The O-town Scene

Sure, it's fun to talk about all the fabu- lous clothes that we want in our closets. But right now I'd like to talk about the things that we should be getting out of our closets. If you're a normal human being (i.e. not Martha Stewart), you probably have several items lurking in the back of your closet or dresser drawers that you just never wear. And right now, I'm giving you permission to let them go. (Cue chorus of 8-year-old singing "Let It Go.") There are a lot of reasons we hang on to clothes that aren't working for us. Maybe it's got sentimental value; it was a gift, or it holds a special memory for us. Maybe it's aspirational, or defeatist: the skinny pants you hope you can wear again some day, or the fat pants you're afraid you will have to wear again some day. Maybe it's, let's be honest, laziness: that button that never got sewed back on, that skirt you swore you would take to the tailor's, that awesome dress that you always forget has a stain on the front of it. Here's the thing, though: None of these things belongs in your closet. Keeping them around is likely to just make you feel guilty, or frustrated, or a little bit of both. And who needs that extra stress when you're trying to get dressed in the morning? If you are handy with a needle and thread, set aside some time to fix up the clothes you've been putting off. You'd be amazed how quickly you can tear through some simple repairs. You can sew on quite a few buttons and mend quite a few sagging hems if you just pick one or two items a day to work on. Those clothes that don't fit you anymore can go to your local consignment shop. Just be sure to call ahead and make sure they'll take what you're bringing; now that it's August, it's likely that fall and winter clothes are going to be more attractive than your too-big bathing suit or former favorite pair of shorts. There are lots of different consignment stores here in Oneonta and elsewhere in the area; make an afternoon of it and make the rounds with your bag (or box, or van) of clothes, and see how much you can unload. Whatever gets rejected (sniff) by the con- signment shops can join your "donate" pile, which can also include clothes with minor flaws that are beyond your sew- ing ability, or with moderate stains that couldn't be removed. These will still be accepted by many thrift shops, including the good ol' Salvation Army. But please, don't waste their time with clothes that are damaged beyond repair (huge stains, giant holes, etc.). And what about those old sentimental favorites — the ratty band T-shirt you wore to death in high school, or the teddy bear sweater your grandma gave you that you just can't bear (ha!) to give away? I hereby grant you permission to pack those items into a box and put it with all those other things you can't stand to throw out, which may or may not include: a) papers you wrote in high school; b) "drawings" your kid, or niece or nephew, made that are re- ally just a bunch of scribbles; and c) every greeting card you ever received from anyone, ever. Now go back and look at your closet. Marvel at the pleasure of seeing clothes you can actually wear. And if you just got rid of that black skirt you wear all the time because there was a huge hole in the seam — guess what, I give you permis- sion to go buy a new black skirt. Emily F. Popek sewed on a button the other day and is feeling really good about herself. She is also assistant editor at The Daily Star. You can reach her at epopek @thedailystar.com. Out Of The (Clothes) Closet Laygirl Fashion|By Emily Popek You know those buttons you've been meaning to sew on for the last 6 months? Just do it. O-Town Scene August 7, 2014 9

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