I took an inventory of my closet the other day, and I can only report that my wardrobe is in the most pitiful shape. When did this happen? When did I completely loose my fashion sense. I know that most people have a few clothes that don't fit, things they don't like, things they don't wear? But why isn't there anything in my closet that I love? Where are the outfits that makes me feel pretty or attractive? The clothes that indicate what activities I enjoy? When did I become this person with a closet full of outdated misfitting uninteresting apparel? Surprisingly, or not, my wardrobe is in some ways indicative of my life.
The process was slow but stealth-like, creeping up in tiny unnoticed increments. Looking back I can see some of the markers where I lost significant ground. I turned 50 I thought I was prepared for it. I had a big party to announce to the world how undaunted I was about being a half of a century old. I was wrong. I have found my 50's to be much more challenging then I expected. I changed jobs which made it less convenient to hike. So without planning to, I stopped hiking. I gained a few pounds. I turn 51, broke my foot and added a few more pounds. Pounds that for some inexplicable reason I decided to keep when I got back on two feet. I shaved my head for a charity cause, and while I would not undo that decision, some of the short-term effects of hairlessness did not help my already waning self-esteem issues. I turned 52. We lost our two cats and one of our dogs in the span of 4 short months. The hubby was out of work for 7 months, clouding our future with even more uncertainty. Non of these things are earth shattering or even unique. We all have had storms in our lives that have been difficult to navigate. Still they take their toll.
I grew up thinking that your 50's were supposed to be about watching your portfolio grow and planning for your retirement. A time when you could look back at all of your accomplishments with pleasure and satisfaction and still look forward with confidence and certainty for a secure and happy future. Is it any wonder then, that with my mismatched set of expectations and actual circumstances I am struggling to reconcile my situation? I am old enough / wise enough to know that things rarely turn out exactly the way we expect them too. And when we realize we have slipped of track all we can do is to make corrections, small incremental steps back toward the direction we want to go.
I am starting with my wardrobe.
My project is pretty simple this week. I took a pair of wide leg pants and tapered in the leg.
The process is very simple. Just remove the hems, restitched the side seams and replace the hem.
Happy Upcycling,
