u/SS_from_1990s

If you look at me, you’d think my eyes were brown, but actually they are hazel. In the right light, and wearing the right color, they can look green.

I bought a cute, bright green dress online. The kind that would really bring the color out in my eyes. The model looked so pretty wearing it. I had an image of me wearing it in the summer fluttering around like a butterfly.

But when I tried it on, it just didn’t look right. But I didn’t want to give it up. I thought I just needed the right belt, or the right underwear, or to lose a few pounds. So in my closet, it stayed.

I took it out again yesterday. Tried it on. And came to the realization that it just wasn’t meant for me.

In the box it goes. Along with the pink dress that never looked right.

And as I dropped off the box at the donation shop this morning, I felt relief.

Letting those summer dresses go felt like choosing the version I actually am. Someone who can make room in her closet,and her life, for things that actually fit!

I was at a large department store the other day. It had separate floors for women’s clothes, men’s clothes, and household goods.

I was on the women’s floor, where there were dresses, swimsuits, lingerie, etc.

The fitting rooms were tucked away in a corner.

Unlike shops like Uniqlo or Old Navy, where there’s a central set of fitting rooms and staff asks you how many items you are trying on, and unlocks the door for you, these fitting rooms were completely unmanned.

I went back to try something on, but there were two men standing there. One was standing at the end in front of the trifold mirror, and the other was standing between two fitting rooms.

The department store staff came back and said to the first man. “Hi, I’m sorry, but this is the women’s fitting room,” she said.

The man just looked at her and smirked. “Oh? Uh-huh,” he replied.

She repeated herself, saying it was the women’s fitting room. He just nodded and smiled and said, “Oh ok,” without moving.

I could see that the young woman was starting to get nervous, realizing that this was going to be a confrontation.

She began to speak again when the other man, the one standing in front of the trifold mirror, started to walk out. His friend followed him.

Then, he said in a mocking voice, “Oh so it’s the women’s fitting room. Who knew, ha ha ha.”

Apparently, they were waiting for their girlfriends or female friends. There were also two chairs right outside the fitting rooms!

I felt so bad for the young woman. I know that if a man had told them, those guys would have left immediately.

I have a long, low cubby shelf in my bedroom, and it’s basically a magnet for junk. There’s so much surface area that I’ve ended up piling more stuff on top of it than inside the actual shelves.

I’m wondering what to do. Part of me wants to pull everything off, move it all into the living room, give the shelf a proper dusting and deep clean, and then start fresh. Then I could sort through everything out there, toss the junk, and only bring back what I actually want , and put it back neatly organized.

But another part of me wonders if I should just tackle it as it is.

Just looking at it fills me with dread.

Help.