We’ve been on the road over six months and yet our available wardrobe selections have not changed much in that time. We made a few small additions over the past couple months like adding:
- A new bug-resistant shirt prior to heading to Southeast Asia
- A new summer top to our rotation while we were in Thailand
- An old favorite sweatshirt from home when my brother visited us in Europe
However, our core wardrobe pieces have remained unchanged during that time. We have observed the gradual wear and tare take its toll on some of our clothes, most notably I’ve had holes develop in many articles of clothing, including two (out of three) pairs of socks, my black cardigan sweater and my only pair of jeans! In addition, my tennis shoes, which have seen a lot of use around the world developed a very foul smell that could clear a room. It was time—time to retire some pieces and add a few new items to our wardrobe.
We happened to be in New Zealand over the holidays. When walking through town and watching TV we observed the holiday and post-holiday sales and ads. So, we decided to do some browsing. It is amazing what a little retail therapy can do for a gal!
As we passed through stores in a few different cities, we found ourselves jumping at the “sales” and adding to our material possessions. I found myself adding the following: a new pack-able day pack, a lightweight fleece, a pair of shorts, a pair of jeans, a tee-shirt, new underwear, and a new pair of kicks (tennis shoes)! Granted I really did not NEED everything I bought, but it did feel good to add a few new pieces to my wardrobe. Kevin did better than I did at resisting the “sale” temptations. When making the new purchases, I had the best intentions of discarding some of my old clothes, especially those that were worn out. However, we found it amazing how attached we had become to the few belongings that we had been traveling with for the past six months. Outside of my tennis shoes, which beyond reeked, I found myself very reluctant to dispose of any of my old items. I may have even shed a tear when Kevin suggested that I toss one of my items that has lots of holes! As a result, I am carrying a few more pounds than I was previously, but with a little time, I am hopeful that I will be able to part with some of my dependable go-to items.
