The master bedroom closet at our new house is quite a bit smaller than the one at our old house. Half of Art’s clothes are laying on my hope chest. He has to dig through the pile just to find something to wear.  We decided it was time to make more room in the closet (at least so we can shut the door).

photo of women's clothes hanging on a line with title "My Clothes Are My History"

While I was weeding through old clothes, I started reminiscing about some of the special events I had attended while wearing them.  I found the oldest thing in my closet, a Japanese kimono.

the author's black and white kimonoI was given this kimono back in 1977.  My family hosted exchange students from Japan that summer.  At the end of the hosting period, all the students put on a show for the host families.  Our two students dressed me in one of their kimonos and then gave it to me as a gift when they left.

the author at age 10 wearing her black and white kimono with red sash and Japanese sandalsNext I found my pink Hawaiian shirt from 1985 (I called it my Magnum P.I. shirt):

the author's pink Hawaiian shirtHere I am wearing it that year.  Look what a baby I was!!

the author in 1985 wearing her pink Hawaiian shirtNext is the dress I wore to my 10 year high school reunion:

the author's black and white reunion dressAnd here I am wearing it at the reunion:

the author and her husband at her 10 year high school reunionThis is not my favorite photo, but to my defense, this was only 8 months after Bud was born.

Here’s the dress I wore to Art’s 20th reunion.  We call it the “Maui” dress because that’s where we bought it:

the author's Maui dressAnd here I am wearing it back in 2004:

the author and her husband at his 20th high school reunionAnd finally, the first dress I bought when I was heavy to make myself feel pretty:

the author's yellow dress

 And here I am wearing it – 23 pounds down.  I had to cinch it with a belt so it would still fit:

the author wearing her yellow dress with a black belt

 It’s amazing how my clothes can tell my story!!

What about you?  Do you hang on to any of your old clothes?  What stories do they tell?

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