navy crew neck tees together.

OK, I realized I have too many shapeless, blah old navy tees. I'm ashamed to admit they occupied 50% of my wardrobe. I have a the whole rainbow of colors of the boring, boxy shirts. I thought to myself how did all these get in my closet? Then I contemplated the fact in the year 2007 I purchased three shirts (excluding the maternity stuff I got when I started showing...those were probably mainly in 2008 anyway). The year before that, 2006, I added 4 shirts to my wardrobe. So all these crew necks were accumulated years prior, and why?

1. Tight budget through out our marriage and especially these last two years made clothing the last budget priority for me

2. The Old Navy Crew Necks were cheap, sometimes 2 for $10.

3. I'm low maintenance, and by low maintenance, I haven't updated my clothing image since Jr. High because I have the mentality that new unique trends will go "out of style" and I'll be stuck with dated clothing...because all my old navy tees will never go out of style??? what logic. I guess low maintenance to me means NO MAINTENANCE. No effort at all to keep current...which leads to the biggest reason:
4. I have no fashion sense and all the episodes of TLC's WHAT NOT TO WEAR apparently haven't rubbed off, leaving me with the wardrobe rut I've dug myself into.


I had been thinking of this when my little sister visited this week. Here was our conversation:

Me: Lately I realized how awful my wardrobe is. So boring. I'm drowning in those old navy t-shirts

Her: It's funny you bring that up because recently someone was asking about my older sister and to describe you I said: 'She's about my height but exactly the opposite. Basically light hair, parted on the side in a ponytail, an old navy crew neck tee, and jeans.'


So true Lynette. So true. So why did you buy me TWO MORE OLD NAVY CREW NECK TEES FOR MY BIRTHDAY LAST YEAR? It must be because you knew I'd wear them...and I have many times so all in all probably a great gift for me.


So what to do? Watch more What Not To Wear? Throw away all the crew necks to prevent my wearing them and survive on the remaining 10 tops? Get e-bay savvy and try to make the most of my old clothes and cycle them to get newer, more fashionable clothes?


What I'll most likely do after this clothing revelation is nothing. At this point the wardrobe has to stay financially and I've been frumpy this long, what's like--the next decade until Rhett's got a job?


I know your clothes can say a lot about you. So I guess with my wardrobe I'm saying...not much.
This may be for the best because I can never shut up and say too much with my face, so I need some balance and say nothing with my image right?


APOLOGY: for the multiple uses of "old navy crew neck tee" I should have made an acronym: O.N.C.N.T. early on in the post

6 comments:

T said...

Oh my goodness lady you have described me in a nutshell...yet I only have three t-shirts I cycle through....you are one step ahead of me...at least you have a little color. Me: black, grey, dark grey, olive green....yep, I think that about does it. I have the same problem. And when I do actually purchase "clothes" for myself it's a fancy new running bra or running shorts....I'm a freak! I just don't know what to do because the clothes I would love to wear are WAY too expensive for my $5.00 taste! And I will probably do nothing about it. Travis will have to force me to go out and won't let me come home till I've found something besides a new dress for Addy or a new running bra. I guess that's the conclusion:) Thanks for the post! -Aymee

Unknown said...

hilarious! I feel your pain almost exactly...hang in there and go splurge on a new shirt, you will be surprised how much better it will make you feel!!

Natalie said...

As always, you are hilarious and your sense of humor made my day!
Thanks!!

MissMolly said...

Solution: Move to Utah, spend all your time with Molly. Then it doesn't matter what you wear cause I don't care. Also, I am becoming quite the cute clothes deal shopper lately. I found some amazing skirts and shorts for costa rica for way cheap. But if you still feel embarrassed, I'll even let you borrow the werewolf face to go out in public if you feel the need. Problem Solved! :)

Kassie said...

Jess, I think its part of the after birth hormonal ritual to realize how 'out of style' we are as a new mother. It's to help us stay unselfish to care for our babies.

Sheila said...

I take full blame for the poor wardrobe. I have been wearing the same dresses, shirts, shoes for 15 years. What a poor example. The thing is, I don't really care. I am past the point when I think clothes say something about me. You should see my work clothes!