In defense of a crowded closet

In defense of a crowded closet

My ambitious clothing audit began with an impulse to purge. It was getting harder to pull garments in and out of a packed closet, in which tops pressed up

against dress shirts, which nudged jackets into a dark corner.My own experiment yielded unexpected results. I realized that I had a more complicated

relationship with my clothes than I originally assumed.

I decided to catalogue each item taking up precious space by color, age, style and how much I enjoyed wearing it. It forced me to take inventory of how much

overlap and waste lurked inside. My neurotic exercise prompted our fashion editor, Debra Bass, to invite readers to share their own closet confessions.

Confront these questions, she said: How many clothes do we own and how much do we actually use?

As it turns out, each of the garments that survived the purge has a story. Some are more compelling and sentimental than others.And, sentimental attachment

should not be confused with hoarding.So, counter to the preachings of fashion gurus, I encourage a crowded closet, one stuffed with scenes from various

chapters in our lives.Professional stylists want us to shed, to edit, to excise our wardrobes. But the underlying agenda for this constant turnover is to

make us consume more, buy more, want more. Certainly, what fuels the industry of fashion is the demand for whatever is deemed on trend and stylish in the

moment.