What to do this Lent with your Wardrobe
Lent is here! Can you believe how quickly it sprang upon us?!
You might think, okay, I’m only focusing on my spiritual reading this Lent and I’m going to hunker down with all things holy.
However, in the spirituality of St. Therese of Lisieux, all of our ordinary and daily activities can be done for God! So... since it’s Lent, let’s see how we can apply that approach to how we look at our wardrobes.
I’ve taken the three pillars of Lent, (prayer, almsgiving, and fasting), and I’m going to offer practical applications for us to apply to our closets. Of course, this accompanies our bigger Lenten goals, too, but that goes without saying.
Here are nine ways to fast, sacrifice and give alms with your wardrobe:
Fast from...
Impulse buying. Now is a great time to make more educated decisions. We live in a saturated market of clothing, so it’s easy for your closet to become jumbled with things that don’t work harmoniously. Prioritize and plan your most important purchases. When you prioritize and plan your closet, you will find yourself happily rewarded.
Taking too much time changing outfits until finding the right one. We all know the feeling of putting something on, feeling ‘meh’ about it and, tearing it off to try on another outfit. Sometimes, this might even make you late for an appointment or date (unfortunately, I’ve fallen victim to this more than once!). Now is a good time to not fret if you’re unhappy with your outfit. Prioritize being on time for your appointment and not on how you feel in your clothes.
Saying, “I’ll fix my wardrobe at some point…”. Have you ever had a situation where you kept complaining and then a friend/family member enlightens you that you should either do something about it or stop the dang complaining?
Penance by...
Wearing something uncomfortable: Now, I’m not saying to get your Medieval hair shirt out, but in the spirit of St. Therese of Lisieux, even the smallest act or sacrifice can be done for God. Maybe this means wearing an uncomfortable sock or wearing jeans when you wish to wear something a bit softer and cozier that day.
Dressing a bit chillier or warmer. If you’re always cozy with a scarf, maybe forego it for a couple of Fridays this Lent. I’m a sucker for comfort, so this is a good penance for me (but don’t exercise this choice to the point where you get cranky and make people around you unhappy).
Wearing heels. This might sound odd, I know… but hey, it’s still tough to walk around all day in stilettos! March on!
Almsgiving through...
Donating some of those clothes just sitting in your closet. Not only do you improve your closet, but you help someone out at the same time!
Buying clothes for a maternity home. It’s easy to think “oh I’ll donate what I don’t want,” but it’s also good to remember to go that extra mile and buy new, especially for someone as much in need as an expecting mother!
Complimenting those around you more. Don’t you love what a compliment can do? Even something as simple as, “Oh, your shoes are darling, where did you find them ?!” can brighten someone’s day.
I am praying you have a very blessed Lent! I would love to hear in the comments below what you are doing for Lent. My husband and I are reading Fr. Don Calloway’s book: Consecration to St. Joseph.