STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

I say pitch it!  If you haven't worn it in two years, you probably won't wear it again.  And it doesn't matter if you spent $4 on it or $400--if you're not wearing it, it's taking up space in your closet and you could sell it on eBay.

Also, chances are that if that style comes back around again it's a) going to be awhile and b) probably going to be interpreted in such a way as to make the original still look dated.

I'm pretty heartless when it comes to cleaning out my closet.  If I'm not wearing it, it goes.  And honestly, there's nothing I've tossed yet that I've regretted.

I'm going to present the other side of the coin here.  I've been ruthless when cleaning out my closet in the past couple years, and have regretted getting rid of things quite alot.  But that depends on your situation - I've lived in 5 different homes and 3 different cities in the past 4 years, so needless to say my situation - including financial, work, social, climate - has changed quite dramatically.  I regret getting rid of situation-dependant things, including some coats, boots, shoes, sweaters, workout/casual stuff, and dressier work stuff.  Even if I didn't need them anymore in my of-the-moment situation, or I was feeling unispired by them, etc, I wish I would have boxed much of it up and left it for a year or so.  Then I could have looked through everything after being without it for a year and re-evaluate it in an un-biased way.  I now find myself having to re-buy things that I have previously gotten rid of.

-Elle, who currently only has one 'nice' coat, 3 sweaters, one pair of nice boots and no snow boots to her name because of her own ruthless, wonton purging

I completely go thru my closet two times/year.  I usually put on everything in my closet just to recheck that the fit still works and is still flattering.  I get rid of anything that isn't working on my body or is looking worn or dated.

In terms of timing, I generally get rid of anything that I haven't worn in a year.  This spring I'll get rid of any winter stuff that wasn't worn this winter.  I don't just wholesale get rid of stuff tho.  I do consider each item, particularly how much I paid for it and whether or not it could become a classic.  For example, I invested in a gorgeous Nanette LaPore lace skirt a couple winters ago.  I haven't worn it for at least 18 months, but it is beautiful and I think it is cut in a style that could be worn for many, many years.  I really haven't worn it just because I haven't had an occasion to wear it.

Generally, I'm an advocate for getting rid of things.  I like my closet to be nice and organized, so I get anxious to make space when it starts busting at the seams.

Elle, I hear you on this. I grew up in Arizona (Phoenix) and as Halleybird and others can attest, you never really *need* boots or a winter coat there. In most instances a light jacket will do just fine. BUT since we moved to Georgia three years ago, I've had to add a lot of things to my wardrobe that I didn't have. We don't really get snow here, but it gets a lot colder than Phoenix, and we were so broke the first winter we moved here (DH was out of work for 18 months before he got a job here) that we had to charge and pay off my $200 winter coat!

I did have heavier winter clothes when I lived in northern AZ for school for two years, but I don't miss those clothes, because my college wardrobe was hardly what I would wear now. But the moving can be hazardous to one's wardrobe, as your post indicates.

I think of the two-year rule as applying more toward everyday things - not coats, scarves, even boots to some degree. Our goal is actually to move to Colorado in the hopefully not-so-distant future (DH is from there and we both love the state) but even if his job took us to CA or AZ - either of which could happen - I would keep my heavier clothes (though probably stored) because you just never know where life can take you.

I kind of took the opposite approach - I left a corporate job when we moved and started my own business, so really have no need for corporate clothes anymore. I have kept just a few things from those days in the closet - one good suit, two skirts that I really don't wear now but are so pretty I can't part with them, a dressy pencil skirt - but I kept almost everything at first and slowly started replacing them with items more suited to my life now. Usually what I do is cull a "Goodwill" pile and then I don't get around to it for a bit, so the items sit in bags in the back bedroom for several months. That gives me one last shot at reclaiming something I might regret giving away, but really that's happened once, I think. Usually if it's ready to go, it's really ready. *s*

I'm hoping you can get some snow boots soon. Your feet must be so sad and cold!
BTW are you still having all that foot pain??