Sell Your Sole to the Devil

What is a clothing/shoe/accessory collector (aka: shopoholic) to do when her bank account is empty and her closet inventory is loaded?

She needs to part with her once fashionable and now unwanted/ill-fitting items that only take up space and do nothing for the figure. It's time to let go.

After being at home for a few days I went through my closet here and pulled out piles of dresses I haven't touched in years and jeans I will never fit into again, no matter how many hours on the treadmill I run. Let's face it, my high school body is long gone with my high school boyfriend. 

I had a mountain of Lacoste, Juicy, Diesel, Express, Guess and other brands that are not appropriate after the age of 20. Before completely donating these items to my younger cousins and family friends, I decided to take my stash to a second-hand clothing store and see if I could score some cash.

As I was setting down my pieces one-at-a-time on the "Sell Back" table, I saw my life flash before my eyes - well at least little flashes of fashion memories. The red Lacoste reminded me of my days at SMU. The black dress I wore to a ball in Los Angeles. I bought the Diesel jeans in NYC with my best friend Kyndal after graduating high school. The pink Juicy "Ditch Him" shirt my Mom bought me sophomore year as a hint to dump my then-current frat-boyfriend. (I did.)

But I couldn't let my sentimental side get in the way of my need to clean out my closet and boost my Bank of America balance. So I kept going and didn't look back. 

A sky-high pile of memories, fashion mistakes and darling outfits waited anxiously on the table to be judged by the sales girl with bleached-out hair and jeans without pockets on the butt. How could this girl know what was cute when she looked like she belonged in a Hot Topic store? 

I watched her pick up every piece, stare at them, check the zippers and buttons and ponder whether or not it would sell. I stared intensely like a mother watching her children be tested by a team of psychologists. There is nothing wrong with my kids! They are perfectly normal - better than the other children!

She chose about 2/3 of my collection and started pricing them. After punching in numbers on her calculator and adding up 30 pieces she presented me with the grand total: $105.14. I almost choked on my Diet Pepsi. $105 for 30 pieces??!!!! 

Out of curiosity, I asked her what my lime green Juicy suit sold for: $16. OMG. I bought that suit at Neimans for $150 three years ago. And now it's going for the price of my lunch at Chop't.

I was sick when I left the store. I felt like I had just sold my children to the Bulgarian slave mafia. 

Would my babies have a good home, someone to love and cherish them as I once had? 

I called Kyndal when I got home to mourn my loss; I wanted someone to comfort me and tell me my clothes would be in a better place. She was quick and to the point: "At least now you're $100 richer than you were before." More like $100 closer to digging myself out of my current hole, I responded. Nonetheless, point taken.

I can only hope that some girls (and confused adolescent boys) will find my clothes, love each piece for what they are, and have even better memories wearing them than I had.