lost my head

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I was enjoying an article in the March issue of Elle UK about the stories behind a significant buy, and it reminded me of something else altogether.

Sometime back in late 2008, I remember feeling sort of low, and determined to buy something. I see now that it was work pressure weighing down on me, but back then I wasn't really thinking.

Impulsively, I walked into G-Star and poked around at their jeans. I picked up a pair in a nice hefty dark denim with a slightly industrial feel, and tried them on. They were a good fit. They looked nice. They were completely unnecessary (I amassed quite a few pairs in my years working part-time as a sales assistant at Diesel). They were also rather expensive.

But I was feeling reckless and indulgent and I was sick of doing everything I was SUPPOSED to do. I bought them and walked out feeling with that lightheaded feeling I get when I do something I know I shouldn't have.

I wear these jeans quite often - they are really quite a good pair. And I'm not so melodramatic to declare that "I can't bear to look at them!" I'm the jolly type who can wholeheartedly enjoy things materially. But I suppose they will always have that taint of regret, and they remind me to never buy things in a fit of rashness again.

Some impulse buys are genuine, glorious moments of inspiration. Other times, they're just an act of displacement from something unhappy, like over-eating from stress. I recently narrowly avoided the latter, and am relieved it was a close call.

Anyway, interesting article about blogging vs newer social media like twitter, FB, and Tumblrs. Any thoughts?

Comments

Ammu said…
Oh I know that feeling! I haven't indulged in it for a while, at least as far as shopping is concerned. I think a lot of the things I love are just too expensive to be impulse buys. But definitely given in to the "must feed bad mood with chocolate" cravings!
Vegalyn said…
ah, I'm not an impulsive person in general, rather rational in all things and matter.

But the times that I do impulsive purchases, most wonderful things happen. Not only clothing, but also beauty products, books, accessories and gadgets.

That's also why I love shopping while on holiday in a foreign country.
S said…
This is an interesting post. I never really considered myself a "mood" shopper, as Pret a Porter P so aptly described. And yet, I do notice that I tend to buy, and impulsively so, during transition seasons. When you think about it, it's somehow related ... the urge to buy something because you're somehow bored ... of the weather, of your clothes, of the general mood. It's not as if these are the clothes that you can wear *now*. It's like a pick me up to a seasonal depression, almost! Hmm, very disturbing thinking about it this way.

As for the social media article, it's interesting because I find following things like twitter and tumblrs very unsatisfying, precisely because it lacks the meat of a blog. However, it should be noted that I'm edging dangerously close to their middle age category, where blogging is increasing in use!
Unknown said…
uuh la...feel the pain...that is why i always always try and buy something on sale...relieves some of the guilt.
yanqin said…
Ammu: I've stopped stowing chocolate in my office drawer for that reason!

Vegalyn: I admire that! And nothing like a well-chosen holiday buy; I'm especially fond of buying books that are veru specific to the destination, although they're often rather heavy to carry home.

Pret a Porter: I've done a fairly thorough job of giving away the guilt pieces by now! Just need to stop acquiring more.

S: Boredom used to be one driver for me to just grab something and go, but I've gotten better at that. These days, I'm usually quite pleased when I'm not tempted, because I take it to mean my wardrobe is meeting my needs and that's a nice feeling.

I've considered keeping a tumblr because often I feel like just sharing images, but like you, I do prefer the meat of a blog. Unless I have a good theme in mind for a Tumblr, I think I will refrain, since I doubt I'm adding to the conversation.

If Jane: Haha, it's still money that could be saved ;)
Jennifer said…
blogs are, or can be, so much more intimate. they are the new magazines, it seems, which is sad enough - why do we have to gain one but lose the other? that article is on my to-do list, but i can say that i don't twit or tumbl.
yanqin said…
I should hope that it's not one or the other: I love well-produced magazines - just like I love a well-edited newspaper. I like the intimacy of blogs, as you say, but I like magazines when they use their resources (which are still considerable) to inform and to create.

i'm still mulling over setting up a tumblr, or some kind of photo blog where its just one inspiring image a day.
Fleurette said…
Thanks for sharing your story. I can relate to it, I think anyone could.. and I think that if we really need to buy something impulsively as in "mood shopping", why don't we buy other things than clothes.. that are less expensive? Such as a book or movie, or just treat ourselves with a hair cure at the hairdresser or a new lipstick? For some reason, I never feel that taint of regret or guilt when I buy little things that are supposed to cheer me up. But as to purchasing clothes, it's a whole different story. Why?

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