Wednesday 27 April 2011

Raid My Closet & Thoughts About Underwear

Do you ever have trouble throwing away old clothes? I do!!! I order 10 pairs of new underwear on La Senza.ca. (Side note: BEST! way to buy underwear...you can buy the style you want...in the right size!!! No more going to the store and shovelling through barrells of ugly underwear left because the good stuff isn't in your size). So, my reasoning was, if I have 10 new pairs, then I had to throw out 10 old pairs. When I went to try and do this though...up creeps nostalgia. The "I remember when..." thoughts of the underwear screening process. Now I know alot of people have nostalgia over clothes, but I admit, I have it over underwear too. I think "Oh, those work perfectly under that dress..." or "I used to (yes, used to ) have a matching bra to these ones..." or "...they're so comfortable...even if they have gaping holes where lace once was."
 
This got me thinking about our annual event, Raid My Closet. For those of you who don't know, RMC is where a group of us friends come together to swap gently used clothes, jewellery, shoes, accessories that no long fit or aren't so useful in our wardrobe anymore. So as I was contemplating about my clothes and what I will fraction out for RMC, I thought about the following things that I love and I hate it all at the same time.
 
 
 
Things I love about "Raid My Closet"
 
- Being able to close my drawers after the purge!
- Seeing other people wear and enjoy great items that I can't enjoy due to size or lack of opportunity. (*Usually more the latter 'opportunity' issue than the former 'size' issue).
- Justifying more shopping
- Giving opportunity for other items in my closet to get more attention from me ("Oh hello silky blouse that got lost between bulky sweaters!")
 
Things I hate about "Raid My Closet"
 
- When a great "find" gets lost in the racks of clothes. This kind of makes me sad for that particular article of clothing. (Think of it like a clothes version of "Toy Story 3").
- When I have to be unselfish and not take ALL the jewellery that I love hanging up on the peg boards. (Blame the only child syndrome).
 
 
 
 
I was thinking about a grey sweater that I wore last week that last week I determined it's now time to give to RMC. It's had a good run with me, and it's time for someone else to enjoy it. Then today I was looking for a picture from our engagement photo shoot and came across a few shots where I was wearing my grey sweater. Nostalgia rose up inside of me and I thought, am I ready to give it up? Once this season is over and I start wearing summer clothes, it's likely I won't even remember this grey sweater. It's even more likely by the fall I'll find a new grey sweater that I love! But what if nobody finds it or wants it? What if it's left over at the end of the night? What happens to my grey sweater then? *cue dark eerie music*
 
 
 
Previously we've given all the left over items (and there were garbage bags FULL of them) to Goodwill. This year we'll be doing things a little different. Any items that are still deemed in excellent condition and are suitable for "career clothing", they will be donated to "Successfully Suited"! Check out the program at http://www.goodwillniagara.org/programs/successfully_suited.htm . It's a fabulous section of Goodwill that helps people who feel that their lack of interview appropriate clothes is a barrier to finding employment.  Following that, any clothes items that don't fit the "career clothing" criteria will be given to our church's SOS program who hands it out for free to those who need it.
 
So awesome great sweater...you will find a home and someone will love you and run a de-fuzzer over you....and you shall be like new!
 
*nostalgic tear*
 
If you want to know more about our Raid My Closet event coming up on May 13...check out our Facebook Fan Pages. www.facebook.com/raidmycloset
 
As well, all proceeds from this year's event will be helping send a group of young women on a missions trip to Guatamela!

3 comments:

  1. Laura...you are hilarious! I wish I could do that sweet mix and funny and life lesson rolled into one. I don't know how you do it! Oh and underwear nostalgia? Too funny! I have to be honest. I too may have felt a twinge of the "I used to have a bra that matched this pair" nostalgia! I just didn't even realize it until I read this! XD

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  2. OK - about that grey sweater - I immediately thought of the Ikea commercials with the lamp in the rain on the street, and the narrator with a Swedish accent: "It has no feelings!!!" However, I have to sympathize with you - I feel compassion for my clothes, too. I hope all the pieces I've given up for RMC will find good, happy homes. :)

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  3. @Brenna - Thanks for the encouragement! I have so many "blog" topics that run through my head, I actually have to give it a few days between each one so I don't overwhelm my 9 readers!

    @Christina - I'll try to find a YOUTUBE version of the commercial and add it to the blog! I don't think I've seen that one!

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