If I have so many clothes, why can’t I get dressed?

I’m having an issue with getting dressed for work, or for lunch with a friend, or even for shopping. I have half our large walk-in closet full of tops and bottoms, and part of a closet in the third bedroom is filled with off-season clothes and spillover from the walk-in.

So there I stand, scrubbed clean from my shower, makeup on, staring at the array of clothing and wondering what to wear. These black pants? Um…they don’t quite fit this week. The gray ones are a little larger, so they’ll do. But what to pair with the gray pants…that’s harder. OK, aqua blue will go, but that particular top is a little short, and the way my tummy bulges in the gray pants will be obvious. Move on to the orange top. There’s a tiny hole near the neckline, but I haven’t had a chance to sew it yet.

This goes on, until I’m discouraged and ready to climb back into bed. Here are some of the other reasons I reject the items in my closet:

• The pants are too long unless I wear higher heels, but I have to do a lot of walking today.
• The pants are too short. What was I thinking when I was buying all those petites?
•  This yet-unworn jacket looks awful on me from a side view. Why did I buy it?
• This jacket fits and looks great…but are long ones still in style? And are the shoulder pads obvious?
• This blouse is not really as “no iron” as they claim. Who has time to drag out the iron and ironing board?
• This top would go perfectly. If only it weren’t so cold out.
• I can’t wear this tank top unless I go back into the bathroom and shave under my arms. What if it gets hot in my office and I have to take the jacket off?
• The neckline on this top is too low for work.

 There’s a cure for this: Coordinate your wardrobe in the first place. Buy items that go together at one time. Don’t buy something that goes with nothing else in your closet just because it’s on sale. And, finally, get rid of those things that don’t work, ever. They just add confusion and inhibit decision-making.

The trick is to follow my own advice. Because I love to shop, I am prone to impulse buying. I’m not a shopaholic, but I’m sure I could now have some expensive, coveted item if I hadn’t made so many bad purchases.

Now I’m going to go put on my jeans. They go with almost everything, don’t they? But wait…I just washed them and I doubt that I’ll be able to zip them up—especially after that brownie I ate last night.