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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (March 18, 2011)
• feature • OREGON'S LGBTO NEWSMAGAZINE Even though weather.com shows our forecast menu to consist entirely of chilled rain served with a side of fog, wind, or worse— both, spring is, in fact, upon us. W ith the air of renewal in the atmosphere, I say it’s time for all of us to take a moment to tackle cleaning out our respective closets— not only to make room for some fabu lous spring fashions but, c’mon, you know you’ve been putting it off. Instead of going on one more aimless hike, starting yet another smelly com post heap or canning your 600th jar of jam, why not take the time to do something truly useful and edit that outdated wardrobe? I don’t want to toot my own horn too much, but when it comes to closet cleaning and organi zation I’m somewhat of a pro. I’m very meticu lous about my own closet’s state of affairs and can’t stand when other people’s are not clean and organized. Once my dear friend, Tiffany, wanted me to help her pack for a trip to Italy, which sounded like fun to me until we actually tried to find clothing in her closet. There wasn’t the first hint of rhyme or reason in there, and I could seriously feel hives forming on my skirt when she couldn’t even find several pieces she wanted to take on the trip. I made Tiffany give me the keys to her apartment then and there, and I in formed both her and her husband, Scott, that they would return from Europe to find immacu lately clean and organized closets. Over the next week I spent several hours redoing their storage Springing Out of the Closet Sir Lennox Says BY KEVIN LENNOX spaces from top to bottom—let’s just say their Since I can’t be there to hold all of your lives have never been the same. hands, be your own bad cop when it comes to The first step in this process is to clean and purging and, most importantly, be honest with purge. Set aside some time, roll up your sleeves yourself. You know you haven’t worn that crazy and dive in with the mental party dress (or even that ity of truly trying to get rid of You know you haven’t worn crazy Red Dress party a few of the fashion ghosts in dress) in at least a year, and that crazy party dress (or your closet; In my experience don’t try to justify holding people usually like to have a even that crazy Red Dress onto it because you think friend there to help with a one day it will be vintage party dress) in at least a second opinion on what to and thus cool. That will keep or toss. However, if you year, and don’t try to justify never happen. And those can’t get anyone, don’t wor skinny jeans you haven’t fit holding onto it because ry. About 90 percent of the into since the turn o f the people I have helped exorcise you think one day it will be millennium? Guess what, % their fashion demons already you’re not Cher and you vintage and thus cool. That know what they need to get can’t turn back time; most rid of before we even will never happen. likely you’re not going to start. The phrase I hear over lose the at least 20 pounds and over while trudging through the trenches is needed to look decent in them again. Instead of “I know...”—because most of you already know trying to lose weight to ke?p a useless piece of the things in your' closet that you don’t wear, clothing, here’s an idea: Just lose the jeans. You wore once and never again, or bought on a total know what needs to go. whim that has no place in your life whatsoever. Now that the great purge portion is done, you want to move on to the organizational sec tion. This is always my favorite part; it makes me happy to see clothing presented in an orderly, color-coordinated manner. The way I approach it is to first break the items into groups. My groups are. pants, long-sleeve shirts, short-sleeve shirts, long-sleeve polos, short-sleeve polos, etc. W ithin those groups I organize each category by color starting with the lightest, generally white, and working d<rwn to black. Then I go to the next category, organizing it by color as well until all of them are done. After you’ve gone through all your categories you should be left with an im maculately organized paean to fashion. Finally, once your closet is organized and presentable, I recommend sizing up all that you still have in your wardrobe and looking for fash ion holes you may need to fill. Do you have that perfect little black dress or the right dark-rinsed jeans to go out in? Take stock of what you do and don’t have so when you’re out shopping this spring you make better use of your money by purchasing things your wardrobe actually needs. If you follow these simple instructions, I swear you’ll save time, money and future anxiety over what to wear. Now that your closet is clean, check hack to learn what spring trends you should Jill it with— or email me fo r advance notice: kf . v in @ t h f . s t u - DIOPDX.COM. 4 Maloy's jewelry Workshop Band together. 717 SW IOth Ave Portland, OR 97205 503.223.4720 www.maloys.com Maloy’s offers a fabulous selection o f antique and estate jewelry and fine custom jewelry, as well as restoration and repair services.
