spring cleaning
March 11, 2017I know I have a lot of clothes and shoes and bags. I’m not going to dispute that, and I could show my husband a lot of other girls who have even more than me and he doesn’t accept such excuses… so I won’t try that with you either. Haha. But really, no one needs this much stuff, let’s just clarify that. But I guess I do it because it’s one of my favourite things in the world. And plus, I work in fashion, I need to be updated always. Consider them research (This also doesn’t work with Dean btw…).
People always ask me how my wardrobe looks like and how they’d like to have a look. Well ok, so I converted one of the rooms in my place as my wardrobe (When we moved in, Dean suggested it be his study room and I laughed in his face. End of story.). In this room, sits everything I own that is fashion; clothes, shoes, bag, makeup, sunnies, dUCks, bracelets, necklaces, rings, watches, a random straw hat, a Frenchmaid costume my friend Pot bought me for my bridal shower… Although I have a room as my space, seriously, it’s getting really too cramped for all of these things in Vivy Fashion Land.
Letting them go? Ohhhh my heart so pain hearing that. I told Dean I don’t have too much stuff, I just need a bigger room, to which I receive a death stare from Dean. You don’t understand… each of these item that ended up in here has a story. I remember each and every one of them; where I bought it, what designers named them, whether or not they were a gift and from who, where I wore it to, what I paired it with. I know where everything is and what every item represents in my memory box of life.
“But you have 40 white tops,” Dean rudely pointed out.
His point….?
“Yes I do,” I say proudly, much to his non-amusement. “And each of these 40 white tops have a separate story.”
He left the room, rolling his eyes.
He needs to see someone about this rudeness thing.
Anyway, my point is…. they all mean so much to me. Either they were a milestone buy, an impulse purchase, a collaboration via FashionValet, a gift from a designer, they made me who I am today. They stuck by me through my braces days, they made me confident for my first day of uni, they were creations of countless meetings with designers and celebs, they covered my baby bump protectively, they never judged me… except that one white crop top that showed my back fat, that one was so tight it was just super rude.
So naturally, the two words that make my wardrobe door lock itself….
SPRING CLEANING.
NOOOOOOOOOOO.
Each time I have one with a heavy heart, I will give a little speech that includes phrases like “It’s me, not you”, “It’s not goodbye”, “You will always be cherished”, “This is hard for me too” and other verses you hear in a Boyz II Men breakup song. Worst day of my life. End of an era.
I had one recently and sigh let’s not even talk about how I felt. It was so pain…. very the pain.
But I usually give it away to charity or pass it to all the girls at FV and dUCk, and when I see the smiles on their faces getting new clothes, it mends the broken heart. Well, except for that one time in 2014 when I saw one of them go for my Marc Jacobs top on the railing…. I totally went back and asked for it. HAHAHAHA.
But really, I know that it’s ok to let go of some pieces of your life. Because whatever it is, the item might not be there physically anymore, but it lives forever in your heart. Let some pieces go to make room for new pieces. Or whatever I tell myself to keep sane seeing ten IKEA bags leave my house.
Anyway, I wanted to show you some of the pieces that mean so much to me, ones I would cry for days if I lost them. Well, not all cos then I would need a year of your life focusing on your screen. But just a select few.
Disclaimer: If you are my other clothes that were not featured here and you are reading this, please don’t think you’re any less special.
This hideous top is my mom’s. This kept me company for both my confinements. It didn’t make me feel pretty, that’s for sure haha. But it did make me feel very loved.
These pants were from a brand that joined FV long ago called Chic Yamada. They closed down already which is such a shame because I love their designs. These pants I wore when I was pregnant because I loved them so much, but now I can’t wear them anymore because I’ve stretched the hips and butt like no other. So it just hangs in my closet, reminding me of good memories.
This beautiful draped top is why I fell in love with Nurita Harith and reminds me of the time I wanted so badly to sign her on with FV. This top made me feel so beautiful and it was the start of beautiful memories in FV for me. I can’t fit it anymore and that hurts my feelings, so this top is at the back of the closet, but I can never ever let it go.
Ahhhh, if you know me well, you’d know what this top was about. It was a tribute to Opah, I made my friends at Mimpikita design a top inspired by Opah. She used to wear such big top with pockets on them for her tissue and toothpicks haha. So they just added lace. We launched them on FV and they sold out immediately. This one I will protect fiercely, it’s Queen B in my wardrobe. And it also reminds me of the love I have for Mimpikita as a brand, way before FV even started.
This, I bought in Selfridges with Dean when we were studying in London. I still remember it was almost 400 pounds and I was thinking so hard whether I should buy it or not. It’s stayed with me through happy times, exam times, fights with Dean, through the gloomy cold in winter. Because it was white, it lifted up my mood everytime I wore it (everyone wears black in winter yawn). It’s so old now that I’ve lost all of its buttons but one, but I still wear it every time I go to London because it just gives me that familiarity.
For obvious reasons. My love, my baby, the start of such great things in my life now. This jumper was made for us to wear when we first opened our pop up store in Bangsar Village for Raya. I feel such pride wearing it until today. I have 4 of these haha.
Do you guys remember?!!! Ahhhh this one is koyak like no other but I really cannot ever ever ever let this go. So much memories from uni and everytime Dean and I had an argument, I’d wear these pants to sleep and say “I know right?!!” to that poor looking bald cartoon guy. Dean loves these pants too because they’re funny, and he’s even tried wearing them once. -___-“
This shirt I wore for both pregnancies. I stretched it out so much but the feeling of satisfaction that I can fit into a shirt during my pregnancy is just….ah, so self-satisfactory even though you’re exploding in it tearing the seams apart. This shirt was what I was wearing when Dean gave me my push gift, he surprised me with a blue Celine bag and I cried. Hormones I guess, but also cos I really wanted the red version. HAHAHAH I’m kidding!
This belongs to either Toots or Mimak, I can’t remember. It was during one of our sleepovers and I wore it and never gave it back. And never intend to either. Nyehhh. This kaftan reminds me to keep grounded (I think that’s why I love wearing kaftans, no matter how koyak it is) and that my best friends are always there for me. And how lucky I am to have a friendship so pure and I should never take them for granted.
Ahhh, opening this memory box is so nice 🙂
Do you have something in your closet that you can never seem to let go?
Will always be my fav idol <3
That shoe racks gives me heart eyes all the time
Sorry Vivy, my eyes are more focusing on the mounting shoes behind the `what are you story telling here again’?’ bahahahah
can i get one of your top ????????????
V i want one baju! Hahahaha
sy ada 1 pasang baju kurung, ocean blue, satin with small small flower here and there. i will keep until forever as it been choosing by my late dad which is he always keep saying “abah tak reti la pilih” but that time during raya EVERYBODY said “cantiknya baju”. those memories….. ahh
love this post to the max!! had my spring cleaning once a year and never looked back but crying out loud (in my heart).. women’s struggles though
I used to have a box of ‘good memories baju’. all the stuff i no longer wear but have good memories of, i keep in this box. Even a labcoat from my uni days. I keep it there for years, and then one year i just give it away. It’s like phasing it out from your life. From in your wardrobe, to a box under the bed and then out of my life.
I also keep all my pregnancy clothes in a separate box. Cleaned and ready for the next pregnancy.
All winter coats and sweater, at the veerrryyy back of the wardrobe because it will never be winter in Malaysia, but never give them away because then I have to buy new ones everytime i travel to cold places.
And once an item can no longer fit, it has no place in my wardrobe. That is a rule. It’s like “How dare you not to fit me anymore, off you go”
And i gave away lots of raya outfits. Because you get excited closer to raya with all this sales and new designs and you buy more than you need, so these is out of my wardrobe pretty quick. Plus you dont even wear a simple baju kurung everyday, let alone the fancy, pretty but make you sweaty ones!
What a memories …
I have all my my kurung cotton that my mom sew for me. Even though i cannot fit in it anymore still i wanna wear it hehehe *unzip the skirts 😀
duck weave in blue. it was my first duck and first limited edition duck 🙂
Love reading your writing. Funny but meaningful.
“Either they were a milestone buy, an impulse purchase,” vivy you lost me at this. There is a story behind an impulse purchase ? hahaha
my handbags. the ones that my father bought me from oversea. they have sentimental values to me. thank you for your lovely post! love it ❤️❤️❤️
Same goes to me V! Everytime I do spring cleaning.. Always like that, like everything has memories in it. Handbags, clothes, pants.. Haha..
I used to have a black and red dress. I would wear it everyday even though i ride bicycle with my friends.One day, i couldn’t find it and i cried. Some years after that, i found that dress become ‘ kain buruk’ by my mom.i want to keep the dress but it become so smelly. Just going to keep it As my precious memory. Huhu????????.
oh my god kak Vivy. noooo!!!! Im crying blood already. pleaseeeee for the love of god dont sell the ‘selfridges top’ , I remember your smile from that top. Can you imagine how pretty you look in that??! thats crazy! I think you’ll regret that the most. oh my, this post is too mean :'( you have the rights to keep everything! gahhhh.
I remember u had an oracle! If not yet done, plssss color cordinate your clothes and shoes and bags and share with us some picsssss ????????????????
i think u need to let go of your shoes too xD
LOVE this post!
‘Disclaimer: If you are my other clothes that were not featured here and you are reading this, please don’t think you’re any less special.’ this statement make me laugh and laugh and laugh
Hi Vivy!
I loooove the way you write this as if you were actually having a conversation! And that Burberry coat; heart clutch. Totalky worth the investment. ????
Haha. I lol-ed.
Declutter and reorganise thing aren’t easy, especially for women. We tend to hold on to memories. I feel you, however, I tried to stop stuff from coming in, and try my best to just let things go although it makes me guilty for no reason at all.
As a fashion persona and someone who is in fashion line of business, you have the reason to keep things. Or get another house, make it a museum for all your baju. Haha.
P/s: Nothing beats a koyak PJ or kaftan. They feel like home!
“40 white tops”!! omg goals
Ka Vivy, I would love to buy one of your clothes from your wardrobe one day(with acceptable price pls ????)
Youre really an inspiration to me and knowing you love clothes is the main reason why I started to focus more on Fashion and that we shouldnt be selekeh at any time possible.
I hope one day youd sale your clothes on fv because I would really love to have a piece of you in my closets which also includes my yellow Cardigan I wore when you went to Brunei during FV clearance sale, you held me and my yellow cardigan and I promise myself to only wear during important times because I really love you and that Im really thankful to get the opportunity to meet you.
Please sell your clothes one day if you happen to have another Spring Cleaning, I’d definitely buy your clothes ????
Much Love from your dUCky fan from Brunei
“End of an era” – Rachel heheh
you r so cute !!!
your writing is so Natural, Vy 🙂 Love them so much
omg i remember you used to wear the chic yamada, and the stripe top a lot! and the boys are smelly pants!
so cool!!!one day, i hope i will marry a rich man and have the same as your walk-in wardrobe. #prayforme
I wish I have one wardrobe room like you but definitely No No No for my OCD hubby ????????????
o my shoes.. you sounds just like becky bloomwood!
Fully agree with you Bizu. Vivy can explain every items with their stories xD
Wow….so adorable… pls sell ur bju kurung..i want buy it… give the lowest price ????????????
Btw, u so cute, beautiful, gorgeous..
i hope i have one because im such a move on person ;”