I suck. I completely suck donkey ass.
I was doing so well! 6 weeks in and not a thing bought! GAHHHHHH, I am a truly sick individual.
You see, I had an out in this whole No Shopping Adventure. In my possession was a J. Crew gift card from Christmas that I was hoarding for the perfect opportunity. A pinch hitter, if you will. When times got tough and I was jonesing for something new, I could pull that bad boy out and hit the racks.
I knew exactly what I was going to buy today. This cardigan.
(On sale for $34.99!)
You know, the cardigan wasn’t really doing much for me on the website. Gray, ruffles, tissue tee material…it’s okay. I noticed it went on sale this week, so Wito and I took a little trip to J. Crew this morning. I tried it on and well, the clouds parted and I saw the light. It’s so cute and chic and perfect for my daily life. I had about $50 left on the card – I was just going to purchase it and run.
Until I saw the exact same cardigan in the most lovely shade of pink. NOT the shade shown on the website, but a deeper, lovelier, PERFECT PINK THAT I JUST HAD TO HAVE. DAMMIT!
Then, Jay (the greatest J. Crew associate ever – damn you, Jay!) brought this top to the dressing room.
Also, on sale! In slub cotton! I WANT TO GO ALL THE WAY WITH SLUB COTTON.
I spent 50 dollars over the amount of the gift card.
Did I mention that I’m a huge failure who sucks donkey ass?
The shirts are still in the bag. I think I might take a couple of them back. I can’t believe I actually feel this crappy about breaking my no shopping mandate. What is happening to meeeeeeeee?
What would you do? Say screw it or take two of the items back?
Take them all back. It’s a slippery slope!!!
Character trumps well-dressed.
yep, again…. You’re just doing your part for the economy. Shop on! Unless of course, your budget suffers for it….
You feel guilty because you broke a promise to yourself. Keep one cardi, return the rest. And that shirt is cute, but not like you won’t survive without it. Besides, I would DIE to have the clothes already in your closet. Go find something cool in there you have forgotten about. You are shopping just to shop, even if it is a small purchase, there is no way you need two really lightweight ruffled cardigans.
Honestly, I am kinda done hearing about not shopping or shopping. I think you have an amazing closet of clothing and always look cute.
That said, I used to love your blog for Wito updates and funny glib stuff. Now it feels like it is all about how you must have $500 purses and $300 sunglasses and OMG you can’t possibly buy them until after you haven’t shopped for a self-imposed couple months. It just comes across as really, oh… geeze..boring. And a bit snobby.
Honestly, I would love to have the money to buy the stuff you have and I would spend it on such things if I had the money, I am not resentful of what you choose to buy, but I miss the fun Wito and Whoorl stuff, and stories that made me read the blog in the first place. I have to say I just don’t connect with the shopping do or die stuff.
Okay, so I can kind of familiarize. First off, I totally understand the lure of shopping. So much so that I truly have no idea what is in my closet. In addition, I am a member of Weight Watchers (which may seem like a non-sequitur, but follow me here) so I think it’s important to examine the situations in which you want to break your rules.
1. What typically makes you think of shopping?
2. What items do you really need to live on a weekly basis?
3. Why J.Crew? There are other stores, and probably cheaper ones that have similar clothing.
4. How do you feel, before during and after shopping?
Okay, and some other food for thought. Where do your clothes come from? Are they made by people who don’t pay their folks fair wages? Is the stuff in your clothes good for the environment? With as much as you spend at JCrew when you are not dieting, it might be worth it to think about that.
Good luck with making a choice. I think my overall message is that before shop dieting, make a plan and get to know your habits better so that you have better chances for success, and make sure your goal makes sense for you.
I think you should return them… sorry! But the fact that you feel guilty about it means that you won’t feel as good wearing them as you should. And frankly, from what I can tell you look amazing in just about anything and have fantastic taste, so it’s not like it’s a rare thing to find something that looks great on you!
I have a selfish reason for hoping you’ll return the shirts. I’m following your example and shopping fasting too (is that a real phrase?) … so be strong for me, sister!
If not shopping is what you really want — and only you can know if it is — then you’ll know what you should do.
Either way, good luck!
I’m kind of wondering what happened now!
Hmmmm….I commented on the wrong post. But the idea still stands.
Split the difference. Keep one, return one. Good luck!! :)
Just got to this post and now I’m all curious and stuff.
Did you return or didn’t you!?
Ah! The suspense!
I hear you. I got the catalog in the mail the other day and it killed me. I ended up getting the chiffon trim tissue tee cardigan. But I want some of the slub cotton stuff too. I think you deserve to keep them. You used a gift card and you’ve gone 6 weeks, that is incredible!! I keep trying to do what you’ve done, and I mess up every few days. I am starting anew today.
What I do when I really, really want to keep something is go without going out for lunch/coffee/beers/whatever you like to go out for until I’ve paid myself back for what I’ve spent on some particular item that I couldn’t live without. For example, for a while I was spending about $5 to $8 a day on lunch. I bought myself a bunch of new clothes, and I’ve started bringing my lunch which saves me that daily money.
Dying to know what you decided…
Ok, I didn’t read the others, but if it were me—I would return the pink sweater because it wasn’t what I came for. I would, however, keep the short sleeved one due to the fact you were set up by the sales clerk when he brought it to your dressing room. And then, I could sleep at night. Good Luck.
This is my suggestion for “other”. Give them away in a reader contest. I would love a new shirt.