The Wardrobe Make-Over has Begun!

I've been promising to do this for months and I have finally taken the LEAP!
Honestly, I've been waiting until I get back to pre-baby shape to jump into this project but it's just not happening at the speed I would like. I am the way I am and I am moving forward!

Wardrobe Make Over: Part I
It all started two and a half weeks ago. I was moving along contentedly with my pathetic little wardrobe, happy to mix and match the 15 pieces of clothing I actually wear regularly, having to DIG through a closet full of clothes I never wear to find them.

We were heading to Toronto for the weekend and I was trying desperately to get us packed before Jamie got home, so we could zoom off ASAP.

But it was one of those days....maybe a full moon? The girls were like two little raccoons, moving from room to room rummaging and destroying everything they could find. I spent the entire day, tripping along behind them, trying to clean up and catch-up, with very little luck.

At one point, Winnie had peed in one toilet (without flushing) and peed & poohed in another toilet (without flushing....note to self: teach children to flush) and she was tearing apart her bedroom. I was very calmly asking her to please pick a few things up when I heard Pippa in one of the bathrooms (the one with the pee). Oh no! I ran in to find Pippa had taken off her diaper and was plunging it into the pee filled toilet bowl. And she had peed on the floor, as she was diaperless. Awesome.

I'm cleaning up the mess, really getting into it, when I realize I don't know where she has toddled off to. Oh no! I hear her in the other bathroom.....I run in to find her with a handful of MY clothes, dunking them into the pee & pooh filled toilet and then flinging them from side to side. YAY! Fun!

Let me tell you, when you only have 15 pieces of clothing, and your daughter plunges half of them into a poopy toilet bowl an hour before you go away for the weekend, you really start to grasp how bad your wardrobe situation is.

I emailed Beth Thomas: Style Guru, almost immediately.

We met the following week. Here's how things have gone, so far.

Meeting #1:
Beth came over and we chatted about what I would like my wardrobe to look like: what is the image I would like to portray, what do I gravitate towards, what are my lifestyle needs. We looked at pictures and talked and she gave me her opinion on how she *sees me*.

Then we headed to my closet where she took a quick look at my current collection. She was pretty surprised at how little I had. I think she was even more shocked to see that none of my clothes represented *me*. I had no favorites. Nothing I LOVED. None of it was true representation of who I am.....

I was a little surprised too. I mean, I knew it was bad but, it's so different (and eye opening) to see these things from someone else's perspective.


That was the end of day one. Since we were essentially starting form scratch, we decided we would work on my wardrobe by season, and Beth promised to put together a summer wardrobe capsule for me within a couple of days.

A wardrobe capsule consists of a list of clothing pieces that you should have in your wardrobe, in this case: for summer. My wardrobe capsule came complete with pictures Beth had curated for me and directions as to what specifically about the clothing choices I make will help me define my style.

It was SO exciting and motivating and inspiring. A new me!

Meeting #2
I did a lot of prep work for this meeting. I pulled out my summer clothes. I ditched anything in my wardrobe that I hadn't worn in the past 6 months (good bye half of my clothes!) The remaining clothes, scarves, shoes, etc. were divided into piles on my bed.

This is all that was left:

With Beth's help, and the wardrobe capsule in hand, we sorted through my clothes piece by piece.
I tried things on. We talked about how the clothing fit me, how/if it fit the style we were building and then we decided if it could stay, or if it had to go.

Again, I was totally shocked at how terrible my clothes were. After four years of pregnancy and post-partum living, I had a closet full of ill-fitting, worn-out clothes purchased at the grocery store in a rush.
I felt kind of sad.....when had this happened? I had to think back. The last time I shopped with excitement and intention was 2006. Can you imagine? Actually, I'm sure you can. I think it's a fairly universal mom-syndrome.

We finished by going through my jewellery (also worn and neglected) and shoes.
We ditched another half of my wardrobe, with plans to replace many of the pieces left. I needed to hold on to a few things, just to get by...

I'm sure for many, this seems really overwhelming. Getting rid of the majority of your clothes is a scary thing! It doesn't always go like this....

1. I don't think everyone has a wardrobe as neglected as mine.
2. Beth checked in with me to make sure I wasn't too overwhelmed by what was happening, and I wasn't, so we moved forward.
3. For me this actually feels amazing. I feel like getting rid of those clothes is a weight off my shoulders. I've worked with a small wardrobe for months, the only difference is now I'll be working with a small wardrobe I love.}

Though, I have to admit, it was weird selling my clothes. Seeing them gone for good. No fall back. No crutch.

So, this is where we are. The old is out. We've torn things apart and we're ready to start re-building!

Tomorrow night, Beth is coming over with a truckload (I hope!) of clothes for me to try on and experiment with! Stay tuned!!

Happy Monday!