Wardrobe Overhaul Part 4: TMI (Socks and Underwear)
Here are my socks, all 28 pairs. They all have special purposes which I won’t bore you with, but there they are. I actually made a little more room after decluttering 9 pairs in my recent clearout.
I’d bought 6 pairs of thin crew socks before our last trip to Germany, but during my recent clearout I got rid of 3 of them. Then I came across an old pile of discarded socks. I liked some of those better than the newer ones, so I traded them out for the remaining 3. These are the ones I’m keeping. Riveting, I know.
Here are my 2 pairs of tights, which finally fit. The black ones are Old Navy and the purpley ones are American Apparel. Those ones have lasted me many years- I definitely recommend them.
These 3 bras came out of storage. I’m not thrilled with them, but I don’t really need them during the pandemic, so they’ll do for now. The first 2 are Maidenform, and they shift around awkwardly on me now. The black one is better. It’s a Marshalls/T.J.Maxx special. I think they’ve had these bras for about 20 years, and they cost about $7. I absolutely love them- René Rofé is the rather sleazy brand. But this one style they used to make is the best. This is the most similar thing I can find.
These are all the new underwear from storage. Mostly my usual Warner’s “No Muffin Top” Hipsters, 12 pairs in microfiber, 3 in a siky material, and 1 in cotton. The last 2 pairs are some high-waisted briefs for wearing under certain clothes that would otherwise show my belly button. I guess I’m just thinking of my white skirt, which I don’t tuck anything into anyway. So I don’t know why I’m keeping them. But they were in the bin and so they’re there for now. That’s 18 pairs.
The following is my smorgasbord of shapewear and slips. First we have a bodysuit that fit me at a larger size, but works fine now, too. All of the other pieces just came out of storage. The second piece is a pair of “slip shorts” for wearing with skirts in summer; they’re a brilliant solution to the “chub rub” issue. They also work well over tights to keep your skirt from riding up in winter. They’re really lightweight and soft, not like shapewear. I think they’re Jockey. Next we have a pair of “petti-pants” that are like a slip version of culottes. I have no use for them, but I find them adorable.
Next is a waist-cincher that I bought to wear under my wedding top and skirt, along with the Bridget Jones-style giant underpants next to them. The long slip was for the wedding outfit, too. I don’t know why I’m keeping these things. I don’t plan on wearing my wedding dress anywhere. It’s stored in an archival box on the top shelf of my closet for safekeeping. But again, they were in the bin and so they’re there for now.
Finally, we have my robes. The kimono style one on the left is something I stole from my husband (it was a gift from his parents some years ago). The white one is just a Lands’ End terrycloth bathrobe.
This isn’t exactly a minimalist collection of socks and underwear, so the minimalist police are definitely going to come for me. I may lose my membership. But I’m just taking my time with all this new stuff from storage, throwing it at the wall and seeing what sticks. If I start to feel like it’s too much, I can cut back then.
Wardrobe Overhaul Part 1: Closet Declutter