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Remnants of the Past.

Monday afternoon I had my annual Cleaning Of The Closet to get rid of things I haven't worn in a while. Ya know how they say if you haven't worn it in a year, then you won't ever wear it again? Yeah, well, I don't listen to that little rule very well. My name is Whitney and I am a clothes hoarder.

I decided it was time to let go of a ton of items (um, 8 trash bags full) and make room for the things I actually wear. You would think I would have all of the room in the world after getting rid of that much stuff, but I could stand to weed out about another 4 bags or so. Goodness gracious I own a lot of clothing.

I successfully ridded myself of many shoes and clothes, some that I hadn't worn since college and lots of fancy/dressy items that I kept thinking there might be something I would wear it to again. Guess what? When an event comes up do I ever resort to my closet? Never. I always feel like I need to get something new. And then I do and I keep it til Kingdom come. It's a nightmare of a cycle, I tell you.

As I stood in the middle of my closet furiously throwing clothes and hangers over my shoulders, I came to a section in the very back and my heart stood still. It was my trousseau. My wedding activity and honeymoon clothes. Sigh.

I sat down with my beautiful clothing and started to look intently at each piece. These pieces had such memories locked inside them. How could I ever part with them?

So I decided no to. I put aside my trousseau and will safely tuck it away in a special box to treasure forever.

First, I found this:

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I wore this fun skirt to my Bridal Luncheon with all of the girls in my bridal party. My best friends and family are represented in this skirt. What fun memories were made in it.

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I neatly folded the skirt and placed it inside the box and moved on to the next piece.

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This is my rehearsal dinner dress. I absolutely loved it. It is made my BCBG and it was the perfect balance of flashy/fun. I later saw Kelly Ripa wearing this exact dress and that made me smile. :)

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(Gee, I wish we had better cameras back then! It's amazing how technology progresses in 5 short years.)

That dress holds a cornucopia of emotions! I laughed in that dress, I goofed off in that dress, I rehearsed my wedding in that dress, I had a meltdown in that dress. All in the same night! If that dress could talk, oh the stories it could tell. :)

Now behold one of my favorite dresses OF. ALL. TIME.

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My Get-Away dress!!

This dress is amazing for so many reasons. 1.) It's the perfect shade of green for my skin, hair and eyes. 2.) It's flowey and blingy. 3.) It is what I wore to leave my childhood behind me and embrace the world marriage and independence.

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You can't really tell from this picture, but the back is gathered and flowey with a little bit of diamond embellishment. Ah, so pretty!

The next items are a few things that I wore on our honemoon:

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Husby loves me in yellow, so I made sure to wear lots of yellow on our honeymoon!

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(Our film messed up. Stupid disposable cameras.)

My walk down memory lane left me smiling and reliving so many memories that I will cherish always. I know that the clothing doesn't come close to the treasure of a memory, but in some strange way, these clothes help me to remember just a little bit better. And I hope to sit down with my children one day, pull out each piece and show them what Mommy wore during the most special week of her life.

I think if I have a daughter on down the road, she will appreciate it a lot more than Weebie. :)

Anyone out there have any special piece of clothing they just can't get rid of?
I am a modern day homemaker with a passion for family, cooking, celebrating, decorating, travel, and memory making! The Lord has blessed me with the desires of my heart in my husband and our two sons. We recently built our dream home and cultivating a loving and happy haven for my family is where I find so much joy.

Comments

  1. Whitney those dresses (all of them) are beautiful!! I don't think I could part with them even if they didn't have such wonderful memories ha.

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  2. I love that green dress! So pretty :)

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  3. I don't think I've ever heard anyone use the word trousseau outside of a book before! That green dress is amazing. The only things in my closet that I have hoarded like that are my dresses from sorority formals and my wedding gown. The rest is negotiable. :)

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  4. Funnily enough, it is my son's baby clothes that I have kept, his first sleepsuits, the outfit he came out of hospital in, his first hairbrush (so sweet) and first little shoes. They all still mean so much to me and I will treasure them forever.

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  5. First of all, those dresses are Uh-ma-zing! So jealous. I didn't keep any of my honeymoon clothes. The only thing I have left is my wedding dress. Do you have yours preserved? I haven't done it yet...6 years later and I still haven't. Oh, I do have some formals from high school, but I doubt that counts ;-)

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  6. I definitely keep everything! I have slowly started to donate some formal dresses that I know I won't wear again. But, I do have my second wedding dress/going away dress and will never part with it. My MIL suggested I wear it every anniversary, which I will try to do though I couldn't this year because it was way too cold! I know my future daughter will love to at least play dress up in these things one day :)

    PS - that green dress is amazing! the color is just stunning on you :)

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  7. Girl, that green dress is stunning on you! And, as someone who can't afford to buy groceries right now ( living on Ramen noodles) might I add that you are more than free to send those 8 bags of clothes my way... ;)

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  8. I have my senior prom dress all boxed up still and a dress from when I was three years old... a blue polka-dotted little dress that I insisted on wearing EVERY weekend to church until I outgrew it. If I ever have a daughter I am saving it for her :)

    Cabin Fever in Vermont

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  9. You made me think about the clothes that I worn for my wedding, going away and honeymoon. I only wish I knew where the pictures are. You would have so much fun laughing at them. I HAVE to find a picture of my going away. It is priceless. It was during the time of the maxi (wait, it's that time again!) and my sister Rhonda made it for me. I love your green dress. You look divine in green. Love you.

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  10. Your dresses are gorgeous! I would definitely hang on to them, even if you never wore them again. I can't ever get rid of formal dresses. I still have all of my high school prom dresses and bridesmaid dresses, even though I will never wear them again. And of course, my wedding dress, which I will never part with. :)

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  11. I got married on the beach, so I wore a tea length, strapless white sundress. I will never part with that dress. In fact, I still wear it on occasion. I couldn't stand to have a dress I'd just wear once, knowing it would mean so much to me. It makes me happy to open my closet and see that dress :)

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  12. I am the same way! I have old sorority t-shirts I just can't get away from!

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  13. Pretty dresses! Save them for your daughter! :)

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  14. So fun to look back through everything! I just found your blog and it's darling!

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  15. Very cool...those dresses or gorgeous! By the way, stop by my blog to enter in a baby/kid related giveaway, if you are interested! :)

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  16. How fun! I love your get away dress! Green is my most favorite color. I also love the yellow dress with the rhinestone or sequin belt. I still have the dress I wore for my rehearsal dinner...10 years ago. You've inspired me to take it out and reminisce.

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  17. That green dress is beautiful! I loved the yellow one too. It always fun to remember old times, isn't it?

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  18. Have any clothes for me??????? You never gave me my pile last time!!!! =)

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  19. I still have the dress I got married in. It's not a traditional wedding dress...at all. It's a $20 Macy's clearance...black A-line, V-neck with white polka-dots. I liked it because it had a vintagey feel and I thought if I couldn't have the wedding I'd always dreamed of, I'd at least make the one I was going to get special.

    We got married at the Courthouse with only 1 witness and I wore that dress. It was wonderful.

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  20. Oh yes, I have lots of clothes that I can't part with. Things from when I was a little girl, things from special trips or that have great memories attached... They are all in my hope chest. :-)

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  21. I have one dress - it's a longer black "velvet" long sleeved dress, that I've had for YEARS - it was my "Breakup celebration" dress and I rocked it! ;) still do!

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  22. My name is Venassa, and I am also a clothes hoarder. But the clothing that I'm hoarding it no where near as nice as your stuff is. I don't blame you for keeping it all, especially with the memories. I'm just keeping not-so-nice shirts that I 'might' wear again, but never do.

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  23. Aww, such sweet memories. that green getaway dress is AMAZING! I love it!

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  24. Girl! Don't hide those back in your closet! WEAR them! What an awesome treasure to find, it's like free shopping :)

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  25. I have a trousseau! I loved finding special items for the honeymoon adn wedding events. I will never part with those either.

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  26. I love that green dress, it's beautiful!

    I am also terrible at getting rid of things, but for me the hoarding goes beyond clothes. What helps me let go of clothes though is that I know if they are still in good condition I can donate them and they will get a second life. One friend put it this way. I pick up a shirt and imagine how good it may feel against battered skin. That makes it a lot easier to get rid of something that otherwise would sit in my closet for years.

    There are also things I will never get rid of though, for me it's camp T-shirts and my rehearsal dinner dress. I may never fit in it again but it's nice to know that at one point I could wear it. And when I did I looked good, and I felt beautiful. I like remembering that feeling.

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  27. I know you LOVE to cook and thought you'd be interested in participating in a cookbook giveaway being hosted on my blog.

    Have fun with it, and feel free to let others know
    Carol

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  28. I definitely have a PROBLEM letting go of some clothes!!! You aren't the only one:-)

    I can't tell if first top in the honeymoon outfits is orange or pink..but if pink..I have that tucked away in my closet (well not space bags) somewhere!

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  29. I broke my clavicle playing soccer 15 years ago. I never played on that team again but I have put that uniform in every single closet that I have utilized since then.

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