Holy Crap I'm 40: Clothing Edition

Fashion at 40, where to begin. The most important rule of thumb being, if you were able to wear it the first time it was in style, it might not be the best idea to be wearing it when it comes back in style. Unless you have a lot of confidence, or you just don't care, or you are a professional model. Even I looked good in a miniskirt in the 80s, but now I would just scare people. It is important to know when to say when. There has got to be a happy medium between the woman who dresses to kill every day and the woman who looks like she is homeless... I am still trying to figure that out, as I am the one who favors the latter. It helps that I only have boys and they love me no matter what I am wearing. I get the feeling that if I had daughter's, it would be an entirely different story. I sense I would get a lot of eye rolls and door slams.

Man, I Miss the 80s

Going through my closet last night, I realized that there are certain things that I will never be wearing again. Things I have been holding on to, but the combination of not having any girls to hand down clothing to and not getting any younger or acquiring any less cellulite (bad visual, I know, I apologize) it was time to let some of these items go.

These items included anything I wore during the time period of 1986-1989. Say goodbye to all of those RELAX sweatshirts in neon colors and matching leggings, anything that had an Esprit label (for those of you from my generation, you know how cool Esprit used to be...) and any pair of pants that were white or I wore on a date with anyone before husband #1.(Husband #1 still being the person that I am married to.) Though, I did finally get rid of a suit we bought when we went to an outlet mall before we got engaged. He told me I looked good in it, but I think that's because it was cleavage friendly. The thing never fit me, but I kept it with hopes of wearing it one day. That day never came. I hope it's new owner will enjoy it.

Tears of Nostalgia

At the end of the evening, there was a huge pile of clothing, sprinkled with my tears. Mind you, while I was purging my closet, I had the satellite radio 80s channel on, which made me cry even more. It was a sight. Crying, dancing and putting stuff in the pile (quick run to the freezer for a surreptitious swig of vodka, shh, don't tell anybody) and repeat. It was quite the night. But I accomplished a lot. The good news is, I also got rid of a lot of fat clothes, which will only be a problem if I get really fat again. But that's for another time. I also got rid of all maternity clothes. If I need those again, that would certainly be a problem...

I'm Not 16 Anymore, I Am Sensible

So now my closet is filled with only sensible, forty-year-old clothing. I mean clothing appropriate for a forty-year-old. I have no idea what that means, but there are only clothes from this century in my closet now. Of course what I would find in the closet in my parent's house is an entirely different story. My mother hasn't thrown anything out ever. I am pretty sure that if I look long enough, I will find the outfit I wore when I came home from the hospital when I was born, my bat mitzvah dress and my sweet 16 dress. But back to the house I live in now, I feel pretty good about what I have accomplished, and husband #1 feels even better because now the closet isn't such a disaster. And I will always have the memories...