"Pride" by Donovan Prestonville

This week's pieces of the week feature our senior tutors, some of whom represent our very first HWC tutors. We wish them the best of luck in all that they do, and especially in their writing!

Some would say I have a big closet, gargantuan even. Some would say I have too much clothing. Some would say I’m a money waster. I say everyone has to have something they’re proud of. That massive, overflowing, expensive closet is my pride and joy. It’s an everlasting symbol of me. My class, my elegance, my style.

I’ll address the shoes first. I admit, I have quite a collection. People’s mouths gape and their eyes bug out upon first seeing the rows and rows of boxes. It is in no way wasteful to have near 100 pairs of shoes; it is essential. Shoes are what make the woman. They express the attitude of the wearer, from work-casual navy sling-backs to club night glittery platform peep-toes. Shoes are essential to a look, they tie the whole outfit together from head to toe. Shoes can make or break a look. For instance, pairing a sleek and classic black patent leather pump with a jersey dress can elevate the whole look, making it evening worthy. Whereas donning nautical sperrys with the same jersey dress will raise some eyebrows and attract more than a little disdain. A variety of shoes is thus necessary to proportionally match the variety of outfits a closet can possibly create.

Diversity in a wardrobe is key. In the same way that a personality is diverse, with many sides and facets, so must a wardrobe be. Absolutely never can you wear those grey office slacks to an evening work gathering. No, no. The difference between the 7am-5pm monotonous work day and the 8 o’clock corporate dinner is insurmountable. Although they are both work events and require appropriate office attire, it is foolish to think them the same. While swiveling in that just barely comfortable chair behind an imposing desk, grey slacks are the perfect expression of dutiful concentration. The grey is part of the accepted bland workplace color scheme, and slacks instead of jeans are pivotal for appropriateness. Thus when transitioning into the corporate dinner, the grey becomes lackluster and the slacks become too industrial. Such outside-of-office events are the chance to reveal a hint of personality behind the composed 7-5 exterior. Add a pop of color, throw on some accessories, pump up the heels, perhaps even stretch to a print!

            Now it is time to discuss formal wear. Formal wear is the lifeline of a closet. It is when you prove to the world that “ok, you dress casual during the week, but hell yeah, you know how to put an outfit together”. The formal section of your closet is the contradictor, the “you’re wrong”. If your formal wear is merely the same selection of clothing that you wear to the Friday Night Bowling Special, then your lifeline is nonexistent and you are drowning.

            When I say formal dress, I am referring to the evening gowns for the opera, the cocktail dresses for family gatherings, and the funky festive wear for holidays. There are no other clothes of as much importance as these. Even if you possess only a single LBD (Little Black Dress for the unknowing), it must be elegant enough and versatile enough to encompass all formal affairs. Hence, do not skimp when purchasing for this category! It is much wiser to buy an expensive yet gorgeously re-wearable piece instead of multiple cheap knockoffs. These are the moments to impress and make a memorable statement in the minds of others, something scrooges cannot accomplish when clutching the clasps of their wallets.

           

              It should seem quite acceptable now that I have such a vast closet as I do. Clothes silently speak for the wearer, subconsciously creating judgments and opinions from those around. They are a representation of the person’s soul, of their very essence. A minute wardrobe does no justice to such a unique soul as the human.