Hidden emotions

I've been told that my year hiatus from clothes shopping is not such a big deal since I'm not such a big clothes shopper.

Now I admitted that I wasn't such a big clothes shopper from the beginning; however examining the emotions of and behind not shopping for a year doesn't mean that you need to be a "real" or big shopper. Look at my friend S, who is not shopping because of the environmental impact. Or Fabulously Broke in the City, who is not shopping because of money. Experimenting with not shopping isn't a contest between women, like whose experience with childbirth was worse. Think of it more like a diet - even thin women can work on improving their diets.

I wonder what hidden emotions are involved behind those statements of "it's easy for you, you're not a 'real' shopper". Guilt? Inadequacy? Jealousy? And what about my feelings when I hear these statements? Anger? Doubt? Shame? While I examine the emotions involved in actually going out and buying things, the emotions hidden behind the comments also must be examined. I asked for it, so bring it on!

Unique to the shopping experience? Probably not. But definitely worth examining during these next 9.75 months as part of the experiment.