When I was 17, my family took a trip to NYC (which one short year later would become my home) where, after visiting the MOMA and enjoying an amazing meal together, we split up and I dragged, dragged The Mater all up and down China Town in search of the most perfectly authentic Asian style dress. You know the one - with the mandarin collar and cap sleeves? In and out of one tiny shop after another we looked, each time walking out empty handed because nothing fit the vision I had in my head. It was starting to get dark and we were cutting it tight to meet my dad and sister for dinner, but I couldn't/wouldn't give up. I knew what I wanted and, quite literally wouldn't let go until I found it. Eventually, I did find exactly what I had in my mind (see - good gawd! - photo #2) and we made it to dinner just in the nick of time!
My big sis and The Mater that day in downtown New York
In these last few months since Fashion Rehab ended, there has been a recurring theme in my buying habits. Or, I should say, non-buying habits. Since the most amazing weekend of my life spent with the most amazing BFF a girl could ask for, I have repeatedly had trouble... that is to say, an inability to... well, I just haven't been able to pull the trigger when I find something I think I'd like to buy. It happened with the Michael Kors watch and the Erika Anenberg double-finger ring. Hell - it's happening right now with the Gap boots! A and I spent so much time, energy and brain space thinking about how best to become what we so desperately wanted to be: conscious shoppers, that now, I can't help but wonder; have I become so conscious that I have inadvertently created some kind of purchase paralysis? An unnecessary over-analysis that leads me into a sort of consumer cul-de-sac? Around and around, with no real outcome?
Now it's true that I did, in the end, purchase both the EA ring and the watch (though I went with the Nixon), but not until weeks, literally weeks of an accessory tennis match in my head: "Is it worth the money? What if I hate it? It's totally worth the money! I'm gonna do it. Right now. When I get home, I am going to order it, right away! But...what if I regret it?!?"
Me and my prize - my authentic Chinese dress
I sometimes wish I could go back to my 17-year old self who had all that conviction, vision and fearlessness. But if I have learned anything after 365 days in Fashion Rehab, I have learned that anything is possible. So consider this a confession and a lesson, all in one.
Love, P
7 comments:
I know exactly what you mean! I go through the same things in my head! And I usually end up buying a couple things for the same price as the more expensive thing that I don't love even half as much so it would have been better to splurge on the one thing....but now I hardly even buy cheap things *sigh* sad sad sad XD
http://www.closet-fashionista.com/
Consumer cul-de-sac! love it.
You were very brave. I could only do a month without buying. But I have done a lot of going through what I have that I had forgotten about. I bet you did too. I am amazed by what I spent money on and how little thought I put into buying. So even a month was a help.
It's definitely important to think before you buy, but I must admit, some of my best and most loved items in my closet were complete impulse buys. Sometimes you should just go with that little impulse ;)
Love, L.
http://frills-and-lace.blogspot.com
My beloved BFf, the beautiful LHR, dragged me all over (ALL. OVER.) NYC when we were 16. She was in search of the "perfect" (get ready-- remember, it was 1984) "Beat It" jacket. Yes, a copy of the jacket Michael Jackson sports in the video for "Beat It" was the ONLY thing that would do for LHR that week... We found a few (we did very well, now that I consider that we were small town kids on their first trip to New York and had no idea where to even begin to look for such sartorial splendour...), but none was The One. So, she went home empty-handed. I remember being very impressed by her ability to just say no-- I would have settled for one of the tacky vinyl versions that were so plentiful, just for the sake of saying I'd got it in NYC! She is still that way-- if the item is not PERFECT, she won't buy it. Which is why she is so chic!
So, long story short (too late!), stick to your guns. You are thrilled with your purchases, right? They are lovely and useful and you feel great when you wear them, so don't beat yourself up about waiting to buy.
Maybe you could set yourself a NEW challenge-- what about one impulse buy every 60 days? (Or is that a contradiction-- setting a goal to be impulsive...?) ;)
Great post!! Love the pictures!! Those were sweet days!!
I think its normal. No matter how careful you are, the fact is your taste will change over time. Things that made me cry because I didn't get it seems so lame the next month, and gifts that I was actually slightly offended to receive and would NEVER want to wear suddenly became my craving half a year later.
The brainstorm will minimize the "wish I had/hadn't brought that" mistakes, but it won't completely eliminate them.
My general rule is set $50 aside every month for items I don't need but want. Then when I come across a decision like this, I see how much I have in my "want" piggy bank and buy/don't buy it accordingly. The fact is, there will always be things we want, so not getting it this time means more $$ for the next thing I will want.
Post a Comment