Skeletons in my closet

Yesterday morning I got an email from the YW's president in the ward asking if I would teach a class on style for mutual Wednesday night. Now, there was a time when I would have considered myself a good candidate for teaching a class about how to dress your body for maximum style results. But those days, my friends, have been in the past, or more realistically, a bin in my garage labeled "Kelly's skinny clothes" for the last 3 years. I shuddered, re-read the email, groaned a little, and then replied that I would. Well, besides being slightly flattered (the prez actually said I always look put together, but let's face it she was desperate and she only sees my 1 day a week), I had guilt because I am the Mia Maid advisor and kind of have somewhat of a responsibility to help out a little and she had asked for a volunteer and no one else complied. So here I go.

I sat at my computer Monday morning and googled, 'dressing for body type.' As I read all of the experts fashion advice on how to maximize your blessings and minimize your curses, I realized how far I had come off the fashion path. I mentally sifted through the clothes hanging in my closet and thought of the circumstance under which each was purchased.

*Bought for Bryce's company Christmas party a desperate 24 hours before said event (about 3 things fall into this category-hey he's worked there 6 years-and every year is the same story)

*Bought while hauling 2 fussing kids around a shopping cart in Target, or the mall, or Old Navy, or Fred Meyer....

*Bought while sitting at my computer....online! This has happened numerous amounts of times and let me say, that almost none of these items were very flattering, just were getting worn repeatedly anyway.

*Bought when pretty skinny in a size I knew would only be mine if I never gave birth again or ate again...but was with the hubby and he insisted and then questioned when I said maybe I should by a size up. Yeah, that dress hasn't been worn since 2004.

Overall, my closet was full of clothes that were bought under duress and nothing was especially flattering. I don't even own a go-to outfit, that is scary. I have shorts that I keep resurrecting every summer-hoping, pants that hang there taunting me to ever be able to fit them again, tops that have gone out of style while waiting to be worn on some ever-elusive day. Seeing a theme here? I have a closet, but it is someone else's.

It was a true wake-up call to me. So I went to the library and stocked myself on fashion/style books to help me plan the class, but also to re-plan me. As uncomfortable as it was to come face to face with my worst nightmare (okay not really, I know there are way worse things out there...but in the category of "this is not life threatening, but still a big deal"), the mom I swore I'd never be, the proverbial "I've had kids and I look it," mom. I know it's time to purge and build.

So here goes for the rules for the new closet.

1) I will not go shopping with children, on a deadline, or for clothes at Target.
2)I will not buy something that I do not try on first.
3) I will buy higher quality clothes that will not fall apart, lose shape, or get these mysterious little holes in the front (finally figured out why ALL of my shirts were doing this-leaning against a porous kitchen counter top 10 hours a day puts holes in cheap fabric).
4) I will only buy clothes that are flattering. I know this sounds like a duh! statment, but its been happening, usually due to the screaming kids/deadlines.

But now I must get back to planning Wednesday's lesson and figure out how to pack a lifetime's amount of style info into :15 min.