Challenge Rule 1: Buy No Clothes/Don’t Covet
I bought no clothes this week, nor did I covet anything belonging anyone else. This was a very scalawag-centric week, so there is not much coveting to be found at a theme park or even a very cool park we found in a nearby village.
Challenge Rule 2: The Inventory
That Cost Per Wear challenge is steadily steadily doing its work. I can see all four of my dresses be at 1€ per wear by the start of Fall.
I happened upon the diary entry from a long time ago, in which I decided to start a closet inventory. I so badly needed to have a feeling of control over something, and this seemed like the most accessible way for me to get it. I do not envy that woman whose life was so out-of-control that writing down every item in her closet seemed like a good idea. On the other hand, I do envy her drive and stamina.
Putting aside whether or not doing a closet inventory is a good use of one’s time, it took a lot of determination. Wrestling control back of one’s life by setting a goal, no matter how flighty that goal is, is no easy task. Being able to see how far I’ve come from that place of absolute overwhelm to this more surface-level, stomach ulcerish overwhelm is encouraging.
Challenge Rule 3: Go-To Catalogue:
Panic has set in a few times as I have stood in the Boudoir, considering what I am going wear now that I have relaxed the rules. Panic, like, there is just too much choice in my closet.
If I had more time these days, and if it were important enough to me to use the few minutes I have to think about these things, I would probably start using the Suitcase Method I invented a few years ago to help with the overwhelm. The Suitcase Method was the idea of selecting only enough clothes to go on a two week trip, and wearing only those for a month, thus giving myself a limited number of choices and sidestepping overwhelm.
I’ll see if I get a few moments to waste on such an endeavor or not. It seems though, that avoiding panic should be a sufficient impetus.
Challenge Rule 4: Mise en Place/Plan Ahead:
Love, love, love Mise en Place. The aforementioned panic is better experienced alone, at night, before I go to bed, than in the morning while trying to get everyone else ready to go, too.
Challenge Rule 5: Repair and Mend, Alter when Necessary:
Although I’ve not repaired or mended, I have worked a little bit on my pretty peacock-colored sweater. Knitting and long car rides go hand-in-hand for me, and we have had a few long car rides this week. The sweater has fabulous feather and fan lace sleeves (a nod to the peacock-color) and, at the insistence of my scalawags, will have pockets. Apparently all my complaints about women’s clothing not having pockets have not fallen on deaf ears. They caught me doing a sketch of the sweater before I cast it onto the needles, the concern was real: You must make pockets.
So, we’ll see how this works. For right now, there are just big holes where the pockets should be until I figure out how to actually make a pocket.
Round-up
Summer is drawing to a close! Finally! Only two more weeks of all this togetherness and maybe I will be able to start relativizing again. For now, many priorities all seem mish-moshed in my thoughts, without the time or inclination to put them in order. I am eagerly looking forward to gaining a little perspective, both professionally and personally.
Vive la rentrée! (Long live back-to-school)
Sing With Your Feet 