no, no and definitely not

Is avoiding shops altogether the only way to avoid excessive buying? For the longest time I put off thinking about this because I like going to the shops and I didn't like the idea that I can't even look. But today, as I felt myself weaken in the presence of a jacket at Zara (so soft, so unstructured, so cool, fits so well), I could no longer deny that maybe I should avoid trouble for myself and my bank account by not looking at all.

I didn't buy the jacket - thrift being ever the watchword of my vocabulary - but I'm thinking about it, and I could have lived happily in ignorant bliss if I hadn't seen it at all. Hence it's something I could live without but seeing is giving me ideas. Damn. I know I should stop hitting the shops but perversely, part of me goes shopping to challenge myself to make reasonable and logical decisions and not buy anything.

I talked myself out of the jacket by convincing myself I was too poor to be shopping (always a good one) and I rarely wear jackets anyway, and if I bought nothing else for the month on my monthly shopping budget I could consider it. And sales were starting soon no? Bonus if I still wanted it and score it for less!

All very well-reasoned and I felt quite good when I walked out of the shop. If only I expended this kind of mental gymnastics on work and other aspects of my life as well.

Anyway, what I wore today. Have finally gotten out of wearing jeans, something I haven't done in weeks.