Every Saturday when I was in middle school, my best friend Arielle and I walked over to the Salvation Army on West 46th Street, returning home with huge plastic bags filled with clothing that we’d gotten for a dollar or two per piece. Every once in awhile when I’m visiting my parents I still stop by – mostly to check out the (honestly amazing) furniture selection on the third floor – but when it comes to clothing, the finds are much fewer and further between than they used to be back in the day. Maybe because pricey vintage stores are trolling for the really great stuff, maybe because my tastes have changed, maybe just because I don’t have the patience that I used to to sift through rack after rack of clothing…but whatever the reason, it’s rare that I come home from a visit with something I’ll actually wear.
A few years back, I stopped in and found this sweater. It was so big on me that it could definitely be called a dress, and it looked like something Carlton would have worn for a dance party with Will, but still: I liked it enough to hand over five bucks.
I never wore it.
It was one of those things that just never felt quite right when I put it on. I wanted the neck to be wider, or the hem to be shorter, or the colors to be brighter, or…something.
And then, on Sunday, it was just the kind of day when you want to wear something cozy, something that feels more like you’re wandering around in a blanket than anything else. Sweater dress weather.
So I rooted through my closet and found my old Salvation Army sweater, and thought to myself how fun it’ll be to wear a couple of months from now, when it’s still chilly out and I start wanting loose, comfortable silhouettes that still make me feel like me. Because last time I was pregnant, at least, that was definitely the most fun thing about getting dressed: sifting through my closet in search of all those weird things that I’ve bought over the years that never quite worked (because oh, there are plenty), but all of a sudden, somehow…did. Or at least felt like they did, and that’s what mattered.
It’s just so much fun to try out new things, or maybe old things that suddenly feel new…because the new thing is you.
I hate clutter and I’m big on yard sales and donations and clothing swaps and passing things that you never really wear on to friends who will love them more…but sometimes it’s nice to hold on.
On me: Thrifted sweaterdress and coat; Tom Ford sunglasses; watch c/o Folli Follie; Nine West boots.
Some sweater dresses that are a little less Fresh Prince and that don’t require a trip to your local thrift store:
