The Pink Shoe Diaries

this weekend kicked off my 2005 Fall Shopping Season.

i didn't mean to start now, but when I walked into to TJ Maxx and actually grabbed a carriage (which i never do, i prefer to walk around with several possible clothing purchases draped over my arms, so when i wander over to homegoods and try to check the price of some useless chotcke or other, i drop everything on the floor), i knew that the time had come.

and on this particular spree, i was unusually self aware about my shopping habits and personal rules. for instance:

1) i never look at prices before i try something on. i don't want to trick myself into liking something heinous just because it is on sale/clearance. on the same token, i dont want to dismiss something as "too expensive" when i might find nothing else in the store and thus be able to afford that one fantastic piece.

2) if i don't love something as soon as i try it on, i won't buy it, which makes my dressing room time on par with the world record. i throw something on, glance in the mirror, and if there are any questions like "does this fit?" or "will i ever actually wear this" then back on the hanger it goes. i have found that 99% of the time when i have to convince myself i like something, it never sees the light of day once i purchase it. i have learned the sad truth that just because something looks fabulous on the rack, does not mean it looks fabulous on me (something Ms. Thing who was trying on the strapless purple dress with faux fur trim in the TJ's dressing room could stand to learn, but that is neither here nor there.)

3) i no longer adhere to the rule i "if i don't already own something that matches this, i won't buy it" which is something i used to swear buy. this past weekend i bought an elegant knee length flared skirt that was dark brown, with a lighter bwon pattern as well as large flowers in autumn colors and as soon as i saw it i thought "i love this skirt but i own nothing that matches it" (i am new to brown). but since i loved the pattern so much i bought it anyway and just vowed to keep the reciept until i found some matching tops....which i DID the very next day. and it also turned out that a plum colored top I already own matches it perfectly so i will never not purchase something because i think i am familiar with every item i own. because i am not (especially since i share closet space with Adam and things tend to get pushed to the inner recesses of the closets, for me to only discover when cleaning out the closet and then i feel like i have doubled my wardrobe)

4) i won't buy something designer just because it is on sale. i see people do this all the time and it makes me cringe. if you find a Celine bag on the clearance rack, there is probably good reason for it to be there. you are not lucky: the bag is ugly/damaged. if you like ugly or damaged bags then obviously this is a coup for you so go on with your bad self. this reverts back to my price tag rule. if you are attracted to it before the price tag then fine, but if you are only attracted to it by the price tag then perhaps it is time to put the tattered Bottega Veneta down, and step away.

5) if i find a shirt i really love, and it's on sale, i will buy a few in different colors. for one thing, it saves time since i only need to try on one, and for another it encourages me to break out of my "black, white, tan, blue" shell. i find a shirt i like in black, and maybe the only other colors it comes in cranberry and moss? so i will buy those two and increase my comfortable shirt collection while at the same time breaking out of my color box!

ok, enough about me, what about you? do you have any shopping rules?

shopping rules!

(lame)