By this time of the year, many of us with a fashion focus would typically be thinking about what purchases would be appropriate for our spring or summer wardrobes, or what items can be packed away until next winter or even shed from the closet. But this is no ordinary spring and thus no time for the usual spring cleaning. In an ironic twist of fate, many of us finally have the time to do a real purge of our possessions- but the dilemma is, what will our lives be like going forward? Will we even need an overpriced blazer again or find ourselves using a sumptuous silk accessory? No one knows- and the real question is, does anyone care anymore?

Certainly, the business of fashion appears to be in high peril. As none other than Anna Wintour, the grand dame of fashion and editor of Vogue recently said, “I feel very strongly that when we come out at the other end, people’s values are really going to have shifted.” Since almost 80% of fashion purchases still come from physical stores, and few of us are buying items to dress up while social distancing, the entire fashion industry may be at risk (the recent bankruptcy declaration of J Crew being just one example). None other than fashion guru Tim Gunn, in a recent interview with Fresh Air’s Terry Gross, has come around to recognizing the disconnect between high fashion and our current circumstances. As he remarkably commented, “I’ve gone through an evolution in these last five, five-and-a-half weeks…Why should we be self-isolating in clothes that constrain us and constrict us and are not as comfortable as something that’s a little looser and more forgiving?”

Perhaps there’s some wisdom, then, to be gained from newly retired women, whose lives have been significantly altered and whose wardrobes need a real adjustment as a result. In a recent article on Next Avenue, writer Renee Langmuir provides sage advice about how to reconsider your closet in a time of real change. Her suggestions? Remove any items that have negative connotations from your closet (does that dress bring back bad memories or those shoes remind you of a disastrous fall?) and toss the clothes that are no longer comfortable. In essence, she suggests finding a new fashion identity that expresses the personality and values you now want to convey. And if there are lots of items in your toss pile? The website Thred-Up is accepting donations and the money raised from the sale of your toss-aways can be put to use supporting Feeding America.

And for a harmless fashion fix, you may want to check out Making The Cut, Tim Gunn’s latest television show with Heidi Klum, now streaming on Amazon Prime. Or, if that fashion urge still has you in its grip, and you’d like a little treat after your closet purge, put on your pearls and check out the Amazon store for Making The Cut.