Last Thursday one of my frequented stores had their annual Margarita Sale.  The premise behind the sale is that customers come to the store and are served margaritas while trying on clothes that have recently been marked down. It’s incredible how good one looks in anything after a few margaritas. Needless to say, I dragged home a big haul.

On Saturday while enjoying the town I stopped my bicycle at Anthropologie and wiped-out a few racks only to find that my great load of purchases would not fit into my backpack. Had to take the car back to transport the goods home.

This morning as I slipped into my sexy, low-ridin’ sailor pants, I became painfully aware of how much my happiness and maybe even my self-esteem depends upon what new clothes I wear.  Sounds like an 8th grade notion, and quite possibly it is an immature thought process. However, I am willing to bet that there is a fairly sizeable group out there whose emotional temperature goes up and down with a new pair of shoes.

In fact, literally, I heard a presentation yesterday from a girl who announced to an audience that her core belief was that "new shoes bring happiness." Seriously.  Who hasn’t said something seemingly innocuous like that?  Well, this was not a flip statement.  The assignment the person was fulfilling was to articulate  personal beliefs - ever heard National Public Radio’s “This I Believe” segment?  This exercise was based on that production.  Past presenters have expressed spiritual values, hope and divisive opinions. In other words, it was serious.  What was so alarming to me was that this person really and truly valued new shoes.

Yesterday I mentioned the Story of Stuff video with its message about mass consumption and consumer berserkism (my term – don’t steal it). The Story of Stuff video coupled with the “New Shoes Are The Reason I Exist” speech forced me into a baby panic attack as my mind tried to reconcile how I did not want to be that person whose happiness depended upon new shoes. That being said, I think I am that person.

Consuming is a vice for me. Wearing my cute pants this morning wasn’t even enough to get a boost in my happiness meter.  In addition to new clothes, today I felt the need to stop and buy a candle, new note pad and flowers for my office.  Not only does my body need to be lavishly dressed my office environment needs to be filled with new goods.

The Professor is a model consumer – he buys a couple pairs of pants and three shirts every year or so. He re-soles his work shoes three times and every Christmas his mother gifts him a new pair of Nikes.  He buys nothing except for new-used books every few days. The Professor’s happiness is not controlled by new clothes, and I aspire to be more like him.

Here’s the deal. I think I have to give up clothes for a while. No, I am not going to be a nudist, though I can see the appeal.  What if I allowed myself one white and one black t-shirt and one pair of running shorts and everything else I wore would have to be sewn from a pre-determined allotment of black fabric? For office and social clothes I could whip-up a black skirt or dress.  Guess people would get tired of looking at me. Hmmm. Maybe people would stop looking AT me and look INTO me.

This could be a crazy idea, but I’m thinking about doing it.  Clothes and fashion are like dope to me. I think I need to get off the vicious cycle that is ruining the lives of working women in third world countries. I am way too dependent, and as a result, I think I marginalize myself. What do  you think?

Comments

[hokgardner]

I think maybe you could take a less extreme first step than only wearing what you sew yourself. Perhaps go a set amount of time without buying any new clothes? Or purging your closet of any clothes you no longer wear? Or both?

[All Things BD]

Okay, I was backing you on the no driving/taking the bus thing. But no clothes shopping? No office accessories? How could you?!?

In all seriousness, the amount of clothing in my closet is awesome, and the number of items that I'm actually excited about wearing is really sad.

Going shopping for new stuff IS like a drug. Get the monkey off our backs. I'm with you. In spirit, if not in sewing needle.

[Shelly]

Do you know how to whip up a black skirt or dress? I can barely whip up a loose button. I like the idea of minimizing fashion consumption, as I suffer from the same affliction, I'm just trying to figure out how it would work. I could totally wear the same four or five favorite outfits if I thought no one would notice and if the laundry wasn't problematic. Maybe set aside three or four buttom pieces and five or six tops and only wear those things for a few weeks? And, of course, no new purchases! I could be in with this.

[Izzy Rose]

What size are you? I think its a great idea and while you are in your black phase I would be happy to take anything you recently bought at Anthropologie off your hands. However, if you decide not to save the children from their sweat shop existence, can you let me know the next time your favorite boutique in Austin is serving margaritas? And save a sister instead...IR

[pillow princess]

i will support you no matter what. you would look fab in even a gunnysack.

why don't youjust buy couture? i think that pays better. kidding, of course.

[Shellie Espinoza]

I think you don{t have to wear ONLY black or sew your clothes, but looking for the balance is really important. Have a healthy amount of clothes that you feel good in and love and get rid of the rest. Only buy or make new clothes when things are getting worn or really truly out of style or they don{t fit, etc. On occasion you can add something that would truly be a GREAT addition to your wardrobe just because you happened upon it: serendipity. Your closet will be airier that way and you will have less clothes to wash, repair, etc. You will feel free without the extra baggage and more cash, too. Replace shopping when you don{t need to with a new activity that has some real value to it. I think a lot of people shop to fill a void that was not caused by a lack of things, so they are never really satisfied and that{s why they keep buying. Like you said, let the real you speak for you and not your clothes. Let the clothing choices you do make showcase the real you well and not smother it.

[Liz]

I agree with some of the previous comments. Just don't buy clothes for a while. I did that. Its not fun, but it taught me that I can do without. Actually, I lied. I didn't do that. What I did was went to the thrift store and some nicer second hand stores and bought a few new outfits when I needed and I realized that those clothes weren't so bad. (I used to think TJ MAX was thrift store shopping - no kidding)

Anyway. I think you should take your camera and your bike and go to a thrift/ second hand store and have a final shopping soree and only wear those clothes for one month. And then you will have pictures and I'm sure very funny stories to tell. In addition, you may convince some other fashion whores that read your site that second hand stores aren't so bad after all. I mean hey, if ValueWit can make it look cute, so can ValueWit's readers!!!

[Liz]

PS - you should make it a challenge, I'd love to participate and blog about it.

And I'd contribute to a prize for best thrifted outfit or something.....

[Zane]

Darlin',

You're sounding dangerously anti-american and very unpatriotic here. Our country's greatness depends on millions of Americans building their self-esteem, their mere identity, solely on the value of their consumptive activities.

It's why we're a consumer-based society. Who we are as a society is based on consuming? See.

If you were Catholic, you'd need a few hail-mary's for penance in a situation like this. But I gather you're not. But you are a consumer, so make up for lost time with all this identity-angst and buy something...someTHINGS, make it plural for the good of all of us...go on now, do it today. Get your patriotic shwerve back on now, whip out that credit card and spend for our country depends on it.

Hurry up. The economy's faltering with thoughts spread like this.

[Deb (Missives From Suburbia)]

I couldn't WAIT to read this when I saw the abbreviated version in my inbox while I was on vacation.

I think it's enough to understand WHY you feel so strongly about clothes and need more than you can possibly wear in a week or a month. My obsession stems from a lack of a money as a kid and always having to wear the same pair of pants three times a week to school. I know the emotional hole I'm filling, so I'm happy to indulge myself when I feel the need. Upon self-reflection, I realized shopping doesn't make me a whole person, but understanding myself does get me closer.

Now I generally shop only when I need something, and I have enough awareness to know that the times when I go on a major spree, it's because I'm nervous or anxious about something. It gives me permission to forgive myself for over-indulging or even -- *gasp* -- return a few things.

But I admit that a new pair of shoes makes me pretty DARN HAPPY!!

[Online Clothing Browser]

What size are you? I think its a great idea and while you are in your black phase I would be happy to take anything you recently bought at Anthropologie off your hands