Getting rid of the work wardrobe

[ugeauxgirl]

For some reason I decided that last night was the night to clean out my closet. I've been retired for a year or so, and have resisted doing this for some reason. My workplace was more formal than most, so mostly what I got rid of was suits and other things I would only wear to an office. It was strangely emotional, even though I'm enjoying retirement and never want to go back. Anybody else have trouble parting with work clothes?

 

[marko]

16+ years later, I still have two full drawers of Brooks Brothers shirts! I keep my 6 good suits because 1) they still fit and 2) there's funerals, weddings and such to dress for.

Haven't really worn any of them much lately but I have thrown out a lot of other work clothes, ties and shoes with no real emotional trouble.

 

[Aerides]

Anybody else have trouble parting with work clothes?

I definitely have some tops I loved and have kept. But they are things I tell myself I might wear to a nice dinner or something (lol no I won't).

Still, if they are things that I look at and smile, get a spark of joy, no rush to part at this point. Mostly small things I can fold away in a drawer, and usually about once a year I cull them down a bit.

 

[freedomatlast]

I have no emotional attachment to clothes. However, I do keep a fair amount of older clothes around that I should have disposed of a long time ago for those dirty jobs like auto repair and painting. And I am glad I didn't get rid of too many of my work clothes I wore at my pre-retirement job since I'm now wearing them again on occasion for my consulting gig, which I would have never imagined I would be doing.

 

[pjm-7]

Yes, there were some good memories. I got rid of most of my work clothes after I retired but kept a few nice slacks and blazers for more dressy occasions (mostly charitable events). Last year before my major move I finally parted with my last two suits that I haven't worn because the skirts were too snug to look good. I could think of the positions I got when wearing the winter suit and positions I got wearing the summer suit. In fact I was just thinking that this day in 1991 that I started position I got wearing the summer suit. Time flies.��

 

[MRG]

We dropped a combined 120lbs a couple years after retirement. Nothing fit.

 

[goingtotravel]

Yes, but not clothing, I have an issue parting with shoes. I have boxes and boxes of high end designer shoes that I bought for work to go with my suits. The suits were donated to charities years ago but the shoes remain. TBH the shoes are very uncomfortable and I wouldn't even consider wearing them for a night out. I would like to sell them but haven't bothered yet. My plan is to go through my closets again this winter and hopefully make the time to sell those shoes. I think I hang on to them for emotional reasons, reminds me of being young and climbing the ladder at work but I have no need or desire to work again so they need to go.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

My closet is pretty bare and has been like that my whole life. Thankfully, in my w*orking days I got to wear PJs to work (OK, really a flight suit but have you seen them? They are just like PJs!) so besides keeping one to put away in my "love me chest" (cedar chest with military awards and mementos) I got rid of the rest. When I started law school, we were informed that on occasion we would need to wear a suit so I begrudgingly bought one to which I wore ONCE while in law school (for the barrister's ball...eg, "law school prom") and it has been in my closet ever since.

My DW would probably prefer I have some nicer clothes, but I value comfort over style.

 

[ugeauxgirl]

Yes, but not clothing, I have an issue parting with shoes. I have boxes and boxes of high end designer shoes that I bought for work to go with my suits. The suits were donated to charities years ago but the shoes remain. TBH the shoes are very uncomfortable and I wouldn't even consider wearing them for a night out. I would like to sell them but haven't bothered yet. My plan is to go through my closets again this winter and hopefully make the time to sell those shoes. I think I hang on to them for emotional reasons, reminds me of being young and climbing the ladder at work but I have no need or desire to work again so they need to go.

I did put some really nice things in a box for a consignment store, because I'm too lazy to sell them any other way. They price them, etc. Fabulous shoes never go out of style [emoji16]. I did wear one pair to a nephew's wedding, but I'm not wearing most of mine again either.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

Fabulous shoes never go out of style [emoji16].

The only shoe I can really think of that has truly not gone "out of style" in years and years and YEARS are Converse All Stars. I see them worn by folks of all ages/genders/races...it's probably the most universal shoe in the world.

The design of the Chuck Taylor All Star has remained largely unchanged since its introduction in the 1920s.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_Taylor_All-Stars

 

[O2Bfree]

When I retired in 2019 I thought I might want to do some contract work if it was available at my old workplace. So I kept some of my favorite work clothes. Turns out nothing came up, and even if it had, I'd have been working remotely because of Covid, so there'd have been no need to wear anything special. And my interest in doing contract work is fading fast. Soon as the weather changes I'll probably start getting rid of more of those clothes.

 

[Montecfo]

The only shoe I can really think of that has truly not gone "out of style" in years and years and YEARS are Converse All Stars. I see them worn by folks of all ages/genders/races...it's probably the most universal shoe in the world.



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_Taylor_All-Stars

I have been dreaming of buying some Chuck's. As a young guy that played basketball, we wore them on and off the court. Admired the guys that could afford the suede ones. Mine were canvas.

 

[Winemaker]

My w*rk clothes were jeans and blue cotton shirts with glow strips. I still wear them around the house, shop, winery, and rentals.

 

[Montecfo]

Back to work clothes, most of my jackets fit my son perfectly. The suits I donated except two newer ones which I wear to weddings funerals etc.

Was business casual the last 20+ years so not a huge transition but now I am wearing out my casual clothes, and need to empty my closet of old ones.

And a few brand new dressy pairs of shoes in boxes I stockpiled. Who knew?

 

[Dtail]

16+ years later, I still have two full drawers of Brooks Brothers shirts! I keep my 6 good suits because 1) they still fit and 2) there's funerals, weddings and such to dress for.

Haven't really worn any of them much lately but I have thrown out a lot of other work clothes, ties and shoes with no real emotional trouble.

Same here conceptually except just 3 suits.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

I have been dreaming of buying some Chuck's. As a young guy that played basketball, we wore them on and off the court. Admired the guys that could afford the suede ones. Mine were canvas.

I have a pair but truthfully, I don't think they are that comfortable. But, that might be due to the fact that I wear flip-flops about 98% of the time.

 

[Gumby]

I got rid of a bunch of clothes, but kept a couple suits, white shirts and ties for weddings and funerals. My 3 best "business casual" khaki pants and blue button-down shirts (winter) or polo shirts (summer) serve as my going to church or out to a nicer restaurant attire. Mostly, though, I wear jeans/flannel shirt in the winter and shorts/t-shirt in the summer.

 

[Ronstar]

Kept all of my good work clothes. Most are 10-15 years old with little wear because I worked from home or wore jeans to work my last few years.

Now I wear a decent pair of pants and shirt a few times a year. For some reason, DW doesn’t like to declutter when it comes to clothes. Otherwise I’d donate or toss out most of it.

 

[pacergal]

I kept a 3 pair of nice slacks, tops and 2 dresses/skirts. 2 pair heels.
Thats it, then the rest went to Goodwill.
Jeans and cotton tops are my uniform now! Much more comfortable.

 

[W2R]

Anybody else have trouble parting with work clothes?

Not me. I got rid of my formal work clothes (for meetings, conferences, etc) shortly after retiring. I saved one "little black dress" for funerals but that was all.

My everyday work clothes were another matter. I used to wear polo shirts and long black slacks. Well, the slacks became too big (due to losing weight) so I got rid of them several years after I retired. I always liked the polo shirts when I worked, and back in those days I wore them casually as well, but somehow I just wasn't wearing them at all after retirement. I think they reminded me of work. So after about a decade I got rid of them, too. I bought a bunch of Lands End ladies' t-shirts which I wear instead.

 

[Beldar]

I had NO problem parting with my "w*rk" clothing. All the suits, ties, shoes, cufflinks etc were boxed & donated in about 2 weeks. That was part of the cleansing action.

Next followed the awards, professional library and quite frankly anything that reminded me my previous life.

I do still have all of my military uniforms and gear though, but they were last used in the early '90s. The uniforms have all shrunk while in storage.( I've never understood that phenomena... )

_B

 

[rk911]

For some reason I decided that last night was the night to clean out my closet. I've been retired for a year or so, and have resisted doing this for some reason. My workplace was more formal than most, so mostly what I got rid of was suits and other things I would only wear to an office. It was strangely emotional, even though I'm enjoying retirement and never want to go back. Anybody else have trouble parting with work clothes?

nope. couldn't wait to get rid of the stuff. i kept two neckties, one sport coat, one pair of dress pants, one pair of dress shoes and a few pairs of dress socks for funerals and weddings. all the rest were donated to goodwill.

 

[iloveyoga]

After eight years it is pretty much all gone. I kept things for a while thinking I might wear them again but I never did. If I had to go someplace fancy, I would get something new.

 

[bingybear]

I'm keeping mine. The jeans and a T-shirt still works well.

 

[old medic]

I have uniforms, and I have already thinned down a bunch, will keep a work polo shirt in case I do some PT work, and still have an older dress uniform... Have several jackets and other gear that they can take back...