Best clothes: are they wasting in your wardrobe?
How many of us remember being urged to keep a set of ‘best clothes’ for high days and holidays? And is it a habit that continues to linger? Guest blogger Sandra Stafford holds up her hand and answers ‘Yes’ to both questions.
When I was a nipper, we moved a lot. And I mean A LOT. Sometimes we moved abroad, and then we moved back. Sometimes we moved in random fashion around the UK. My abiding memory of every single move – in fact any long-distance journey for any reason – was that I always had a brand-new outfit to travel in, often made by my mother, sometimes bought. It was one of mum’s mantras: we must arrive somewhere new in new clothes. The outfit for any given voyage would then be kept ‘for best’ until I grew out of it (despite her having made/bought it a size bigger for me in the first place), at which point it would go to any number of smaller, younger cousins. And ‘for best’, I mean a history of being virtually unworn. Still pristine. Almost BNWT (brand new with tags).
Quite why or from where my mother developed this quirk, I have no idea. (And I’d love to know if anyone else has had the same experience.) She’s long departed, and I remember the agony of deciding what she might wear for her final journey. One thing I do know is I can’t break the habit of keeping things for ‘best’ – even though my ‘best clothes’ are invariably thrifted or hand-made from gifted fabric/yarn. It’s fair to say that my lovely friend Jane, architect of Trash Chic Towers, has a completely different mindset, and I have long admired both her and others for tipping ‘new’ clothes out of their shopping bags and wearing them straight away. In fact, she questions: ‘Why should we think everyday occasions are not good enough to wear our nice clothes? Are we afraid of wearing them out? Surely it’s good to “wear them out”, isn’t it? It means they’ve paid their way. It means you’ve enjoyed them.’
Excellent points, Jane. And I agree with them. But before we come back to whether I could change my own behaviour, the reasons for keeping clothes for best are definitely worth considering.
- For many, money (or lack of it) may be the biggest factor. Money may have created the real reason for one party frock, one ‘good coat’, one long-lasting pair of shoes and so on.
- Perhaps the outfit in question is deemed useful only for certain events or occasions – a wedding, a party, a night at the theatre.
- Maybe the item is something that can’t be replaced – unique in some way because it was created by someone else out of hard-to-come-by fabric.
- Sentimental value may definitely play a part – a particular item is kept because it was what we wore at our [fill in your own reasons].
What determines ‘best’?
Fashions alter. Values change. Self-expression rules. And now it’s mainly ok for many of us to wear pretty much what we want when we want. I get that wearing ‘best’ clothes every day can help to improve your mood. Unleash that rebellious streak, perhaps. Encourage you to enjoy the moment more. Raise a smile. I see photographs of TC Jane back in the day, in which she enviably throws caution to the wind, sartorially. ‘People often end up buying something new for an occasion (a party, even a funeral),’ she says, ‘then they never wear it again.’ She is definitely not a fan of hiding outfits at the back of her wardbrobe.
Sequins are not just for after dark!
How do we change our habits?
Jane recommends a good review of our own personal rails, suggesting that ‘mixing formal with casual/sportwear is a good place to start’. I can see the sense in this. It de-emphasises both the ‘casual’ and the ‘formal’, and perhaps guides you to that bit in the middle of a Venn diagram – you know, where the two circles intersect and two logics combine. In other words (Jane’s), ‘Try dressing that beautiful blouse down with jeans or camos.’
Ahhh, yes, well I am a fan of the frock-over-trousers look, so maybe I’ll dig out that silk knee-length beauty, throw it over my reclaimed Lucy & Yak jeans, and top it with a boxy jacket. That’s feeling safe. Small steps. I have only worn the frock once this year (shame on me!), but I wear my casual L&Y stuff almost daily. And, as Jane heeds, ‘If you don’t wear it NOW you may end up never wearing it again. What a waste!’
Once you gain a bit of confidence, you can perhaps be more daring, really going to town mixing fabrics, colours, bold accessories that you already have, but would never have put together. Almost like closing your eyes, selecting three items from your rails, and seeing what you can do with them.
So, is confidence the answer?
Well, yes. I guess it is. It’s about facing yourself in the mirror and feeling great about how you look – every day. Dusting off those special pieces and mixing them up can help you to create a fabulous new look – something that’s both stylish (the ‘best’ bit) and effortless (the stuff you feel genuinely comfortable in, day after day). Anyway … I’ve had a look in my wardrobe, and here’s what I’m going to try in the coming weeks, to see if I can break my own habits of keeping things for ‘best’:
- A tailored jacket, worn over a pair of rolled up and belted dungarees.
- A long-length black and white net ‘party’ skirt (it’s one of the few items in my wardrobe I couldn’t part with, but also never wear!) with a cable sweater.
- Felted fingerless gloves and bobble hat, with a classic skirt/jacket suit (yes, I really do have one of those!), finished off with ankle boots and chunky socks.
- And because I absolutely can’t resist it, removing the sleeves from a denim jacket, and slipping it over a classic black wool coat (something I saw someone else do, and it looked amazing!).
Walking the dog with green wellies, net skirt and sheepskin coat ... why not?
Will I succeed?
Ha … well, if nothing else I will certainly look at ‘best’ clothes in a new way. Perhaps I’ll even do that thing I never have success with: making a purchase and wearing it the same day with a pair of preloved Van chequerboard sneakers I’ve been keeping for ‘best’!
Sandra Stafford is an author, editor and long-time Trash Chic customer. To view TC’s range of preloved/vintage/retro clothing, return to the Shop or follow Jane on her socials. Additionally, catch up with Jane at one of her amazing pop-up events.
