Black wool dress pants, Club Monaco.  Brown and wine wool tweedy one button jacet, Ann Taylor. Nubby textured white five button Chanel cut jacket, Banana Republic. Three cool pieces. As of this morning, they were all languishing in my closet unworn. Seduced by the sale price or way too pressed for time, I'd bought them all a size too big.

Every so often, I'd pull one out and try it on again, with the same result. I looked like I was playing dress up in my big sister's clothes, or maybe as if I were in training to become a bag lady later in life. Last week, I even went so far as to ask the dry cleaner what it would cost to turn those size sixes into fours.  Forty bucks for the pants alone.

This morning, with nothing left to lose, I decided to try a drastic experiment.

When I wash my favorite jeans, the one that really fit, it's strictly hang to dry. I'm very careful not to shrink the stuff I love. But how about deliberately shrinking the too-big garments? Okay, each one has a little tag sewn inside that says Dry clean only. But that's all because of the dry cleaners' lobby, right? I ran my upscale wool elephants through a regular wash cycle, followed by a normal dry cycle, the same way I launder my sheets and towels.

Remarkably, each piece shrank exactly one size and came out good as new. It was as if I'd taken them back to the store and made the proper swap. Even more remarkably, not one needed to be ironed. Even the linings were crisp and well behaved. The pants that used to be baggy are sexy and elegant now.

This morning my fall work wardrobe got a big boost. Now if I can just find another job to wear it to, all will be well.  Seriously, I'll look great at interviews, and if the recession drags on much longer, I'll have more wiggle room at the thrift store, knowing I can shrink to fit.

Full disclosure: The pants, 95% wool, 5% spandex. The wool jacket, 77% wool, 22% rayon, 1% elastane. The white jacket, 100% cotton. Linings all 100% acetate.