leopards and resolutions

I'd been stalking them, trying them on whenever I passed the store. They're stiffer than what my feet, used to the soft pliability of ballet flats, are used to. I was undecided about the comfort factor, and I figured they would show up at the sale.

And they did, marked 30% off. These ones were probably tried on several times because they felt comfortable, although the sole remained pretty unscuffed. Ringing in under S$100, they made for a very sweet splurge.

I've been keeping a list of what I've bought all year, and while it's a lot better than in previous years, I'm still somewhat shamefaced about how much shopping I managed to accumulate. And this in spite of the fact that I went on a shopping ban and only bought a pair of shoes during the six-month period. Of late, my blog seemed to have turned into a series of shopping posts.

But let me make peace with that. My consumption habits have moderated tremendously and I've learnt many lessons about mastering my impulses. Shopping in 2010 fell into the following:

a) Cute but unnecesssary buys - lovely lace shorts found in a sale, a white shirtdress that I don't wear often enough; a pretty print blouse and dress from Topshop; I could have lived all of them even though they're lovely

b) Good staples I depend on - some simple separates, shoes to replace the worn-out ones, a belt, a cardigan; this also includes "quirky staples" which is weird things you end up wearing all the time (like an old colour-block top of mine), and I hope the leopard loafers will fall into this category

c) Dream purchases - scoring a long-loved Vanessa Bruno dress at the Outnet sale, my new wallet, finding that perfect tie-neck blouse (Outnet again!); maybe the Sykes Silks shirt will fall into this category

d) Out-and-out mistakes - a dress that's a smidgen too short, shoes that pinched, shoes that fell apart so quickly that I felt cheated; all three were slightly dubious and I should have known better

In the new year, I hope to reduce categories a) and d) significantly - down to zero is even better. Cat a) is my weakness - it's hard to say no to very nicely-done items, because it's hard to say if you will regret them; some things surprise you. And yet sometimes they end up being just lovely, but not a part of my life the way I anticipated.

Cat b) is reaching sufficiency at this point, I don't need more unless I want to replace some worn out items.

Cat c) is down to luck isn't it? That magic combination of availability (sizing, proximity), adequate finances (it's not always expensive but it often is), that item ticking all the boxes, being in the right mood to make the purchase.

So I suppose I have myself some shopping resolutions, and it's a nice feeling, making lists and being organised. Let's see if I keep it going for the rest of the year.

How did you fare shopping this year? What resolutions will you make for next year?