We Aim To Slay

You may or may not have noticed that I have a deep and undying love for fashion; the intricacies of styling, the transformative properties of accessorizing, and the confidence evoked by feeling powerful. Over the years I have been blessed to have found incredible pieces, but I’m also a fan of saving money.

When I started my first “grown up job” out of college, I didn’t have the funds to invest in exquisite vintage pieces (let me be clear, I still don’t *really* have those funds now, but sometimes I can’t pass up a deal!), so like many others, I turned to online shopping and fast fashion. And honestly, there are still times when a deal seems “too good to pass up” and before I know it I’m filming an unboxing video.

And yet, I’ll be the first person to point out the impact that fast fashion has on our world, from the environmental impacts to the treatment of the workforce. In the last few years we’ve even seen governments make a stand against fast fashion – take a look at this Forbes article discussing France’s 2025 updates to legislation.

One of my resolutions in 2024 was to stop buying new clothing, and while I mostly stuck to that goal, it led me into the wonderful world of vintage shopping. And as I indulged my sartorial fantasies at places like VMD and Renee’s Resale, I realized it was time to do a closet clean out!

The 2025 Clean Out

This year that process was prompted by my worst nightmare – my closet literally collapsed beneath the weight of everything I had stored. For context, I moved last year and while I’m staying with family, my closet has doubled as a storage unit.

After an appropriate amount of panicking, I started pulling everything out of the closet with the intention of boxing things to donate. Before selecting items I start by asking myself three essential questions: 

• How often do I wear this piece?
• Does this piece coordinate with at least half of my wardrobe?
• Is the piece a “special occasion” or a “pageant” piece?

If it’s an item that I wear regularly (like a black bodysuit, or a pair of neutral trousers) or something that fits in my capsule wardrobe, then it’s an item I’ll keep! But, if I can’t remember the last time I wore it, it needs to be considered as a donation option.

As I’ve mentioned before, building a capsule wardrobe – limited pieces that can all be worn interchangeably – can be incredibly useful for everyday and professional dressing. But I’ve never been one to shy away from a statement piece, which leads to the second question: is this an item that makes sense for my wardrobe? 

Asking myself that question immediately invoked images of the red maxi dress I ordered earlier this year from an online fast fashion brand. We’ve all been there: the deal seems too good to be true, you place an order and all of a sudden, you’re trying to find any possible way to justify owning this item. Despite all of the effort to style it, I’ve only worn this dress once, and yet, I still can’t part with it.

Which leads to the third consideration – did I purchase this item with a photoshoot or pageant in mind? This might seem overly sentimental or even silly, but as someone who has been involved in the pageantry industry for nearly 20 years, I know the benefits of keeping several cocktail dresses and evening gowns on hand!

After meeting so many amazing creatives during Connecticut Fashion Week events I was lucky enough to shoot with photographer, MJB Design Works, and all three of these looks are from fast fashion brands.

Am I proud to be “promoting fast fashion”? No, in a way, it goes against everything I stand for. But then I look at these photos, and I remember that part of the reason these photos are so mystical, is because I have no problems getting this $50 ball gown or $15 bathing suit set wet in the middle of a forest.

The End Results

At this point I’m sure you’ve noticed that I’m sentimental (read as “pack rat”), and have trouble letting go. It was exciting for me to rediscover some beloved pieces, but it was also eye-opening to see how many things I had acquired. Once I’ve determined what I’m willing to part with, it’s time to decide where I’m donating my items!

In the wake of the coronavirus, many donation centers have limited what items can be accepted, which was the number one struggle I encountered. I decided to do some research and was pleasantly surprised that the company Savers will accept donations of all types – clothing and shoes, furniture, kitchen appliances, and more!

I was able to fill two bins with assorted clothing and a box of assorted shoes, as well as a set of purses I’ve had for two years and have never actually used.

My Closet Currently

And for those of you wondering what state my closet is in now…

I still need to repair (or replace) the section of shelving that quite literally fell out of the wall. In the mean time, I’ve started boxing and storing my seasonal items, such as heaving knit sweaters during the sweltering months, and storing bathing suits in the winter.

If you have suggestions for ways to optimize clothing and shoe storage, please let me know! I am always looking for tips, tricks, and hacks!

HEADER – What Do You Think?

When was the last time you did a closet purge? How do you decide what to keep and what to donate? Let me know in the comments below!

I’ll be back next week to share my process for trimming my curls at home!

Have a great rest of your week, and remember to SLAY!