Clothes in the afterlife

If I had to die tomorrow, I had only hours a few hours to choose my closet.
Death would knock at my door and yell in an agitated yet loving, almost motherly voice: Hurry up, you're gonna be late!
If I had to die tomorrow, I would set up entire collections. One for each state of mood, of course!

The first one would be dedicated to the lavishness of life. My first gown consists of a long hem, so long that when I leave to my afterlife, its train still stretches to the tips of my earthly life. Its colors would shine in abundant, yet slightly dark colors, mostly consisting of shades of blue. Oh, how I love the color of blue…! Not only the colors are lavish, it has endless, elegant wrinkles. This collection consists mainly of evening dresses accompanied with otherworldly hats, gloves in all shapes, colors, materials, unimaginable jewelry, crowns of the most interesting gemstones and minerals—such as emerald, obsidian, quartz, rubies, jade, … I would decorate my bags, of course, too. No bag-packs though. Two or three of the looks would be accompanied with beautiful veils that cover the face, making me an anonymous being, so Death might even not recognize me. She would be so surprised seeing me in such costumes that we would both laugh while drinking good wine and long drinks at her bar.

The second one would be dedicated to all the theaters and stages of the world. This one would be a hard one, of course, therefore a long list is needed, incorporating twenty looks. Where do we start? Maybe, with Asian Theaters. Noh Theater! A mask which allows me to mask my identity, slow movements and poetic garments. Other Japanese theater forms would include the Kabuki Theater and the Bunraku Theater, again, dressing up as a red-black-white doll. Chinese: Jiangxi Theater, wearing the clothes my grandmother used to wear. Indian: Kathakali, Kutiyattam. Wayang Kulit, Indonesian shadow puppet theater; Lakhon, Thai dance garments. How beautifully would I play my act in the afterlife if I was dressed up as a doll. This collection continues with European Theater Forms, Italian Commedia dell'Arte, Ancient Greek Tragedy, Medieval European clothes, Elizabethan Theater garments performed in The Globe, Viennese Opera and of course Russian Ballet. Let's continue with African Theater forms! Egungun masquerade! The imageries of the Griot Storytelling! Ngoma Theater! Middle Eastern Theater Forms, Ta'ziyeh, Hakawati; Indigenous Dreamtime Theater forms… Coming to think of it, I think I would put less focus on European garments when I encounter death. Some of their garments smell of century old arrogance.

My third collection might be about armor, standing for all the resistance which played a role in human history. Fighting with, for, along or against death and ideas. When presenting my armor collections to death, I would feel so very protected, so secure, but deep down I know that she sees through me.
She strips down all my armor, all my garments. I am naked. I am free. We have intercourse. We are one.