Ancient finds
In the spirit of finding your freedom, this article is all about how to free yourself from the demons lurking in your closet. We begin with a story...
Once upon a time, in a closet far away, a girl had nothing to wear. Let's call her Cinderella. And contrary to popular belief, she had not just one raggedy dress, but many hidden away in her wardrobe. She picked through the old skirts tossed to her by one stepsister, and the corsets handed down by the other. She waded through shirts worn at the elbows from scrubbing. She had scarves galore to tie her hair back while she swept.
And yes, Cinderella had nothing to wear to the ball! What could she do? She wept until her fairy godmother came to rescue her. And with a swish of her wand, her fairy godmother produced a brilliant shining dress seemingly out of thin air.
Cinderella was thrilled! A brand new dress, even if it only lasted until midnight. But what she didn't know, was that the dress was created from her own closet! It was a miracle of cloth and sewing, but also of vintage salvage. It was the delight of the ball, and a model of reinvention. And she lived happily in her closet forever.
Well, Cinderelly's story is a fairy tale, but you can learn something from her fairy godmother. Don't you have some demons lurking in your closet? Old rags or things you just hate? Hand-me-downs you never got to wear? I'm sure you must.
But never fear: a few good twists can turn those old mousy clothes into ones that will turn a stallion's eye.
Start with a good eye yourself. Pick out the things that look save-able. You know, good fabric, some solid stitching, even if some seams are worn, no glaring rips or tears. Pick things that have some flair, even if they are too big.
Find a tailor. A good tailor can really turn pumpkins into coaches. Get a dress to fit just so. Get rid of that gaping waistband in your pants. Even take out those hiphuggers after hips have widened. You can find one on the web or the yellow pages - and alterations can cost less than even secondhand clothes (not to mention you save all that favorite fabric!)
Embellish, cover and distract. A wine stain on the knee of your good jeans? Have them embroidered, and suddenly they're very NOW. A rip in your denim jacket? Get a letter or patch sewn on, a la high school. The cut of that dress no longer flattering? Have it gathered at the waist.
Toss without shame. Some things cannot be saved. Use them for fun projects, or wrap presents in them, if you wish, but ultimately, they must find their own end and be recycled in a new life. Take them to charity or send the scraps to a talented quilter.
So, undo the shackles of closet guilt by giving those old wrecks a new life, one way or another. The new beauties will stun, and last a lot longer than midnight. But you'll have to find the glass slippers elsewhere.