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I have been sorting through things lately.
This is not my favourite seasonal change (my apologies to all those who love fall, including my daughter who was always thrilled with the return to order and school).
Sure the leaves are nice when they go red, but then they have to be raked (we have a 40 bag yard) and what you are left with is waiting for winter, which to me is the season where I wait for spring.
Dispositionally I am sort of a casual flip flip type of person. On the inside at least.
I was never the mother who looked forward to back to school and always regretted the end of schedule free days and people running in and out of the house at random.
As a kid I hated September too as it meant the end of my major season of uninterupted projects - I took my first summer sewing class when I was 12 and the rest they say is history - and a whole pile of fabric.
Back to my closet.
In part of the big seasonal pack and unpack (which I am resisting as best I can and even swimming in an outdoor pool most days, moving my regulation old lady breast stroke through the floating leaves) I came to terms with what I really end up wearing.
It is not the tailored work clothes even though I work.
Because most mornings usually find me rushed and thinking, I reach for something that makes me feel sort of stylish, however I am defining it at this moment, and is comfortable.
Also you know something?
I think I have earned a stage in my life where I have arrived enough, am as confident enough that I am worth my paycheck, at least some days and at least part of those days, that I want to dress as myself and to please myself.
Handle it.
My wool suit, control top pantyhose, heels that come off as soon as I get in the door days are over. So over.
I am announcing the official end to the two wardrobe closet.
At least this closet. My friend Mary is threatening to do the same and she even knows how to do a proper Chanel jacket without whining.
News conference to follow.
This is it.
I have decided to not wear to work what I wouldn't wear at home and vice versa.
If it wears out faster I will just make more.
So what's the problem?
This means my work wardrobe has become more colourful and comfortable (I never said I was letting go - take me out behind the barn and shoot me if that happens) and I am dressing up more at home.
No saving for "good" to quote my mother, or work.
As far as I am concerned it's now all one man.
I am one person with one life and it's all good.
All good.
It means more aprons at home and more stylish at work. More stretch wovens and flats on the office and more jewelery worn to do the laundry.
How does this feel?
Great.
I have never enjoyed, the key word here is enjoyed, getting dressed for work and never as professional around the house, and believe me sometimes this house could use a little professionalism.
We are taking the real Babs on the road and so far the world is coping.
Who would have figured?
6 comments:
Funny how everyone is crazy about fall? Frankly I'm not thrilled either, sure it's pretty with all the leaves but I'm really just waiting for spring to arrive again. Blah. My closet has always been divided in 2 separate sections, work and home clothes. A week ago, when I switched summer/winter wardrobe, I also decided to merge the two sections into one. Feels so damn liberating for some reason, so much easier to dress too. Who would have thought?
You go girl! I only change out for winter because it finally gets cool enough to wear closed-toed shoes; and because darks like navy, black and chocolate don't look out of season in autumn and winter. Otherwise, I wear the same blouse-over-trouser combo day in and day out, year-round. I hardly even wear skirts or dresses anymore, since that means I will have to shave my legs. (Although I am happy about Nature's little gift of age-related alopecia, I still have to scrape off little dark leg stubble sometimes.) I can now justify flat shoes by claiming balance issues and the possibility of broken ankles, wrists, or hips. Don't let's tell the 20-somethings about all the benefits of passing ... I'll say ... 40!
You know, I think it is wonderful to be real about how we live our lives. That is exactly what you are doing now. Liberating isn't it? LOL
I just wish i had the strength of spirit/will/mind to do this when I was younger.
Bravo to you to be the real you in all the worlds in which you live. In my retirement years I've actually discovered that I no longer wear my old messy "at home clothes" (which were really for decompressing from the work time stress) and have an at home wardrobe that is the same as my going out to run errands, heading to a meeting and off to church clothes...except for the few workout clothes and dog walking in the rain/humidity grungy outfits.
I am working on getting to that point. Still have to do some power suit days, but not as many as I used to....ahhhh, the joys of working at home 2 days per week. For me, the challenge will be next spring, after I move from the DC area to the Shenandoah Valley and start working from home full-time. I'm hoping not to give into the temptation to live in sweats full-time.....
Once again, thank you for keeping things real! Suffering, as I do every 2 months, from mind-numbing jet lag and adjusting to the 15-hour time difference--I can only sit and "pet" the gorgeous fabrics I brought back from Asia this time. To cut into fabric for at least a week would be the really wrong thing to do. So, while I am inspired by numerous sewing blogs, it's wise to step back and remind myself of why I sew and not to compare. Every life's a story of its own, hmm?
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