Too Special

Oh the dungeon (or treasure trove!) that is many of our closets…the never or once-worn garments, the oft-worn and threadbare, the holey and pilled. And then there are the garments that are what we have called since childhood, “too special.” This term encompasses all host of meaning: gifts from grama that smell of her perfume, shirts that were awesome in the store fitting room but not so much out in the world, sweaters that are a long sought color but feel icky on. So why do we keep them, guard them almost by hiding them in the depths and behind the others, when they’re only taking up space? We use the excuse that they are just too special – can’t wear ‘em, can’t get rid of ‘em.

For many women, ourselves included, the contents of our closets are a study in history – a sort of archive if you will. Silly as it sounds, our closets tell a story and to get rid of things that we don’t wear anymore can feel like a betrayal of memory. Yep, clothes are inanimate but the memories certainly are not…

There are also garments purchased on a whim or with good intentions, tags still attached, that never saw the light of day. Clothes that we hope will fit again, clothes that we hope will cycle back into style. In the meantime, however, they are cluttering and distracting us from what we actually have and wear, and also what we might need for where we are at this particular time in our lives. It can be tremendously cathartic to clear out our closets – it’s really quite liberating! If the prospect is overwhelming, start one section at a time and see how you do. We’ve found that with each successful purge momentum builds, and before we know it our closets have been rid of the unnecessary. And when it’s time to do it again, the task is not nearly as daunting! Also, it’s okay to hang onto a few items that are soaked with happy memories – we’re big on sentiment, so yeah, we’ll give you permission. :)

So if you’re feeling inspired to thin the clothing herd of those items that are just “too special,” keep in mind that re•volve would love to partner with you to sell the clothing, shoes, and accessories that are in excellent condition but didn’t make the cut. We’re now accepting Spring items – think lightweight cardigans, garments that look great layered, colors and prints. We’re trying to go by the unpredictable Willamette Valley seasons while looking forward to the styles that suit the warmth and sun to come, so keep transitional pieces in mind in case that doesn’t happen until June (as we all know is often the case!). Happy purging!