Closet Kindness
A UNH Health Services "Tidbit" 
by Lisa Dinsmore and Suzanne Sonneborn
The closet is a great place to start treating our bodies with kindness. Think of how you feel physically if you choose to wear clothing that doesn't fit your body well. Most of us can recall a time when we've chosen to wear some article of clothing that constricts comfortable movement or even comfortable breathing! This is a stark contrast to slipping into something that encourages us to move - and breathe - freely.
Dressing comfortably can make the difference between feeling good in our skin and treating our body kindly throughout the day, or feeling completely uncomfortable in our skin and resenting our body's size or shape. It's often difficult to care for our body by eating well and being physically active when we don't feel good about it in the first place. Feeling comfortable in our skin starts with being comfortable in our clothes. This means physical comfort in terms of wearing clothes that are neither too big nor too small. It also means fashion comfort in terms of wearing clothes that allow you to express your own personal style.
So, here are some "closet tips" for caring for your body with kindness:
- Let go of the clothes that no longer fit comfortably. Why let them take up space in your closet or in your head? Give them to Goodwill or a local shelter, or sell them to a consignment shop and use the money to purchase new clothes.
- Clean out your closet with a friend and swap clothes with each other.
- Always buy clothes that fit now, not ones that you hope will fit someday. You and your body deserve to feel comfortable today.
- If you don't like the number on the tag inside your comfortable clothing, get rid of the tag. Here's a secret: No one knows what size we're wearing and the numbers aren't consistent anyway.
- Try something new. Look for fun clothes in new places. Check out outlet stores for sales, visit on-line catalogs, or ask someone whose fashion style you like where s/he shops.
- Start small. Few people can afford to revamp their entire wardrobe overnight. Choose one article of uncomfortable clothing to let go of and treat yourself to a well-fitting replacement.
For more on this topic check out these websites: