my closets speak to me

I told you recently I was cleaning all the closets in my house. I clean my bedroom closet every year. I clean out my closets and have some sort of revelation. Last year it was THIS. 

This year as I rummaged through my clothing and got rid of even more shoes, I had this weird moment. In that moment I held skirts in one hand, dress pants in another. And in that moment I thought, "When did I get my 'big girl' wardrobe?"

In college I literally lived in tshirts. Everyday I wore a tshirt. Everyday. On Sundays I had about three items to choose from, but would usually roam the dorm or my roommate's closet until I found something I wanted to wear to church. Otherwise- tshirts. 

I mean, college is a time to be comfy. You can't learn everything you need to learn and write every paper you need to write unless you can wear sweats and tshirts at all times. 

And you can't participate in a slime fight without a good tshirt. 

And you won't have enough tshirts to cut up to make sweet 80s clothes for airband [which you will WIN], if you don't have a million to choose from. 

When I made the homecoming court my senior year, I flipped out a little bit because I knew I didn't have a cute dress-- so I borrowed one from a girl I sort of kind of knew, and even had to borrow a necklace from another girl. My roommate was wise and was just chilling in her tshirt. 

All that to say-- I did not have a professional wardrobe when Brent and I first got married and moved to Louisville. I took a job at a great school and proceeded to panic. I had one good "interview outfit," a couple of slacks, and some frumpy sweaters. I had no paycheck yet. What was a girl to do? 

I thought I would never build up a "big girl" closet. 

And now, here I am five years later. Somehow, little by little, my tshirts have made their way to the trash or donation piles, and in their places I have button up shirts and skirts and cardigans and… It's a bit crazy, to be quite honest. 

Two and a half years ago when we moved, and I switched schools, I didn't have to worry because I knew I could look the part of a put together teacher (now acting the part? That's another story all together). When graduation rolled around (and Paige graduated), I busted out this outfit, thinking it totally normal that I had a high waisted, belted pencil skirt and ruffled top. Totally normal. 

However, as I sorted through skirts of all varieties yesterday, I realized that I've grown too. Somewhere between the slime fights and my classroom I became the woman that can wear pencil skirts. 

Don't worry though- I still could rock jean day Friday like no one's business! 

**This post reminded me of THIS POST I wrote a few years back about growing up.