Ok, I'm very tired of working on my prelim and even though I haven't finished the current draft, I am taking a break. In order to still feel productive over my break, I'm cleaning out my closet. I ask you, dear hatrack, to help me figure out what I actually need.
So, how many of the following items are "normal" to own, and in what colors?
Bathingsuits Bras spagetti strapped tops with built in bras pairs of socks jeans pants skirts suits dress pants t-shirts other casual tops dress tops collared shirts formal dresses casual dresses
did i forget anything? besides kinky lingerie. Posted by Allegra (Member # 6773) on :
I think they are all normal to own, in whatever colors look good.
Posted by celia60 (Member # 2039) on :
i seem to have eight of those tops with the built in bras just in white. that seems excessive.
Posted by UofUlawguy (Member # 5492) on :
I think you should tell us more about the kinky lingerie.
Posted by sndrake (Member # 4941) on :
Crap - I thought you were gonna let us have access to the books I was sure you had piled up in there.
[ October 07, 2004, 08:14 PM: Message edited by: sndrake ]
Posted by celia60 (Member # 2039) on :
the books are all shelved, and NO! but if you send me a nice email, i will send you a catalog.
edit: of books, not lingerie.
[ October 07, 2004, 08:24 PM: Message edited by: celia60 ]
Posted by kwsni (Member # 1831) on :
My general rule is anything you haven't worn in two years, get rid of. Senimental things like graduation gowns and wedding dresses are exceptions.
Ni!
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
Why Becky? How many wedding dresses do you have, anyway?
Kwea
Posted by fugu13 (Member # 2859) on :
Nobody wears bathing suits any more. People swim nude.
Posted by celia60 (Member # 2039) on :
Heh, I have a wedding dress and a prom dress that don't count in closet cleaning. Hmmm, I'm back down to my wedding weight, I wonder if it still fits? If I'm ever back down to prom weight, please come over and force me to eat something.
Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
and people listen to russell?
I think you probably only need 3 or 4 of the white spagetti strap tops. But I'm the one who has 63 pairs of shoes, and 8 are black heels, so I might not be the best to ask about cleaning out closets.
Posted by celia60 (Member # 2039) on :
nobody listens to russell
ok, i agree. i'm also getting rid of 4 other bras, including the only strapless one because i hates it. why do i have any clothes that i hate?
Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
I have clothes I hate, lots of clothes I hate, but I won't throw them away unless I know I will never wear them.
You can probably get by with having 8 pairs of jeans, lots more tshirts, at least three dressy outfits.
My cat ate my only strapless bra. I could probably still wear it, just a little hole in the foam, but the idea of my cat chewing on it throws that out.
Posted by celia60 (Member # 2039) on :
eight? wow, i was going to try to get down to four or five. i could do eight!
Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
I have a pair set away for each day of the week. Plus one pair of really nice jeans I wouldn't wear to school yet.
Posted by imogen (Member # 5485) on :
I have two pairs of jeans.
Eight?!? Wow.... A whole new world of jean ownership is opening up to me.
Posted by celia60 (Member # 2039) on :
so it's okay to have a pair of clean underwear for every day of the month? plus a few extras. after weeding out two weeks worth?
Posted by Architraz Warden (Member # 4285) on :
Now, do the vengfully short skirts fall into the standard skirt catagory? Or is there a spiteful section of clothing you forgot to mention?
Feyd Baron, DoC
Posted by celia60 (Member # 2039) on :
that is a suit. do you still have those pictures?
Posted by ElJay (Member # 6358) on :
I think that you can never have enough spagetti strapped tanks with built in bras, they are about my favorite thing to wear. Although 8 in white is a lot... most of mine are various shades of purple.
Suits and formalwear if they still look good on you and aren't hidiously out of style, keep. If they look good on you and are hidiously out of style, pack them away, they'll probably come back and be "vintage" soon. Anything that doesn't look good, get rid of. If it doesn't make you look fabulous it isn't worth wearing.
Casual dress, also... I spend most of the summer in sundresses, if they look good I don't think you can have too many. What I need to get rid of is t-shirts. You really, really don't need more than a couple dozen t-shirts. But keep your KamaCon one!
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
I believe in having enough socks and underwear that I never have to do laundry.
I haven't reached that stage yet, but it is my goal.
Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
a month of underwear sounds reasonable, till you get to the point where you have dirty underwear sitting around for a month, not so cool or daisy smelling.
Posted by celia60 (Member # 2039) on :
ok, is 21 to many pairs of white socks?
10 pairs of toe socks?
and where did i even get pink socks? Posted by prolixshore (Member # 4496) on :
People are still wearing clothing?
....hmmm, I should take that into consideration next time I go out.
I think you should exchange all your current wardrobe for brand new, skin tight, sexy leather clothing...it just goes well with your evil persona....and its sexy, what more could you want?
--ApostleRadio
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
quote:If it doesn't make you look fabulous it isn't worth wearing.
Wel, then i guess Celia is keeping everything...
And I am going nekked.
That is soooo wrong.....
Kwea
Posted by Teshi (Member # 5024) on :
quote: I have two pairs of jeans.
I have no jeans. Yes, none. It comes as a shock to other people too.
EDIT: Celia, I can safely say you seem to have a Dobby-like sock-attracting personality. I only just recently purchased enough socks to get me through the week.
[ October 07, 2004, 10:06 PM: Message edited by: Teshi ]
Posted by Corwin (Member # 5705) on :
It's always nice when almost everything you own/care about can fit in the luggage you bring on the plane!
Of course, once I buy the winter cloths I'll need here, that'll change... And yeah, I have to buy some new pairs of socks. I have less than 20... My advice, celia, is: KEEP ALL THE SOCKS!
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
Opens the "The Lucky Shopping Manual" which I bought because of Mrs. M.
They have 17 tees and tanks in the t-shirt section. Only four tanks with bras but I own more than that myself. And they are assuming you don't actually work in T-shirts. Under "Tops" which is a different section thant "Tees" they say 6 work tops, 3 fun tops and 4 weekend tops.
So "tops" plus "tees" together and they are up to 30 minimum. They reccomend 7 pairs of jeans with 3 minimum. and then the "pants" section separate from the 7 pairs of jeans, is 9 minimun, plus another 6 if you never wear skirts.
Those pants and jeans are excluding any pants that go with suits.
I'll bring this book down and loan it to you, though I think you are more trendy than I am in general and need less help.
AJ
Posted by celia60 (Member # 2039) on :
yeah, i have this feeling that book will make you buy more stuff and make me throw away stuff. you don't happen to be my size, do you? wanna come down saturday and go through my stuff? maybe bring me back the clothes i left there? Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
lol, I think we are actually pretty darn close to the same size in a lot of things celia. Your pants, although they are sitting in a bag in my car waiting to be delivered to you, are the exact same size I wear, and well we already discussed that we are the same size in our unmentionables.
AJ
Saturday however is the Sacred Day of the OU-TX game. Though I'm half tempted to take you up on it!
AJ
[ October 07, 2004, 10:28 PM: Message edited by: BannaOj ]
Posted by celia60 (Member # 2039) on :
bill's out of town and me and my clothes will be all by ourselves. when's the game? you could come tomorrow and leave early saturday or come late saturday and leave on sunday.
i have alcohol. Posted by Brinestone (Member # 5755) on :
Hm. I'm starting to notice that I'm severely lacking in the clothing department.
I have enough underwear to last a week. I have tons of socks, but many have holes or are rust-colored or whatever that makes them unappealing. I have three pairs of jeans, six other slacks, probably fifteen shirts and ten sweaters, and sixteen pairs of shoes. Maybe that's how I get away with spending so little on clothing.
Posted by celia60 (Member # 2039) on :
ok, now i know what i'm getting you for your birthday.
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
hmmmm..
OJ just mentioned "unmentionables"...
And mentioned talking about them...with celia....
Please hold for a sec...
OK, nevermind....
Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
o_O
I have two pairs of jeans.
And two pairs of slacks.
One pair of topsiders, one pair of "dressy" shoes I bought at Payless Shoe Source (If it's "payless," why do they have cash registers? And why do they chase you when you take the shoes out the front door?), one pair of Reefs, and one pair of sneakers that I actually wear. (I also have a pair of Converse hightops from when I was in high school, and a ratty old pair of sneakers.) Oh, and a pair of hiking boots that haven't hardly seen the light of day since I left South Carolina. And a pair of Doc Martens I bought for a costume. I guess I have more shoes than I really need.
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
hmm maybe late saturday. It depends on the home improvement situation and Steve and Don. I can't have booze because I'm on antibiotics at the moment. BUt if you want to go out I could be the designated driver!
AJ
Posted by celia60 (Member # 2039) on :
ok, give me call if it starts to look probably. as luck would have it, i just washed the bedding in the guest room earlier today.
Posted by skillery (Member # 6209) on :
jeans: 12 pair
1 good pair for each day of the week except Sunday.
plus
1 pair for working with car batteries 1 pair for gardening 1 pair for crawling under the car and changing the oil 1 pair of too big jeans for Thanksgiving 1 pair of too tight jeans 1 pair with a hole in the seat for lounging around the house
Posted by Architraz Warden (Member # 4285) on :
celia, yes I believe the pictures are still haunting my yahoo mail account.
You know you're popular when you "clean out the closet" thread is going to make two pages. Easy.
Feyd Baron, DoC
PS: And please say I'm not the only one who has thought of making a dobie titled "Help celia come out of her closet"
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
Feyd, celia and I have already discussed our spooning adventures on hatrack, what more do you want?
AJ, knowing the Baron, he probably wants a more detailed description with pictures or, if possible, video.
Before going to bed, I culled my collection of jeans down to 4 under the rule of not wearing what I don't look good in. I also got rid of all my old baggy cargo pants and khakis (which basically means i'm getting rid of all of my mens clothes). Every folded pair now fits in two dresser drawers. With a fair bit of ease, I managed to shrink down my shorts population so that now they all fit in the storage I had purchased for them. My next task will be the closet, but I have some work I want to get done before that. If AJ is actually coming, I may put that off until she's here so I'll have someone to tell me to throw away the stuff I never actually wear. Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
I think I probably am coming. i'll call you tonight after work.
AJ
Posted by ElJay (Member # 6358) on :
celia's following my rules! Now I gotta start coming up with some good ones...
Posted by celia60 (Member # 2039) on :
I, uh, did keep every pair of pajama pants in spite of how they look because they are too practical a form of lab attire to get rid off.
Posted by Stray (Member # 4056) on :
All my "stuff I wear all the time" clothes fit easily into three dresser drawers. Three pairs of jeans, maybe 15 t-shirts (short and long-sleeved), a couple of tank tops and flannel shirts, 1-2 weeks' worth of undies, three bras (I require mutant sizes and they're hella expensive, so I can't have many), and the Bales of Socks take up a whole drawer by themselves but that's because my husband and I have a communal sock drawer. I have one pair of sneakers that I wear every day, and one pair of steel-toed Big Black Stompy Boots that I wear once in a while.
Then there's the small section in the closet that has my "grown-up clothes," which I spent my graduation money on in anticipation of my first grown-up job, but wouldn't you know, my job is casual dress and I never wear those Spent a couple extra hundred bucks having them tailored, too, because of the above-mentioned mutant proportions...ah well. One suit jacket with matching skirt and pants, one or two skirts, one or two pairs of slacks, five or six blouses, two dresses, and three pairs of dressy shoes. All of these have been sitting in the closet, still in their packing box, since I moved at the beginning of August, and the only thing I've had to unpack is one dress and pair of shoes for a funeral last month. I don't expect to be rooting around in that box again for months and months. It kind of irritates me that all that is going to waste, but I just know that as soon as I give up and send it all to Goodwill, I'll suddenly need it all again.
Posted by Brinestone (Member # 5755) on :
I clicked on the "Dresses at Nordstrom" link at the bottom of the page, and WOW! There are some gorgeous dresses there. Too bad formal dresses are something I don't need. I especially love this one.
Posted by saxon75 (Member # 4589) on :
I probably have too many clothes. I have three pairs of jeans that I wear, plus two or three that have holes too large to wear in public but I keep in case I need to help paint somebody's house or something. I have 12 pairs of shoes, 4 of which are ones that I don't wear anymore but haven't gotten around to throwing away. I have probably 7 or 8 pairs of black or khaki casual slacks. I have a ton of shirts in my closet, but I wear almost all of them, and the ones I don't wear are either awaiting minor repairs (such as a button replacement) or have sentimental value.
My real problem is how many t-shirts I have. I don't even wear t-shirts very often anymore, but I probably have like 25 of them. Some have big holes in them, or are very faded, but I keep them anyway because they either represent some fond memory or because I think I need to have work clothes. When all of the laundry is clean I have trouble getting my t-shirt drawer closed.
Juliette is always telling me to throw stuff away, but I have trouble letting stuff go. I'm such a packrat.
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
One good way to preserve Tshirts is to put them into quilt blocks and make quilts out of them. Have I ever actually gotten around to doing that? Nope.
AJ
Posted by saxon75 (Member # 4589) on :
Several of my t-shirts from college are too vulgar to put into a quilt. They're also too vulgar for me to wear in polite company.
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
lol, I'm planning on making a vulgar quilt eventually. I've mentioned it before on hatrack. The playboy rabbit and the mudflap girl will be incorporated into the pattern. I'm just deciding how subtle or obvious I want it to be and we have to get our bedroom painted first so that I don't pick clashing colors.
AJ
Posted by saxon75 (Member # 4589) on :
If the playboy bunny and the mudflap girl are vulgar then one of my old dorm t-shirts would be better described as "completely obscene and disgusting."
Posted by CStroman (Member # 6872) on :
First thing to clean out are all those skeletons in there....
I know...bad sense of humor... Posted by TheTick (Member # 2883) on :
Actually CS, you are probably not far off the mark with celia. Posted by peter the bookie (Member # 3270) on :
pff...i store my skeletons in other people's closets. duh.
Posted by TheTick (Member # 2883) on :
Heh. They'll still trace 'em back to you. Don't you watch CSI?
Posted by peter the bookie (Member # 3270) on :
and i'd like to just mention that i love my life. i love that my big dilemas are on the order of what gifts to buy people and my needs for advice are on the order of culling material possessions.
that is fiction designed to make you feel better about the competence of law inforcement. and even if it's not, i always wear my special tick gloves, which have your fingerprints.
[ October 08, 2004, 01:21 PM: Message edited by: peter the bookie ]
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
What we really want to know is where she stores her soul collection.
Posted by peter the bookie (Member # 3270) on :
decanter. Posted by Mrs.M (Member # 2943) on :
There are several factors to consider when you are cleaning out your closets. Celia, do you have just the 1 clothes closet? What size is it? Do you have drawers? How many? What do you wear to work? Do you ever have to attend business meetings? What do you wear around the house? Do you attend religious services on a regular basis?
The general rule of thumb is that you should get rid of anything that you haven't worn in the past 2 years. However, that rule goes out the window if you buy classic clothes. For example, NEVER get rid of cashmere sweaters - they will always be in style.
The sock thing I can tackle without any further information. Unless you wear white sneakers to go to the gym every day and only do laundary every 3 weeks, 21 pairs of white socks is too many. Throw out any that are mismatched, faded or gray, or torn. Do you actually wear toe socks? I always like the idea, but my toes are so gnarled from being put en pointe too soon that they are hideously uncomfortable. I'm always happy to wear uncomfortable shoes, but not socks. I doubt you need 10 pairs. Do you have any trouser socks?
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
Why Decatur?
Posted by Hobbes (Member # 433) on :
Trouser socks?
Hobbes Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
I thought the term was "trouser snake". Posted by celia60 (Member # 2039) on :
not decatur, decanter. crystal decanter because it's the best way to show off how the light plays off of them. i believe hobbes has seen said decanter and had it shaken at him.
quote: Celia, do you have just the 1 clothes closet? What size is it?
Yes, and I share it with my husband. That works out to a 56" long hanger run with a shelf on top of that. The shelf is storage for all of my t-shirts as well as sweatshirts and fleece pullovers and anything else in that family of tops.
quote:Do you have drawers? How many?
Yes.
(5) 30x16x5" drawers. 2 are socks/swimwear/undergarments, 1 is strictly pajamas (for all seasons and levels of company), and 2 jeans/pajama pants/pants of a casual variety.
I also have a smaller plastic set that I keep sweat pants and shorts in the top drawers and purses and scarves in the bottom drawer. and a certain disturbing birthday gift on top of.
quote:What do you wear to work? Do you ever have to attend business meetings? What do you wear around the house? Do you attend religious services on a regular basis?
it really depends on what i'm doing that day. when i'm spending a lot of time in the lab, i tend towards pajama pants and t-shirts since i'm just going to destroy them. heavy class days or days i'll be doing more computer work i tend towards casual pants or jeans and slightly nicer tops, sometimes with collars. very occasionally, i will be attending something that requires business casual(conference attendance) or business dress (conference presentation). i would also like to believe that i'm not that far away from having to find a real job and might need to go on a few interviews starting next semester.
i tend to wear whatever i'm wearing that day around the house, unless i get soaked walking to the car or covered in grime in the lab. my weekend wear is the same as my school casual wear.
no. i only attend weddings, funerals and other misc. services.
we do occasionally go out to a nice dinner or attend semi-formal parties.
quote:Do you actually wear toe socks? I always like the idea, but my toes are so gnarled from being put en pointe too soon that they are hideously uncomfortable. I'm always happy to wear uncomfortable shoes, but not socks. I doubt you need 10 pairs. Do you have any trouser socks?
i love my toe socks in the winter. they keep my feet really warm. i might own one pair of pointy shoes, but even those are only sort of pointy. i can't wear them with all my shoes, but my standard winter weather shoe is a black leather boot with a rounded toe. the boots keep my feet from getting wet and are high enough that i can generally keep the cuffs of my pants dry as well. i take them off in the building and put on my nice fleece slippers, which are also big enough to accomodate the toe socks. it may not be the most fashion forward look, but it keeps me from mucking snow and mud all over the building (especially the sterile areas), and keeps my feet warm and dry.
edit: right, trouser socks. i do have some and i recently purchased new ones because mine are getting rather old and frayed.
[ October 08, 2004, 04:51 PM: Message edited by: celia60 ]
Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :
Side note:
After attending a Thanksgiving dinner once, a friend made the following comment:
"It's not that your family doesn't have any skeletons in the closet. It's that you don't have any closets."
Posted by Sara Sasse (Member # 6804) on :
Noemon, I am aghast.
The vapours are upon me; I must lie myself down.
Posted by celia60 (Member # 2039) on :
you have trouser vipers? wicked!
Posted by saxon75 (Member # 4589) on :
I'm not sure I'm OK with the thought of Sara having even one trouser snake, let alone several.
Posted by TheTick (Member # 2883) on :
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
what are trouser socks? *honestly has no clue*
AJ
Posted by celia60 (Member # 2039) on :
i'll show you mine.
yeah, that's right perverts, i did just say that. Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
I think they are the dressy thin ones like my mom wears with nice pants and shoes. Instead of wearing white socks.
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
oh the thin kind that are absolutely worthless at keeping your feet warm?
Posted by Brinestone (Member # 5755) on :
And the ones that seem wet the first time your feet think about sweating?
Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
yeah those, I think they mostly come in black and tan colors.
Posted by celia60 (Member # 2039) on :
"That dress makes you look like an illustration by that Edward something guy."
"Edward Gorey?"
"Yeah, that guy."
So I got rid of it. Along with a ton of other things that don't fit, don't get worn or aren't flattering.
I kept a bunch of baggy sweaters. Odd thing is, they were fitted last winter. I guess I'll be phasing them out slowly as I purchase new ones. This is not a place to be without sweaters in winter. And I didn't touch the t-shirt collection, I still have enough space to keep them for sentimental value even if I only actually wear a few of them.
The book that AJ brought was really helpful. Not just for getting rid of clothes, but for dressing room tips and style suggestions by body type. It was fun to take the illustrations and apply the concepts to both our bodies. Amazing that two women who're the same size look so different in the same clothes.
So thanks hatrack. Especially AJ. Posted by ElJay (Member # 6358) on :
I would so totally love a dress that made me look like an Edward Gorey illustration.
Other then that, sounds like you had a productive weekend. Posted by celia60 (Member # 2039) on :
It was funeral wear. It was also too big. I have another black dress, but I think it's too flashy for somber events, so I'm now in the market for a new one. Which seems like a very Gorey type of quest, finding funeral wear when nobody's died recently.
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
*grin* I remember shopping the first time I had to officiate at a funeral. The man who died was a member of the church I served, but had been out of state since I’d started, so I’d never met him. I was trying to find a blouse to wear with my black suit, and the salesladies kept trying to talk me into hot pink and/or low cut lacy things, so I explained that it was for a funeral. Then they got all solicitous and kept saying how sorry they were. They were scandalized when I pretty much shrugged off their condolences. So I explained that I didn’t even know the person in question. Then they tried to explain that I didn’t need to wear a black suit if the funeral was for someone I wasn’t close to. So I told them I was officiating. They pretty much gave up on me after that, but I found an appropriate shirt on my own.
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
You have a non-skanky black skirt that you could wear with a dark colored blouse no problem to a funeral. But I don't think the black dress you have with the Mandarin collar is too dressy for a funeral. Funerals don't necessitate dowdiness.
Should have gotten a picture of the Edward Gorey dress for posterity though.
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after weeding out two weeks worth?
![[Embarrassed]](redface.gif)
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And yeah, I have to buy some new pairs of socks. I have less than 20... My advice, celia, is: KEEP ALL THE SOCKS!
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BUt if you want to go out I could be the designated driver!![[Evil Laugh]](graemlins/evillaugh.gif)
Now I gotta start coming up with some good ones...
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Spent a couple extra hundred bucks having them tailored, too, because of the above-mentioned mutant proportions...ah well. One suit jacket with matching skirt and pants, one or two skirts, one or two pairs of slacks, five or six blouses, two dresses, and three pairs of dressy shoes. All of these have been sitting in the closet, still in their packing box, since I moved at the beginning of August, and the only thing I've had to unpack is one dress and pair of shoes for a funeral last month. I don't expect to be rooting around in that box again for months and months. It kind of irritates me that all that is going to waste, but I just know that as soon as I give up and send it all to Goodwill, I'll suddenly need it all again.
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