I’ve had a lot of clothes in my life. High school was the height of my shopping addiction. Luckily for my purse I was into second hand stores at the time. Every weekend I’d go to thrift shops and vintage stores rummaging for the best/strangest/cheapest items I could find. I got 70s printed shirts with wide collars, t-shirts with dumb sayings like “it’s not a bald spot it’s a solar panel for a sex machine” and a polyester pink leisure suit for $10 (which was a lot for me back then). I had so many clothes that I rarely wore the same outfit twice.

When I moved out of my parent’s house I filled four suitcases full of clothing.  And still the pile continued to grow. After about four years I finally decided to lighten my load: I got rid of all unflattering styles, clothing I had never worn, and things that didn’t fit me anymore. I purged as hard as I once binged. I think I donated over ten garbage bags full of clothing, sending them back into the world from whence they came.

Since moving to the UK I’ve had to minimalize not just my wardrobe but my life. Aside from a few token heirlooms and memorabilia that I’ve stowed at my Father’s house I’m now living with only three suitcases of stuff; that includes, clothes, jackets, my computer, and shoes! It’s a total 180 from where I was when I first moved to Vancouver.

This past weekend I was shopping for a jean jacket as it’s Spring now and I lost my last one in London. I was rummaging through a second hand store on Main Street when I came across a jacket I recognized. It was a Chinese style quilted jacket in cream with a pink and orange flower pattern. It’s a very unique piece. I’m pretty sure it was hand-made and I’m pretty sure I bought it at a thrift store many years ago. I paused for a moment looking at the jacket, holding it on the hanger. I looked at it and it was as if the jacket looked back at me. “So we meet again,” we seemed to say to each other.  Then knowing that wasn’t what I was looking for, nor was it my style anymore, I put the jacket back on the rack. I left the store empty handed but with a smile on my face; all was right in the world.