A few days ago, the fabulous
WendyB blogged about a topic that hit me right at the very heart. Read it
here or else miss out on this life-altering piece of information!
Guilty on 3 counts, that's me. My closet, to this day, is a constant reminder of my previous life as a hoarder of cheap stuff. If it's 70% OFF, nevermind if I don't need it, nevermind if it's the bazillionth (
insert any item that you already own a bazillion too many) item in my closet, I gotta have it.
Price is primary. Style is secondary. Quality is...
what quality?!?As much as I love my old ways, it didn't really work for me. After all the shopping and hoarding, there was not a single piece of clothing and not a single pair of shoes that stood out. Nothing was special. None was a favorite.
My closet was screaming for change. (
Don't get me wrong though, I am not wishing that only designer pieces would ever touch my skin! ...On the second thought, won't that be completely fabulous?!? )
I still have the same shopping budget as before. I still go thrifting and consignment shopping. I still, and will always enjoy hunting for treasures from the clearance racks - be it at Marshall's, Neimans or Saks! Asking me to stop buying sale items is like asking Monet to stop painting water lilies! He won't because he's mastered the
art of it (
pun very much intended)!
Monet's Water Lily Series at l'Orangerie - October 2009
Monet's Water Lily Panel at the MoMA - March 2007
Monet's Water Lily Pond at Musee d'Orsay - October 2005The only big difference is that now, before I pull my credit card to pay for that SALE merchandise, I ask myself these questions:
- Is the piece truly worth its original price? Or is the marked-down price should have been its original price? Intrinsic value! Determining it is an art unto itself!
- Can I come up with at least a dozen outfit ideas with this piece? My closet is a prime real estate. Storing one-hit-wonders is not the best use of that very limited space.
- Will I lose sleep if I walk away from it? If I have to stalk an item for weeks just to test if I truly like it, I would. I did it here.
- Does it fit me perfectly? Or will it fit me perfectly after a minor alteration? This last is very important. Had I asked myself this, I would have saved me from a few years worth of wasteful spending. I bought a lot of clothes that fit me perfectly if only I'd lose 20 more pounds or undergo liposuction. That's no minor alteration! Sure enough, they all went to Goodwill at the end of the season, tags and all, and in the same shopping bag they came in with.
Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam - January 2008Me: If it doesn't fit, don't buy it.
Van Gogh: If the ears don't fit, get a knife.
So now, if someone asks me how many favorite pieces of clothes and shoes do I have, my response would be this: As many artworks as there are in the Louvre!
Mona Lisa reproduction at the Louvre gift shop - October 2005 Well, probably not as many as 35,000. Just 57 to be exact and all painstakingly documented in a few of my posts in this blog.
I know that none of my blogged pieces here will be in my neighborhood Goodwill anytime soon. Not to worry though, I still have LOTS of things to sort out that will keep them in business for years to come!
Price. AND style. AND quality. Gotta have all three now to make me happy...
Change has come! My closet will soon be my masterpiece, my Obra, the by-product of my artful shopping that will hopefully stand the test of time!
Venus de Milo dating back from the 100BC. Certainly something that has stood the test of time!
End of melodrama. Thanks for listening! Now allow me to slip back to my usually calm self in 3, 2, 1...
