shopping: a dissection*
I'm still thinking about shopping habits, and thought one of my outfits this week nicely illustrated what I thought.
Here, I'm wearing a shirt, cardigan, jeans, loafers, and a watch. More accurately, I am wearing a microcosm of my shopping habits, each item illustrating a particular frame of mind when I buy something.
The no-brainer: The cardigan
It's about six years old, and one of those basics with serious legs (even though it's missing a button), more than I could have ever imagined whenI shrugged it on, found that it checked all the right boxes, and bought it, in maybe 10 minutes. I didn't have to think about buying it, and never once did I ever question the purchase. This is the perfect example of trusting your instincts and knowing when something is genuinely a good buy.
The carefully-considered investment: The watch
For years, I chewed the cud over which was the perfect design, how much I should spend on it, and set aside some cash from time to time until finances and opportunity crossed paths, and I finally bought it to mark a significant occasion. This was a painstakingly considered purchase but not an agonising one; if you're buying something you want to wear for life, what's a little time?
The emotionally-charged impulse: The jeans
It was a bad day, I was shopping my feelings. Fortunately, in this case, it worked out - I actually like these very much and wear them frequently. Unlike certain things I ended up giving away.
The gamble: The loafers
This was when loafers were still an occasion thing, rather than a staple - at that point I wasn't actually sure if I could stylistically work them into my wardrobe on an everyday basis. Now, I consider them a necessity. I guess I made the right bet. I've made plenty of wrong bets though.
The "variations on a theme": The shirt
Shirts are a staple, and I knew I wanted a couple more casual-ish ones that I could wear any day of the week. When I saw this, I knew this was the perfect addition to my family of blue shirts. These buys are meant to be slightly different versions of the same thing to keep my uniform from becoming boring. Once I hit a happy balance of variety and consistency, I'm content.
How would you categorise your purchases?
* - I know it seems like I have nothing better to do then to think about shopping, but once I start on a train of thought, I have to get it out. Hence this post. I assure anyone reading this I'm actually a gainfully employed person with a healthy social life and don't shop all that much.
Here, I'm wearing a shirt, cardigan, jeans, loafers, and a watch. More accurately, I am wearing a microcosm of my shopping habits, each item illustrating a particular frame of mind when I buy something.
The no-brainer: The cardigan
It's about six years old, and one of those basics with serious legs (even though it's missing a button), more than I could have ever imagined whenI shrugged it on, found that it checked all the right boxes, and bought it, in maybe 10 minutes. I didn't have to think about buying it, and never once did I ever question the purchase. This is the perfect example of trusting your instincts and knowing when something is genuinely a good buy.
The carefully-considered investment: The watch
For years, I chewed the cud over which was the perfect design, how much I should spend on it, and set aside some cash from time to time until finances and opportunity crossed paths, and I finally bought it to mark a significant occasion. This was a painstakingly considered purchase but not an agonising one; if you're buying something you want to wear for life, what's a little time?
The emotionally-charged impulse: The jeans
It was a bad day, I was shopping my feelings. Fortunately, in this case, it worked out - I actually like these very much and wear them frequently. Unlike certain things I ended up giving away.
The gamble: The loafers
This was when loafers were still an occasion thing, rather than a staple - at that point I wasn't actually sure if I could stylistically work them into my wardrobe on an everyday basis. Now, I consider them a necessity. I guess I made the right bet. I've made plenty of wrong bets though.
The "variations on a theme": The shirt
Shirts are a staple, and I knew I wanted a couple more casual-ish ones that I could wear any day of the week. When I saw this, I knew this was the perfect addition to my family of blue shirts. These buys are meant to be slightly different versions of the same thing to keep my uniform from becoming boring. Once I hit a happy balance of variety and consistency, I'm content.
How would you categorise your purchases?
* - I know it seems like I have nothing better to do then to think about shopping, but once I start on a train of thought, I have to get it out. Hence this post. I assure anyone reading this I'm actually a gainfully employed person with a healthy social life and don't shop all that much.
Comments
jade: thanks. i think everyone eventually finds a comfort zone, i'm 27, it's about time i figured out my spending habits!
joy: sometimes i look through my posts and realise how obsessive it all sounds, haha. but this is and has always been a space to think about these things for me, so what else is there to put here, if not my ramblings..
miss sophie: i still remember the way you sorted out your shopping lists, that was really organised! i love it when i make confident purchases, and the more of those i make, the easier it is to trust my gut.
It funny how I never wore a watch after having children. But a cartier is a great investment.
justeileen: I think like a lot of people I have a whole spectrum of feelings about shopping, and my outfit just seem encapsulate quite a few!
About the watch that's quite interesting! I would have thought keeping time would be essential to staying organised as a mum, but maybe the opposite effect is that it makes you slow down and savour time spent with loved ones rather than checking the time for the next thing to do?
the way you described cardigan was perfect
what watch do you have? i have a nixon time teller and it definitely "spoke" to me when i saw it.