Cover photo © Alamy
SAYING GOODBYE TO A FAVORITE BLOUSE AFTER 15 YEARS
It’s very hard for us to part with certain pieces of clothing. Why is that, anyway?
My Favorite Blouse
Blue, tailored, horn buttons, classic cut. That’s what my favorite blouse looked like. One important detail is missing from this description: the soft, comfortable fabric. Not only did it go with just about any outfit—whenever I needed a little extra comfort for the day, I’d reach for that blouse in my closet. Soul Fashion.
Even as the corners of the collar slowly frayed—which, by the way, was a sign of individual style and environmental awareness—and the fabric grew thinner and thinner after 15 years of wear and countless dry cleanings, it actually felt even more comfortable.
But suddenly there was a gaping hole, so it had to go. First, all the buttons were cut off. They turned out to be perfect for upcycling. A piece of the collar was left over, too—maybe I could find fabric of the same quality again.
Guilt
The average EU citizen throws away 19 kilograms of clothing each year (European Environment Agency, 2022). Even though the estimated 50 grams of the blouse described earlier is hardly significant in this context, it still weighs on one’s conscience, since the preferred course of action is to donate it to a well-known clothing bank.
The Benefits of the Clothing Bank:
- High-quality clothing in good condition is very welcome there
- The feeling of having helped someone is priceless
A neurologist at the Mayo Clinic says that doing a good deed for someone else can even have a positive effect on your own brain.
The average time people keep tops in the Western world is four years. Age, gender, and economic status make a big difference. While King Charles II is enthusiastic about mending and repairing clothing, young women in England consider a garment old if it has been worn four times, The Guardian reported.
What’s going on? What remains?
My favorite blouse had survived every round of packing boxes for the clothing bank. Why was that, anyway? An analysis of the criteria for why one piece of clothing gets to stay in the closet while another has to go:
What Remains
The most-worn favorite pieces that are often easy to mix and match.
This speaks in favor of colors like white, blue, and black over the respective “Color of the Year.” And it speaks in favor of the highest possible material quality—think wool.
Clothing that holds memories of wonderful moments.
I’m sure everyone has a pair of pants or a dress that they pack in their suitcase time and time again. A piece of clothing that keeps showing up in vacation photos, whether they went to Italy, Japan, or Singapore. Happy memories remain woven into the fabric.
The brilliant fashion designer has passed away or sold his brand.
Miuccia Prada, Jil Sander, Christian Dior, Yohi Yamamoto, and Alexander McQueen are among the world’s most famous designers—and for good reason. Even in a museum, their designs still look fantastic decades later and remain wearable. Clothing from the best designers is irreplaceable.
Alexander McQueen, “Savage Beauty” Exhibition, Victoria & Albert Museum, 2015 © Alamy Stock Photo
What’s up?
Clothing in the wrong color
Your hair and skin color determine whether a particular color makes you look tired or fresh.
Clothing in the wrong size
Who doesn’t love scoring a bargain in the sale? Clothes that are way too big are a challenge even for the best tailor. Clothes that are way too tight require a miracle diet that will never exist.
Clothes That Bring Back Bad Memories
Even professional setbacks leave their mark. Let’s put that behind us, because for a young job seeker, that very piece of clothing could be the start of a great career.
Where do you draw the line?
On average, people in Europe own 148 items of clothing and shoes. Have you ever counted how many items you own? We did—and we came up with a higher number. Enough. Our resolution for the rest of the year is to rediscover our own closets and get more creative with our outfits.
Studies show that we regularly wear about 10 percent of our clothes. The rest are more or less gathering dust in the closet.
Cover photo: Audrey Hepburn, *Roman Holiday*, 1953 © Alamy Stock Photo
