The first incident took place at Macy's last weekend. I went in with the idea that I needed a few tops to update my current lack of "stand alone tank tops" and frankly the situation left me frazzled. Our desire to be more conscientious about not buying disposable trend pieces led me to Macy's in search of "finer" things. After a tiring amount of weeding and searching, and an even longer time narrowing it down, I ended up buying a printed Elie Tahari tank and a turquoise DKNY ruched tank. But something just didn't feel right. The purchases seemed to be prompted out of: a) exhaustion b) the need to get home to relieve my man from "daddy duty" and c) the meter ticking on the already exorbitant price I was about to pay for downtown parking.
As soon as I walked out the door of Macy's I knew I had made the wrong decision. Looking back at my earlier post The 5 Common Threads of Unworn Clothes I realized I violated Rule # 1... "Do not buy something if it doesn't coordinate easily with the rest of your closet". The turquoise should have been a dead giveaway, I don't wear turquoise. Ever. I got home, tried everything on again, and my suspicions were confirmed. I liked the tops but I didn't LOVE them. So, really, what is the point? Are you going to stay in a relationship with someone you just like? Nah, I don't think so. It is all about love. So back I went a few days later and returned them. Hoorah.
Today I had an even more of a breakthrough moment when I realized I would need to return something that actually fit and I really liked, but it was not practical. (Not to bore you with all of the mundane details but I ordered what I thought was a backless strapless bra to go with a dress I am wearing to my brother's wedding, only to receive a halter style bra that was backless yet not strapless, yadda yadda yadda). The halter bra was actually awesome, but I would have then needed to buy a new dress to go with the new undergarment rather than just wearing the dress I already had and buy the appropriate bra. Sounds ridiculous, but conceivably something I would have done pre-Fashion Rehab. Back to the store it goes!
So there you have it. Budget, moderation, only keeping things you need, saving money, all that stuff. Let me know if you have had any "coming of age moments" since you let a little Fashion Rehab in your life.
Love, A
8 comments:
ha! Love it... totally know what you mean. I have also watched my self "grow" in the area of shopping... although one might I was forced into this growth my lack of funds to support my previous habit... Ha!
~Eboni Ife
http://ifeluvsu.blogspot.com
Most definitely!
Lately I've been allowing myself to linger in shoe shops (bad idea right there), but I haven't bought a thing!
Every time I found a cute pair, I thought about where I would wear them, what with, and whether I had a pair similar to them at home. If I couldn't answer all three appropriately (somewhere real that I'd actually go! This dress! No they're totally original to my wardrobe!), I didn't buy them.
Needless to say, I've saved a lot of money using this method.
I'm proud of us! But mostly you! Especially for actually returning the items- it's something I always say I'll do, but then never do. I'll drink to that!
Isnt that frustrating!?! Im sorry, but get creative, I am sure you can make them work!!
ps ~ im having a missoni beach bag give-a-way, come on over and check it out! http://stylesubstanceandsutton.blogspot.com/2010/06/missoni-give-way.html
I've had similar realizations--I was shopping thrift on a day when everything was 1/2 off, and found two pairs of pants that fit me (!!!). Usually a huge deal, as I am (apparently) nowhere near an average size. However, I ultimately decided that despite both pairs fitting and costing less than 10$ (for both pairs, mind you) I did not need a pair of medium-wash jeans (I am a fan of the dark wash) nor did I need a pair of navy blue cords, as I already have one pair that I enjoy. Put both back, and kept my 10$! Exciting day. However, I did splurge on two summer scarves that I love--one in 'my' colors, which I have worn several times, and one that I loved but is not really in my colors, which (surprise surprise) I have not worn as much. Oh well, it was 2$ well spent for a little color variety and the lesson that staying in my wardrobe's colors really does matter. :)
Ahahah! Great post!
I also almost never returned items before. I just assumed I would wear them on some occassion. A few months back I actually returned a simple H&M cardigan with poufy sleeves, simply because I already have a lot of poufy sleeves and it will probably go out of fashion next year. Returning items is indeed an option we often forget. And I should do it more often...
ohh, so did you return them then? that would be grown up, i haven't been able to return clothes for some reason, which is weird because i'm prone to impulse buying.
It is so funny that we all admit to buying things but never wanting to return them! I am not advocating it as a way to shop but sometimes it just needs to be done. It felt good to put the money that I got back from the tops towards something I really will wear, which actually turned out to be a Kenneth Jay Lane necklace from The Outnet. Yummy. As for the bras? I sent them back yesterday. It felt good, except for the fact that I still need to find the proper one...back to the bra drawing board, I guess!
Love, A
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