Oh dear Lord, yes, I can see the light!
It has officially been 6 months sans shopping. Hard to believe how the time has flown. It has definitely not been easy, which some of you can certainly attest to, but I have managed to keep my focus and avoid temptation. There are certainly parts of me that miss the thrill of wearing something new. For instance, we are going on holiday next week for which I normally might have bought a new piece of clothing. And part of this holiday is an event for which I definitely would have purchased a new dress...and possibly some shoes too!
So I thought this would be a good point to share some of the wisdom I have gained from this experience. Shoes are the most vital part of my wardrobe. As I get older, I fully recognize that my mother was right (oh dear!)...you should always invest in a good mattress and good, quality shoes. Once I start shopping in 2011, the majority of my shopping budget (yes, I will be putting myself on a budget) will be going towards replacing some worn out shoes. I have also learned the importance of finding a good tailor and a good cobbler. When you buy quality shoes, you can add even more to their life span by having that special someone to re-sole and repair them. Another thing I will need to stock up on? Underpants! For those who questioned this, no, I have by no means "run out" of presentable underwear, but I also discovered I have a few pair on their last legs as well as a few pair I hardly ever wear because, to be honest, they aren't very comfortable by the end of a long day. I could also use a new pair of jeans, though I have discovered a denim repair shop in my neighborhood which I am going to try out on two pairs that are in pretty good shape other than a slowly wearing out ass area, so we will see what sort of magic they can perform. Lastly, as Madame Chanel so rightly noted, you can't go wrong with a classic shape that will simply never go out of style!
But other than these few staples, even after 6 months without a single purchase, my wardrobe remains rather well intact and not really lacking. I can also honestly, yet somewhat sheepishly admit, that there are still items in my closet I have yet to wear since this experiment began. So with 5 months to go, I will keep in mind the clothes I still have yet to wear and look forward to rehabilitating my closet by replacing these few key and essential pieces.
Oh, and this weekend I received what I would like to think of as a reward for a job well done thus far. My darling boyfriend bought me these adorable little classic Spanish espadrilles for a mere $26 dollars.
The path to a man's heart may be through his stomach, but a woman's is definitely through her well-dressed feet!
