fraying

On shirts, or at least on my shirts, the collars are the first to go. I rarely wear through an elbow, and my shirts only very rarely rip. I first notice that they're wearing out when the collars starts to fray.

This particular shirt was never one for which I felt any great attachment, but since I've had it for over twenty years (a gift, but that's a different story) it became, perhaps partially because it had begun to fray, a favorite for around-the-house wear.

Other shirts, however, hold greater sentimental value. Like one that I inherited from my father. My mother was more than happy to give me Dad's clothes - in this way she cleaned out his closets but still avoided throwing things away. But though we had similar tastes in many things, only the shirts really attracted (or fit) me, and even they were smaller than I like them. Considering that the fraying on this shirt is still in a rather early phase, I can still get some wear out of this one. But that only means that while wearing it I become acutely aware of the possibility that someone may be wondering why I wear a shirt with a frayed collar.