The Things I’ve Carried, Part 2 (and those I won’t)

One of the things about making a significant move to A New Flat* for the second time in three years is that it’s the perfect excuse to go through things and get rid of the ones you don’t really want (on the grounds that you won’t possibly have the space for them in the new place you haven’t seen yet, if nothing else). An added plus to the “toss” side of the scale this time is that there will another adult human sharing ANF (everyone is /quite/ happy about this) and so I won’t have the full run of, say, the closets**, for example.

It was rainy and gray most of Sunday, so I took the opportunity to give the bathroom a super-thorough cleaning (no, really, you could eat off those tiles), and to go through my closet. It needed to be done for the change in seasons anyway, but I’m also taking a look at the contents – what won’t work in EDI because it just won’t be that warm, for example – to see what pieces I brought here from the West Coast and haven’t worn. Starting with the dress I wore to my university formal.

I loved it at the time – long, red, sleeveless, with a mandarin collar, keyhole neckline, straight skirt and a slit up the side. I bought it on Queen Street West in Toronto over 10 years ago – I think the same weekend I wrote the GMAT. It still fits (almost) but I never wear it, so it’s going. Ditto the black jacket in the same crepe, this time in black, with over sized shoulder pads and small waist that falls to mid thigh. And the beautiful sheer white blouse with gorgeously pleated, un-cuffed sleeves I bought to wear to a formal at RSG in high school – I bought it three sizes too big for an unknown reasons, but haven’t worn it in over 5 years. And the Ted Baker silk top/dress – grey with a lovely pattern and a sash that ties in a beautiful bow behind, but is clearly designed for someone who embraces leggings. I wore it once for dinner and too many drinks in LA with grey tights and brown boots, and got away with it, and wore it again for drinks in NY over gray cords with flats, and didn’t really get away with it, and it just doesn’t work. At least for me. So it’s out.

*I’m trying to retrain my brain. Apartment = flat, first floor = ground floor, etc.

**Assuming there even are closets. The Laird is attempting to manage FG’s expectations re: ANF by setting a scene in which there are, in fact, no closets whatsoever, assuming ANF is more than 10 years old. Apparently I am moving to Armoireville. The FG is confident there will be some closets, but perhaps not as many as she requires. Remains cautiously optimistic that ANF will feature a healthy combination of closets and armoires. Stay tuned.).

Part 1