Whenever I am at a loss for words for my blog, I can guarantee that if I watch one or two episodes of Sex and the City, it will stir something inside me. Something I can relate to, agree with or have just plain lived though. Last night was no exception. In a late night episode, Carrie Bradshaw was faced with a situation that many fashionista women are faced with at some time in their life—what is more important: the love of their beauty ensemble or the love of their beau?
In Season 4’s episode, “The Good Fight”, Carrie’s boyfriend Aidan moves into her not-so-large NYC apartment with all his “stuff”. The clutter is more than Carrie can handle, as she has liked her apartment the way it had been for several single-girl years. Aidan suggests that, to free up some room, she should clean out her closet of the clothes and shoes she hasn’t worn in a while. Carrie gasps and is at a loss for words after such a REPULSIVE suggestion. I mean, even I know that fashion is her life, her safe haven. But her country-boy beau doesn’t understand and he recommends she could start by throwing out a vintage Roberto Cavalli dress he has never seen her wear. Are you kidding? A Roberto Cavalli? Even 20 years past its peak, this dress needs to be in Carrie’s closet. Hell, it needs to be in MY closet! Carrie keeps the dress, and out of spite, wears the outdated frock out the next day. And she looks FABULOUS in it!
I’m a little different than Carrie. I’m not a single girl living in Manhattan with her friends. I’m a happily married mom living in the ‘Burbs who’s been with her hubby for over 15 years (anniversary is next week!). But as our relationship continues to grow—as well as our kids—we keep accumulating things together. So in addition to my fashion finds over the years, not just my personal space but all free space in the house is quickly filling up with… well, “stuff”. My stuff, his stuff, their stuff. Lots and lots of stuff.
As a woman, I admit it…. it’s difficult to part with our glamour. I’m not talking just clothes either—I mean everything. Hats, scarves, makeup, perfume, jewelry, coats, purses, shoes (especially shoes!), you name it. It all has a place in our lives–either in the past or in the future. Not to mention, if it has been worn even just once? It now has a memory attached to it. And it needs to be saved. Period. Even if it is 20 years out of style, we will know when it was worn and can justify its place in our closet. It’s kind of like how men are with their cars. Yeah, see, their cars are their “girls”, their babies. They can tell you when they got it, every place they have taken it, and everyone who has ever ridden it. They know how the stain got on the front seat, how the minor dent in the back quarter panel got there, and who knocked the mirror off the door. It doesn’t matter if it is 20 years old, doesn’t run, is up on blocks in the driveway, and has parts hanging from underneath. They will tell you they can not get rid of that car. Their reason? “I love that car! It’s my car. It is going to be a classic someday.” Well let me tell ya, fellas… your classic is our vintage. THAT is why we need to keep all of the stuff in our closet. And don’t you forget it!
Whenever I see someone walking down the street in a neon yellow shirt, black stacked bracelets with a lace bow in their hair, I think about how I owned every one of those things back in 1984 because they were in style. Do I have them still? No. Why? I moved from home and never thought myself… let alone my daughter!… would ever be wearing those things again because they the thought they would come back in fashion seemed obscene. Boy was I wrong! And I don’t like to be wrong. Therefore, some of the items in my closet might be moved to a less accessible area due to not-so-current styles. But unless I find a flock of moths has eaten half of my Bebe tee (including the sequins), it will never have a reason to be disposed of. It takes up the space of a juice glass in my room. Not the space of 200 cases of juice glasses in the driveway.
So, even though I do understand how men feel about their cars, I’ve got to say us women are the winners on this argument. Just like Carrie was. Our “stuff” doesn’t take up THAT much space. Yeah, don’t throw our fashion items out. Don’t even think about it. In fact?… don’t ever, ever suggest it. Oh, and when you can hang your 1994 new body-styled Mustang on your side of the closet next to your dress shirts without a space problem?…then and only then…can you compare them to my Guess? jeans!
Sassy Auburn's Diary Of A Glamour Junkie... 