Less is more...depending

Coco Chanel advised women to “Always remove one accessory before you leave the house.” Less is more, and you achieve a more pronounced statement.

My mother also had some stringent rules about what we wore, how we wore it, and where we wore it. I’m sure that because she lived in New York and had a career in the fashion industry, she was keenly aware of the importance of making an impression. She believed in the adage, “You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression.” As a result, she made us adhere to her dressing rules:

No scuffs on your shoes. Keep them polished and clean.

No wrinkles, iron everything. When we were toddlers, she ironed every lace ruffle on our panties, and my father’s boxer shorts were also pressed.

No missing buttons.

No clothes with stains; No cheating. Covering them with a scarf was not acceptable. I tried several times and got caught every time.

She firmly believed in the “less is more” concept regarding accessorizing. Not too much jewelry, definitely less makeup, and little or no perfume.

Lately, some of her rules have been running around in my head, making me feel guilty. But with the ongoing wet, damp, and rainy weather, my shoes are constantly muddy, scuffed, and not clean. I try to keep them “more or less” clean. Sorry, Mom, the truth is I have given up. I surrender and have adjusted to feeling less guilty but more practical.

I do iron, just not my clothes. I iron pillowcases, tablecloths, and cloth napkins. However, my clothing, especially since I’m heading into retirement mode, is mostly athleisure wear, sweats, and PJs. When going out to dinner, I add sweaters and jeans, also on the no-iron list. And you can be sure no undergarments of mine or Daniel’s are in the ironing basket.

Some “less is more” concepts may be a little tricky. Planting fewer seeds won’t produce more plants. Do more plants produce more produce or flowers if too many seeds fight each other for space? I’m pondering that situation; I guess I’ll have to wait for Spring to find out.

Fewer calories eaten result in more weight loss. However, more exercise makes me hungrier, so I eat more and lose less weight—a constant and vicious cycle.

More tennis should make me a better player, but at my age, improvements are less likely, but hopefully, I’m less likely to suffer injuries.

More cats in the neighborhood should result in fewer mice, yet I found another dead mouse in our pantry. I haven’t checked the root cellar after they destroyed our food; I hope they’re not drinking our wine.

I just purchased a new pair of running shoes. Not that I needed them, but they were cute and on sale. More shoes have yet to result in more running, but it hasn’t lessened my thinking about going for a run. I just need more motivation to run in colder weather.

When I retire (26 days and counting), I theoretically will have more time to work on my “to-do” list. But every time I look at the list, I’m less motivated to begin the patching, painting, window washing, or tackling the attic.

I recently took an online writing class. The recurring concept is: Keep it Simple - Say it Plain. I agree with William Shakespeare, who wrote, “Brevity is the soul of wit.” Is he the Coco Chanel of words?