Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Phew.

That Club Monaco cherry red dress looks rather drab on me. (Shortens the waist, thickens the hips.) My wallet is soooo relieved.

PS: Once again I feel liberated from the shackles of "the purchase". You see, all the fun in this was in the browse, the touch, the observation. Hmmmm. We all know Enc is onto something. I'm just finding it such a challenge to carve out my own path of conscious consumerism.

13 comments:

  1. Never get anything that doesn't look fabulous!

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  2. Ha. I can so relate to this: The relief when an item that you covet but cannot afford simply doesn't work for you. Enc is so very onto something, as are you: We shop for reasons that have nothing to do with real need. But I, too, am having trouble thinking about my own ban ...

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  3. It can be such a relief when some expensive thing doesn't work so you don't "have" to buy it, or can let a hopeless yearning go. That's why I always try on everything I like, even if I have a snowball's hope in hell of affording it. 99.99% of the time it looks terrible and I can stop the coveting!

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  4. I so agree with Wendy. Love is how I want to feel about whatever I purchase. There are many opportunities in life for ho-hum---a red dress should not be one of those times.

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  5. It's hard to believe you didn't look great in that dress k.line, but that does make it easier on the wallet!

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  6. WendyB is also onto something^^: Never get anything that doesn't look fabulous.

    Good call skipping the dress that "shortens the waist, thickens the hips."

    Wait for the right dress. :D

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  7. (And thank you for the nice mention!)

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  8. Well I'm surprised that the dress did look good on you, but sometimes that happens...
    So now you can take it of of your head :)

    Well dear about your question how do I shop... Indeed I try to make almost my shoppings at mainland.
    We have a few good stores here in the island, but owners don't want to risk in some different pieces, it's a small comunity, more conservative and the things that appear more trendy are very expensive.
    We haven't those store chains like H&M and so on, well now we have a Mango, since spring, it's something better.
    But since we usually go to mainland two times a year, as my husband is from mainland and has his mother there, we go to see her.
    So I'll try to take the oportunity and I do what I use to call my "shopping seasons". I can buy nice stuff, less expensive, and more trendy. But I've to plan what I'm going to look for.
    I think that this circumstance makes me be more conciuos about what I "need and want".
    I just buy here if there's really something I need or something I feel so in love that I can't leave it. But most of the time I don't feel any need to go even window shopping.
    We usually go on Easter, that's a good time to shop for S/S, for F/W it's more difficult, because if we go early in summer there aren't yet much things to the new season.
    But I manage things the best I can.

    Oh dear sorry for such a huge text, but I hope I could give you a brief picture...

    xoxo

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  9. How it looks in photo doesn't really work the same on a bod.. does it?
    that's why I try on everything I heart.. I soon realise most of them don't look good on me so good for my wallet too. :)

    Hear hear WendyB. Don't buy something unless you love and love the way you look in it!

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  10. Words to live by, Wendy!

    Sal: Enc has put this idea out there so compellingly. It's taken on its own force and people everywhere seem to be responding, despite themselves. Editor suggested counting up everything in your wardrobe and sharing the list. I'm going to take on this challenge, if only to remind myself about how little else I need...

    MDM: It's easy to get sucked in by the lure...

    Skye: I really find that difficult to believe. Really. But I appreciate it's a useful tactic to try in the event that it doesn't quite work!

    Belette: She really is right. There are so many gorgeous things in the world, there's no excuse to buy one that isn't optimally gorgeous on you!

    Janet: Thank you! Wallet 1, Body Image 0 :-)

    Enc: You are the instigator of such new thinking about purchasing. Was it MDM who called it "slow fashion"?? There are 2 issues at work: 1. not wanting to spend on things I don't need, which is everything at this point and 2. not getting things that don't look great. I'm good at 2., 1. needs work :-)

    Seeker: Thanks for the feedback. It must make you a very organized shopper knowing you've only got a couple of chances a year to get most things purchased! I think it's a reasonable tradeoff for living on a beautiful island, though :-)

    Songy: The impulse to own beautiful things so often outweighs my sanity! Who needs another dress? Not me, right now. But it's good to have the corroboration of bad fit to take the edge off :-)

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  11. I totally agree...just posted 'consumerism+capitalism'=green with envy post... You look great by the way!

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  12. Isn't it wonderful when you don't "have to" buy something?! It's like a last-minute reprieve!

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  13. LNM: I'll check it out. It seems the recession is bringing out the environmentalists in all of us... Thanks for your nice compliment.

    Sister: It is totally a reprieve. Well said. I actually feel myself breathing differently...

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