A little research on other blogs resulted in the discovery of another blogger taking a break from shopping for clothes/accessories, albeit more for money reasons. Fabulously Broke In The City (http://fabulouslybrokeinthecity.blogspot.com)
revealed this in a comment on a blog about clothes and fashion where That Dress Is Divine...Now Where's Mine? mused about how shopping sometimes makes her feel unfulfilled because of an expectation that clothes will change her life.
(http://iwantthatdress.blogspot.com/2008/01/shopping-and-false-fulfillment.html)
Good to know one is not alone in the world.
With others talking about emotional shopping and going on hiatus, combined with the "deepening recession fears" AND the end of the January sales, I'm hoping my visit with friends in London next weekend who want to shop won't be too painful. Normally I wouldn't even be worried, but I'm going to a city where I actually think I find unique items that look good and fit well. But then, is that really true? I mean, isn't that why I'm here on blogspot - because often I'm so wrong about what fits well and looks good? I'm just too gullible when it comes to fashion or the pretense of fashion. (Remember the purple cape, BluesTraveler, remember the purple cape.)
I just had braces placed on my teeth because I've always wanted straight teeth. I constantly reassure myself that the pain inside my mouth will be worth it when I smile in 15 months. (I do while wondering when this pain and discomfort will stop already! No one warned me it would take this long or be this bad. And why has not orthodontist invented a more aerodynamic bracket for the teeth - one that fits more smoothly over the lips? Surely there's an opportunity here. But I digress.) I will think of my future straight teeth when I see all the wonderful things in Top Shop that I won't be buying because I want to be a better buyer - until I figure out how to do that, I must go through the pain and discomfort of not buying anything.
With that, some tequila and perhaps the promise of a personal shopper at the end of all this, I should be able to manage.
3 comments:
Annie, I am delighted that you are doing the clothes shopping hiatus as well. I decided last May that I would not buy anything NEW, coming from an environmental perspective mostly, after taking a longer harder look at the toxic waste produced by the fashion industry, and thinking about the cheapness of clothing, not only in quality, but what a false economy that is - (i suppose i have been quite focussed on false economies of late) - but thinking, how can H&M etc., sell things for SO CHEAP?? with Soho rents, shipping, growing of cotton, picking of cotton, tailoring....? it just makes no sense. This, coupled with looking in my closet and seeing i have plenty, made me want to stop the madness. Now, I have never been a shopping addict, and have always preferred vintage to new, so for me this hasn't thus far been too hard. I bought one thing vintage, have been handed down a few items, and i confess i did have a half time hiatus and bought a NEW dress! I look in my full drawers and see that many of my clothes have holes in them - seriously almost EVERY pair of trousers has a hole and is either second or third hand or just been in my posession for years, but I am determined not to shop for another thing 'til May, and then only if I need it. However, when watching The Great Debaters yesterday I found myself oggling the fashions and imagining those outfits on me, (as I tend to do watching any period piece films between the 20's and the 70's I suppose)
Anyway, I love your blog, and I love being in good company on the clothes shopping hiatus.... keep spreading the word. And I hear you on the Top Shop thing - but it can be done, i ALWAYS shop in England, (I only seem to shop whenever i leave NYC, it's probably based much more on having time to shop in other towns).... but this past summer we were there and I bought NOTHING! So I KNOW you can as well. Have a good time. Keep on bloggin'!
I solemnly swear I will not drag you into TopShop or any other shop while we're in London -- you're safe with me :) And really, with the dollar so weak, I can't imagine it'll be that hard for you to abstain anyway, right?
Anne, This is great. I had no idea you were into fashion so, I guess I still picture you as you were in school, doing very well making do on very little.
So anyhow, I was wondering if this would work with me - but since stopping work, my shopping has changed in the sense of not worrying as much about new outfits every season and having a more limited budget. I still shop the same way - wait for sales - but I shop in certain stores that fit me well, and when I find what I like, buy a few in different colors.I hate shoe shopping since I'm a hard fit - so I wear shoes till they have holes and worn. Except for tennis sneakers , sliding on the court was no good - do replace those when needed. Plus, some of my clothes are so old, I wonder if they could be vintage!!
Also, what about body shape changes? Over the past 2 years, I've gone down 15 pounds so clothes literally fell off. And even with aging, clothes that fit good a few years ago don't fit quite the same. Did you stock up before you started? I think I would have! Good luck!!
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