Do You Wear All of Your Clothes?
I mean allllll of your clothes. Even the really special pieces.
A couple of weeks ago, I had an appointment with a client who had a two-piece ivory silk suit hanging in her closet from her rehearsal dinner three years ago. She told me she loved how elegant but structured the jacket was and wished she could wear it again. She looked at me stunned when I asked why she didn't wear it. I don't have anything in my closet that represents a single massive moment of my life that I want to keep pristine, but I have plenty of items that hold significant meaning and value. I wear them all.
My mom recently commented on how much I wear items from my grandma that she kept in plastic, untouched in her closet. My mom missed out on years of wearing these fun pieces. A gold Rafael blazer from Saks Fifth Avenue was the example she referenced, something I’ve worn for many years.
I usually wear it with casual bottoms, such as light-wash jeans, cargo pants, or shorts, for contrast.
Younger me wearing the blazer in 2011 with not one, but three watches on my wrist:
Whether it's something passed down to you, something from a special day, or something you spent a lot of money on, the items we cherish aren't bringing us the joy they could if we focus only on keeping them in mint condition.
I have a Betsey Johnson dress from 1980 that my mom used to wear that—if I didn't already think it was the coolest—I discovered was worn by Chloë Sevigny in the final scene of The Last Days of Disco, which was set in the '80s. Sarah Edwards (the film's costume designer) did her freaking job sourcing a dress from 18+ years prior.
I've been wearing this dress since high school. I distinctly remember inappropriately wearing it to a graduation party at a yacht club. While the skinny, delicate straps are probably on the brink of breaking—the spot where they connect to the dress's bodice is getting threadbare—they can be fixed if they break.
This is true of jewelry, too. Many of my most cherished items are also cherished pieces from my mom and grandma. I will try to talk you into wearing all your clothes, but you must wear your jewelry! Even the smallest or simplest pieces will give an outfit more personality.
The jewelry I wore with the gold Rafael blazer has significance, too, and I actually didn't even do that on purpose. I find myself going for my most meaningful jewelry when I style these newsletter stories because I strive for originality and personality. My most treasured items—the ones that are part of me—do this.
The assortment here includes a green beaded necklace my mom got at Astro Minerals when my parents were first married (the store is a few blocks from where I now live). My little pearl necklace is from my sixth grade graduation. I've had to get it fixed twice because I wear it so much. And the long pearl strand was the necklace my mom wore to her wedding. The graphic tee on the right is significant, too! It's from the now-defunct law firm where my dad worked in the early ‘90s. He says it's a “collector's item.”
While I adore vintage pieces, what I am talking about doesn't necessarily need to be vintage. It can be something like a designer bag you were gifted for graduation that you still keep in its dust bag. Or a beaded bracelet you got at a market on a memorable trip. It's about utilizing your most cherished things. They can only make you happy if you use them as they were intended. Wear them!
I like to wear the items I treasure with other, more "regular" pieces. The Gucci blazer hangs next to my denim jacket; the Betsey Johnson dress is sandwiched between a contemporary slip dress and a cotton sundress; the gold blazer is right next to a cotton button-down shirt; and my necklaces, old and new, costume and real, all hang next to each other. This organization technique also helps when styling them! You can easily work these pieces into everyday outfits.
And if you have items in your closet that you don’t ever wear, won’t ever wear, and you could potentially part with, you should consider selling or donating them! The Gucci jacket I bought from Crystal is now being worn regularly (lucky for me, by me!). The pieces that do bring you joy and are fun to wear will have more value (and more closet breathing room!).
If you take the metaphorical (or literal) protective plastic off some of your items and wear them, please send me a photo of your treasured item styled! A) I need proof and B) I want to see the pieces you love.
Have a great rest of your Sunday, and have fun getting dressed.
xo
Eliz
So true!