What I keep, what I let go of, and why

We’ve all heard the advice: “If you haven’t worn it in a year, let it go.”

These days, I’m approaching this kind of advice, not as a final verdict, but as a springboard for introspection. I follow it up with a gentler question: “Why haven’t I worn it in a year?”

For example, these white parachute pants — I wore them a lot a few years ago, and then…I just stopped. They sat in my drawer, unworn, for well over a year.

But something in me couldn’t let them go.

And then, last week, something flipped — I wanted to wear them, like right now. I was so glad I’d kept them.

It got me thinking about what clothes I keep, what clothes I let go of, and why.

In the past, I’d let go of things as soon as they lost their usefulness. I’m not a fan of clutter and I don’t like keeping things around just in case.

But now, I’m taking a more tempered approach. I’m learning to tell the difference between clothes that truly don’t work, and clothes that just need a little (or a LOT) of breathing room. Usually it’s as simple as this:

Things that don’t work: things that don’t fit, weren’t comfortable from the start, are low quality, or overly trendy.

Things that just need breathing room: things once spoke to me deeply, that fit, are well made, or from brands I trust.

These parachute pants aren’t necessarily high quality, and I think a lot of people would categorize them as trendy — but they fit well and still speak to me deeply. For me, that’s reason enough to give them time.

So more and more, I’m keeping things, even if I go a year or more without wearing them. Later — maybe much later — when I pull them out again, they’ll feel new and exciting again. It’s like shopping without shopping.

So how about you? What helps you decide what to keep and what to let go of? Do you tend to hold on just in case, or let things go quickly? I’m definitely a blend of both, but I’d love to hear where you land.

OUTFIT DETAILS

(Consider me your personal shopper — when you make a purchase through the affiliate links in this post, I make a commission at no charge to you.)

Vuori Pose Plyo Tank

Braggy Khaki Sling Bag S

Old AE Parachute Pants | Similar: Lioness Riptide Pant & Lululemon Lightweight Cargo Pant

Old Roxy Flip Flops | Similar: Reformation Flip Flops & Gap Vegan Leather Flip Flops

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