Give up, turn it loose

There comes a time in every person's life when he or she has to let go of certain things they hold dear. Ever since I was a little girl, I have had a hard time letting go of certain articles of clothing. It could be anything -- old shoes or jeans with holes in the bottom. \nWhen I like something, I tend to get really attached, and if someone tries to take it away I will get a crazed look in my eyes followed by unreasonable actions. One time, I got into a screaming match with my boyfriend over a pair of old shoes I wore until they had holes in them. What can I say? I get attached. I still wear Pumas I have had since seventh grade. \nNow that I am older, I've found letting go is a part of growing up. Over the past month and-a-half, I have cleaned out my closet several times, but I still have lots of things I will probably never wear again. Each time I go back, I have to think of a different strategy to rid myself of some very tacky items I still have stored away. Every time I clean out my closets, I find the same clothes I never wear are still there. I'm pretty convinced I black out when I am cleaning my closet and the items just don't go into the trash bag.\nIn the April issue of Vogue, there is an article titled " Behind Closed Doors" about reselling your old clothes. Of course, the women in the article were selling back couture items and some very expensive clothes, but I decided to follow suit. I have nice clothes to give away, or so I thought.\nI tried to give away a pair of green suede pumps and some other items to Plato's Closet and they wouldn't take them. I was so embarrassed. It was at that moment I realized I have a problem with letting go of old clothes. Come on, if Plato's Closet wouldn't take them, then they must have been really outdated. \nSo I have decided to clean out my closet and get rid of everything I do not wear, regardless of how special it is to me. To be quite honest, some of the stuff is no more than junk. In the same issue of Vogue, there is an article about ex-model Jennifer Gimenez and her battle with letting go of clothing. Apparently, her weight has fluctuated over the years, and she has learned to let go of clothes that do not flatter her figure. \n"What you won't find in her closet are clothes that are too small for her ... She hasn't even saved any of her beloved Azzedine Alaia from back in the day when she modeled for him," the article read. \nThe article inspired me in so many ways, especially since it concluded her actions are a sign of not living in the past. So I have decided to live in the present and throw away things which I cannot fit into. I have a pair of cargo jeans from five years ago I haven't thrown away -- and let's face it -- even if I could get into them I would not wear them in public. I am a pack rat, and a I need to unburden myself. \nFor instance, I have a pair of white windbreakers I wore with a North Carolina Tar Heels jersey. I would still have the jersey if one of my so-called friends wouldn't have stolen it from me. Anyway, I think it is time to rid myself of these pants, but it is so hard to let go. \nThey hold so many memories. I wore those pants when I was dating my first boyfriend, and now that I think about it, I will throw them away. Hindsight is 20/20, and your vision should be too when looking over old clothes. \nSo if you see a trash bag full of Pumas, green suede pumps and tacky shirts, it is probably mine. Of course, I am going to burn the white windbreakers. Maybe the sayings "if you really love something let it go," and "if it was meant to be it will come back," will prove true. Maybe -- just maybe, my old sneakers will come back as lace up Gucci boots.