You may imagine by that statement that I have piles of clothes or a hectic social calendar, unfortunately both now very far from the truth!
The actual wooden wardrobe that I have to store my finery is tiny and although I have done my best by having a lower rail installed it is still not big enough to hold all my clothes at one time, hence the twice yearly switchover ( though this year I'm wondering if it's worth it, given that summer may be three months long at best!)
It's always a good time though to look with a critical eye at things you've not worn over the past season and to possibly donate them to charity, Swish them or recycle them in some other way..... Bunting anyone?
I do dream of having trunks in the attic to house some things, The Daughter is always berating me for getting rid of the 20's to 50's clothes I bought in jumble sales when I was her age and indeed some of the designer suits I had in the 80's. Given the prices they now fetch on eBay I could kick myself too!
There are though a few bits I've kept, the beaded top I bought for pennies in an old fashioned charity shop in Headington ( the sort, now sadly rare, that looked as if the front door had been opened and everything just thrown in) which I wore to numerous parties and balls in the next few years with a voluminous silk tulle petticoat ( long since ripped to shreds and gone)
The Katherine Hamnett silk "Stay Alive in 85" t-shirt, I was delighted to see its' twin on display in the V&A and may donate mine to the excellent costume section at Brighton Museum...
The long kid gloves with tiny pearl buttons that are a nightmare to do up without a friend or lover in attendance
The Victorian underwear and nightdresses, hand sewn by Irish nuns ( in the case of one nightdress) or schoolgirls.....
All of these have so many stories and adventures imbued in their wearing that I can't bear to part with them and often too mourn some of the spectacular ones that, in a moment of madness, I did- the 50's new look White organza and black velvet trimmed dress worn on punting trips. The 80's peplumed black ottoman suit, so tight that it was only worn with designer silk underwear....( the rest I'll leave to your imagination!)
There is just one item, stored in a box on top of the wardrobe that the daughter is always begging me to get rid of.... A 30's fox fur, complete with head feet and tail(s!) that I bought in (another old fashioned) charity shop in Paignton- because it looked lonely! It did go on to accessorise a 30's mans DJ suit at several first nights, since when it's been used to frighten Trick or Treaters!
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