Realistically, how do I figure out what I might wear again?

amother

Sun, Nov 06 2022, 1:02 pm

Hi ladies, I’m hoping you can help me. I am trying to organize my clothes and have tons and tons of outfits from when I was single and from before I got pregnant. I have not fit into some of the skirts and tops for years, but I am hesitant to get rid of them because I hope to lose weight at some point and fit back into sizes I used to be able to wear. On the other hand, I also feel ridiculous, holding onto stuff that there is a good chance I wouldn’t wear, and that might benefit someone else.

I have a lot of anxiety about getting rid of stuff that I might later decide I should have kept. When I was growing up, my parents made us go through our stuff every few months and donate or throw out a bunch of things. Growing up I always thought this made sense, but now as an adult, I am a little bit sad that we had to get rid of things that later on I missed having. I mean books, clothes, etc. A close family member is a professional organizer, but I think it might be too uncomfortable for me for her to be the one to advise me on this.

I am aware that this is very much a “first world problem;” please no snarky replies. Thank you all so much!

amother

Dahlia

Sun, Nov 06 2022, 1:06 pm

I generally give myself a 1 year rule -
If I didn't wear for the entire past year, it goes.
The only exceptions to this are stuff that's sentimental to me, or something that I have an upcoming intended use for. (E.g. I didn't wear that top in a year, but I have a bar mitzvah next month that I will wear it to.)

mushkale

Sun, Nov 06 2022, 1:11 pm

I used to feel this way- but maybe I'll fit into again or maybe I'll miss and then I took the plunge and got rid of a lot of stuff and haven't missed any of it. I didn't get rid of something I spent a lot of money on or was sentimental but all the regular work tops and the like I got rid of and bonus had extra space for new things Wink

. I
I also found that even if I did get back to that size or weight by body shape shifted or if I'm nursing, I'm much bigger on top and it didn't fit right anyway even though it technically should have. The style wasn't right anymore so I stopped holding onto it all...

amother

Sun, Nov 06 2022, 1:13 pm

amother Dahlia wrote:

Thanks so much for your reply! I thought about using that as a guideline, but part of the reason a lot of the stuff hasn’t fit me in over a year is because I was pregnant and now I’m nursing. Eventually, I’ll stop nursing iyH, and then my chest might shrink enough that I can wear things again but honestly, I don’t know if that will or won’t happen. What

amother

Papaya

Sun, Nov 06 2022, 1:16 pm

is this ur first baby?
I felt the same!! I made a post about my sheva brachos outfits not fitting. they sat in my closet. eventually when my baby was about 15 months they did fit, they zipped up... but they just lookeddiffernt on me. my chest got bigger so everything was tight, I got curvier...
your weight is distributed differently after a baby BH!

so I mourned the loss for a bit, and then I donated it to a kallah gemach. iyh another kallah will get simcha out of the few dresses I donated. and they were all so gorgeous and expensive !! (from exquisite, fashion island etc...)

amother

DarkYellow

Sun, Nov 06 2022, 1:58 pm

I told Myslef if I lose the weight I’ll treat myself to new clothing. The space is more valuable to me now. I live in a place where every square foot of real estate is pricey and I shouldn’t waste it on storage.

amother

Oldlace

Sun, Nov 06 2022, 2:29 pm

If you love it don’t get rid of it, even if it doesn’t fit

Try to wean out 1/2 the clothes that doesn’t fit
You don’t need 7 black skirts that don’t fit
If it’s out of style get rid of it

Think of it this way
It gave you joy now it’s time that it gives someone else joy

Alternatively- put everything that you plan to give away in a storage box and store it somewhere else. Revisit the box in 3 months and see if you are ready to give it away

Think positive
You will lose the weight
But by that time the clothes will be out of style

tichellady

Sun, Nov 06 2022, 2:43 pm

it depends how much space you have. if you have storage space and can be organized save stuff. if you don’t then you are doing yourself a favor to get rid of things. also depends on your financial situation and if you can easily afford new clothes or not

synthy

Sun, Nov 06 2022, 2:56 pm

I recently organized my closet. Tried on everything. The stuff that almost fit I kept for when I'll lose weight. The ones that I don't see myself fitting in within the next half year I lended to my younger sisters, they were thrilled. IYH if I'll fit into it again one day it'll probably be long outdated, why shouldn't someone else enjoy it? And if I do lose weight soon I'll just ask them to return it.

amother

Topaz

Sun, Nov 06 2022, 3:04 pm

I just got rid of 2 bags of clothing. Stuff from my single years, early marriage etc. I didnt fit into it anymore and I realized I never would again. I just changed shape post childbirth/nursing even if I am still skinny. Things dont fit right.
I found someone who was a similar size to me when I was single and asked her if she wanted them. They were decent, some almost brand new. I dropped off the clothes and she was so happy. And I am glad someone else gets to enjoy them when I cant.
It was hard. There are 2 outfits I cant part with right now. I absolutely love them, how I felt in them... so I kept those. Maybe I will give them away next time but I got rid of the non emotional clothes so I have some space to keep those 2 outfits...
I start with easy stuff. Skirts that dont zip because my hips changed shape- no amount of weight loss will change that plus I didnt really have much gain so not much to lose.
I need chizik to go through my closet some more but starting with easy stuff really helped me.

amother

Ruby

Sun, Nov 06 2022, 4:03 pm

If it's been several years since you wore something, get rid of it. Even if you don't have kids in between, your shape changes as years go by, even if you're slim and even if you don't put on weight. The likelihood of your looking good in something from years ago is slim, pun not intended. Furthermore, styles change, as do fabrics and patterns, and by the time you slim down enough to wear "a younger woman's clothes" you may look odd, or if not odd, then fashion-clueless. Even classics change in subtle ways with each incarnation. You may not be able to tell but the real fashionistas will.

Banish feelings of guilt by giving your too-small things to a gmach. Enjoy the thought that you are enabling someone in need to enjoy new-to-her clothing that she could not otherwise have afforded.

challah58

Mon, Nov 07 2022, 7:38 pm

I'll be the odd one out here Smile

I guess for me, if I feel like it might have a chance in the future and I still have space to keep it, I will.
In theory, getting rid of things you don't wear makes so much sense. In practice, when I get bored of my wardrobe, I often find myself looking through old clothing I haven't touched in a long time, and finding something that I suddenly like again/feel like I can wear in a new way/fits my new style. I also do go back and forth between sizes, and I don't have a massive amount of clothing to begin with, so it doesn't bother me to have things hanging that I don't wear.

Eta - that said, I do make a point to get rid of things that aren't tznius on me anymore, or have been through better days.

amother

Linen

Mon, Nov 07 2022, 7:44 pm

challah58 wrote:

I'll be the odd one out here Smile

All my clothes in my closet fit me so it is harder to justify getting rid of them. So for example, I have lost some weight but the clothes mostly still fit, just differently (eg skirts are longer, tops looser). Very few are so ill fitting that I can justify getting rid of. Any that are torn or too small I do get rid of easily. I don’t understand the concept of holding onto something that doesn’t currently fit at all.

dankbar

Mon, Nov 07 2022, 7:48 pm

amother Linen wrote:

So if your clothes in your closet fit you, then why do you need to get rid of it, just wear them and enjoy