Last Wednesday I had my girlfriends over to help me start a closet purge. A la Sex & The City (click that link) I made signs KEEP IT, STORE IT, LOSE IT and the girls threw them up with enthusiasm while I modeled my wardrobe piece by piece. I thought this was going to be fun, but with my favorite paisley and highlighter skirts not making the cut right from the get go I knew I was in trouble. I recall the term they used for a majority of my clothes was “grandma”. At the end of Round 1 after going through 40% of my clothes, 65% was cut. The biggest insult being 50+ skirts were narrowed down to 17!!
Truthfully my girlfriends input was quite helpful and all that sorting only took an hour and fifteen minutes. Now this purging does come with a catch or “Bonus Rule” if you will that at the end of each evening I get to pick 5 items out of the LOSE IT pile to KEEP. Thank goodness because with this rule my sheer lace blouse, striped maxi dress, red polka dot skirt, purple blazer and green silk skirt were all saved. 
But no amount of begging, outfit creating and pouting could keep me these cuffable jeans!! In fact the girls marked them the only think I was NOT ALLOWED to save, I was so sad but I guess I can see why. Other notables leaving my closet are the white polka dot skirt, everything leopard print and my sheer electric blue blouse.
Have you ever done a big purge? Tell me I’ll feel great after…. Please!
In a half hour Round 2 starts with a few different friends in the mix, again I’m nervous to see what they let me keep.
August 4th, 2010 7:05 pm
Sounds like torture!!! Cruel and Unusal Punishment to say the least.
I try and do a nice closet purge every once in a while, and you do feel much better. Although, sometimes I think of things I purged as matches for new pieces I buy LOL, and then I get home and remember, oh yeaaaaaah LOL!
August 4th, 2010 7:18 pm
You nearly lost the maxi dress? Glad you saved it, it’s so pretty!
August 4th, 2010 7:31 pm
Wow, 65% of your wardrobe cut and you’re doing it again? (Or with the fresh batch of friends, do you start over 100% with your wardrobe?)
That’s a lot of closet cultivation!
August 4th, 2010 7:38 pm
What a brave idea! I love it, but I think my friends would be too gentle with me. I’m glad you saved the maxi dress though. I love the after-purge freedom – more room in the closet, and I find I instantly forget about them. No regrets!
August 4th, 2010 8:35 pm
All your leopard print is gone? That is crazy! So is having 50 skirts. Wow.
Fun experiment. I went through a purge not too long ago, now I have very little left. I wouldn’t be able to do what you are doing or else I would have, like, 5 pieces to wear. Hopefully what I do have wouldn’t be worth purging, anyway.
August 4th, 2010 8:41 pm
Wow, You are far braver than I!! I can’t imagine losing half my wardrobe at the verdict of others (though I suppose that is the only way to do it, I have trouble being that critical. and I’m always in fear of missing something I get rid of. But no, you will feel much better, and you will have all that space. Just think of that empty space. it will have potential again. you wont have to search for things lost in the shuffle. you can be really organized. you can do the 30 for 30…
August 4th, 2010 9:55 pm
I always do purges, you will feel better I promise.
August 5th, 2010 7:08 am
I did a huge purge right before I left for Peace Corps. I had my best friend over and we split a bottle of wine. The alcohol helped, I assure you.
August 5th, 2010 8:41 am
I should do it, I have too much junk pilling up…but I’d be scared of losing cherished items
August 6th, 2010 11:10 am
Thanks so much for your thoughts all, what I meant Ashe was that out of that 40% we cut out 65%.
August 8th, 2010 9:52 am
My friends would convince me to buy more shit, I swear! haha
August 9th, 2010 5:18 pm
Wow, all of your leopard print is gone?? I have done quite a few wardrobe purges in the past, but I don’t think mine have been quite as straight-forward as yours. I still have too many clothes.
August 9th, 2011 6:26 am
Wow, all of your leopard print is gone?? I have done quite a few wardrobe purges in the past, but I don’t think mine have been quite as straight-forward as yours. I still have too many clothes.