Why We Form Emotional Attachments To Our Clothing

Last week I forced myself to finally do a deep purge of all my house clothes, activewear and intimates, which consist of everything from pajama sets and sleep shorts to tank tops and workout gear, to bras, underwear and socks. These types of items often show up as a huge pain point for me because for some reason, I have the hardest time keeping them pared down to a manageable amount. Oddly I don’t really have a problem when it comes to purging my everyday clothing in my closet, but that’s for another post. ;)

Anyway, I decided to dump everything out onto the floor to really see what I have and go from there. As I sat there sorting, I started to realize why I was having a hard time with it, and what was coming up for me, and that was (and still might be) is that I have a certain type of daydream or emotion wrapped up in my “house clothing” making it hard for me to part with them.

Let’s break this down a bit more, shall we?

First, I want you to take a look at the collage posted below and see what emotions or feelings they bring up for you when see them. For me, it’s “cozy at home,” and “slow mornings.” Minimalism, effortlessness and calm. Now take a look at the photo of my rumpled, wrinkled pile of mismatched items. Definitely not the same vibe! (All images are via Pinterest)

What I realized was that I had fallen prey to exactly what I warn my clients about! I kept buying certain items (mainly cute pj sets and lounge wear) especially during the pandemic, because I was chasing an idea or a feeling that I thought the clothing was going to give me by wearing them. Because of course a matching beige leisure set was going to make me into a new person!

Cut to me floating effortlessly around my kitchen in my matching lightweight knit set, early in the morning, while I make lemon water and matcha tea, and writing in my journal all before 8am. Ha! If you know me, you know I am not a morning person, that I have a hard time remembering to drink enough water throughout the day, let alone first thing in the morning, and I want to drink matcha for the health benefits, but am still a coffee gal at heart.

But the truth of the matter is, emotion is constantly being slipped into the images we see and ultimately the clothing we buy. When we are sold something, we are often sold an idea first, and that idea is that we can look or feel a certain way when we wear that particular item.

Now flash back to last week. I was able to pare down a considerable amount of stuff and only kept the house and active wear that I love, that fits and that I actually reach for on a regular basis. I also removed any missing socks, old bras and underwear and anything that had stains or holes. In the end I felt so much better and lighter, but this process definitely made me pause and think about how I have been influenced when it comes to buying anything new in those previously mentioned categories. Will I still potentially be tempted to buy another matching lightweight printed cotton pajama set from Target? Absolutely. But, with more awareness around what I think buying that item will do for me, versus whether I actually need it, will definitely make me take pause before just throwing it in my cart. Or, if I have to have it, then maybe I consider donating something I already have first, before bringing home it home.

Bottom line is, I try to remember that this is a work in progress, that I am a work in progress, but as long as I keep checking in with myself about where I am with my emotions when it comes to my closet and my purchases, then I more likely to stay present and intentional going forward.

I’m curious, does any of this resonate with you? Are their items in your closet that evoke emotion or make you envision a certain version of yourself just by owning that piece of clothing? I’d love to continue the conversation so if you feel called, leave a comment below!

xo,

CC