(via flickr)
Hello!
Regretfully, this isn't an outfit post. Regretfully--because I really liked my outfit today, but felt it was too similar to Friday's to be post-worthy (I am obsessed with my new jacket!). Now I realized I was just being silly because I'm sure we all go through honey-moon stages with our most recent purchases and wear it as much as possible without sacrificing (too much) hygiene. No worries, I'll wear it out again! Today was just one those days when my mind wasn't entirely present in reality. I was so forgetful that somehow Robert and I ended up shopping tonight instead of working on my paper that's due tomorrow--which brings me back to the purpose of this post...
(via flickr)
Since you're obviously reading a fashion-related blog now, I'm sure this topic has come up in many conversations between oneself and significant others, parents, and friends...
Addiction to Shopping: Fact or Myth?
I always associate addiction to drugs or alcohol or something...bad for a lack of a better word; but I guess all addictions must be "good" in whatever way to that person to be addicting. I like love to shop--there are just so many new and shiny possibilities just hanging there on racks for you to explore. Taking home said possibilities is exhilarating, but I must admit the exhilaration burns out quickly. These "rushes" need to be...reinforced quite frequently. So I guess it does look like I'm addicted to shopping, but it's kind of hard not to be.
(via flickr)
Shopping, for me, is a reward for working at such a crappy job, but I also admit that I could save more money, especially since I do need to invest in better camera equipment. It's so hard to find a balance between desires and realities, especially with something that seems so harmless like buying a cute top or skirt. Stalking fashion blogs daily and constantly being inspired doesn't really help suppress my want to shop either. I never had much self-control to begin with, which is probably why I've never been able to keep weight I've lost off. So when I got a job, it was so exciting because I could spend my money how I wanted to; and almost two years at the same job, it's still very much the same though I think in the beginning I was more careful with what I bought because I had just discovered how much work is put into just $8. Now, it's more like "Oh this is cute! I can make the money back easily in a weekend." It's weird because before I got a job, I took pride in that everything I bought was on sale and cheaper than $10 (remember my prom dress was only $9). Now I've accepted that $20 for a shirt isn't so bad. I'm not sure if this is a good or bad change in mentality...
Just looking at all the unworn clothes in my closet staring at me each morning is kind of embarrassing, but the discovery of fashion blogs and my newfound interest in developing my own style over the past year have really changed my style. I always donate bags of clothes to Good Will at least twice a year, mostly to make room for new clothes. But I'm hoping now that I have a signature style, the clothes I do keep and the clothes I will buy will be worn regularly. I plan on cleaning out my closet during Spring Break, but I really do hope that I just won't have striped tops and cardigans left...but that's probably what will happen. I also hope that I get smarter with what I buy--buying only what I truly love and that is of good quality/could last a long time (ahem, less Forever 21). I also need to start investing in timeless pieces, like my first blazer and a pair of heels.
So Robert has put me on a budget until I can control myself: $30 a month if I make at least $200 (I only work weekends) the previous month. The rest is going into savings/towards camera equipment. At first I was a little hesitant and angry to agree because I'm a free-spirit who hates being restricted, but after a while, I see that it really isn't so bad and it is sort of necessary. New Year's Resolutions seem so long ago now, but one of them was to spend less money on clothes and another was to lose weight. I really need to start working on those. Robert made a good point today--I really would have way more time to put into school, photography, and discover new hobbies if I shopped less. Style should be...effortless anyway, right? I think since I started a blog, I have put more pressure on myself to dress better, which might be why I don't post as often as I did in the beginning. I just need to work with what I have!
Phew! This is getting long (I hope writing comes this easily when I get to my paper...), but I think I want to start doing a weekly discussion-post sort of thing for things that are on my mind. It won't always be this deep or long, but it'd be nice to hear your opinions :)
So...What do you think of being addicted to shopping--does it exist or not? When does it stop being just a hobby and start being an addiction?
Until next post,
Jasmine
PS. I didn't buy anything tonight. So that's a start? I think I'm going to wait until Spring Break to spend my $30 :)
(via flickr)
Just looking at all the unworn clothes in my closet staring at me each morning is kind of embarrassing, but the discovery of fashion blogs and my newfound interest in developing my own style over the past year have really changed my style. I always donate bags of clothes to Good Will at least twice a year, mostly to make room for new clothes. But I'm hoping now that I have a signature style, the clothes I do keep and the clothes I will buy will be worn regularly. I plan on cleaning out my closet during Spring Break, but I really do hope that I just won't have striped tops and cardigans left...but that's probably what will happen. I also hope that I get smarter with what I buy--buying only what I truly love and that is of good quality/could last a long time (ahem, less Forever 21). I also need to start investing in timeless pieces, like my first blazer and a pair of heels.
(via flickr)
So Robert has put me on a budget until I can control myself: $30 a month if I make at least $200 (I only work weekends) the previous month. The rest is going into savings/towards camera equipment. At first I was a little hesitant and angry to agree because I'm a free-spirit who hates being restricted, but after a while, I see that it really isn't so bad and it is sort of necessary. New Year's Resolutions seem so long ago now, but one of them was to spend less money on clothes and another was to lose weight. I really need to start working on those. Robert made a good point today--I really would have way more time to put into school, photography, and discover new hobbies if I shopped less. Style should be...effortless anyway, right? I think since I started a blog, I have put more pressure on myself to dress better, which might be why I don't post as often as I did in the beginning. I just need to work with what I have!
(via flickr)
Phew! This is getting long (I hope writing comes this easily when I get to my paper...), but I think I want to start doing a weekly discussion-post sort of thing for things that are on my mind. It won't always be this deep or long, but it'd be nice to hear your opinions :)
So...What do you think of being addicted to shopping--does it exist or not? When does it stop being just a hobby and start being an addiction?
I just thought this image was cool.
(via xanga)
(via xanga)
Until next post,
Jasmine
PS. I didn't buy anything tonight. So that's a start? I think I'm going to wait until Spring Break to spend my $30 :)
I liked this post, got me thinking. I do think about this quite often actually. I noticed before I had ever worked I could live off $20 a week and then I got a job and started spending a lot more. I then left that job and since have struggled to keep the shopping down. In some ways it would have been better if I had never experienced money.
ReplyDeleteTalking about shopping... I got a really cute bow today, thought you'd want to know. I'm going to post my bow collection soon I think so I'll show you.
Your writing is amazing, really got my brain-dead noggin' working! I live off of $20 a month and all of the money I get is my own. I work 3 days a week tutoring and so I have a relatively high income for a 17 year old; however, with those thoughts in my mind I have come to realize that I need to start investing in more "timeless" pieces. When I look through my Mom and Grandmother's wardrobe, there are so many timeless pieces (which if course I borrow), and they actually last through the years, which something like Forever21 and H&M can't really supply... I do believe that my shopping is a hobby which manifests into an addiction. Of course there are trends that fly by which some may realize add to their personal style, while others don't. I guess it's all in how people view things, but I know you can do it! It takes will-power and no journey can be accomplished easily, just remember that I will always be here for you (DESPITE MY LACK OF PRESENCE IN THE BLOGOSPHERE) <3 xo
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness. This is so topical for me right now. I feel as though I'm going through the same dilemma. I had always considered myself to be a frugal person. I did fairly well at holding onto my money. Sure, I'd buy a few things here a few things there, but it was mostly from thrift stores or sales, so I didn't see an issue. Lately, however, I've been unable to control myself. As you said, perusing blogs certainly doesn't help. It awakens desires that you never new you had; unfortunately, it's for things you don't need in the first place. Just yesterday I broke a record that I'm ashamed to admit. I spent more money than I ever had at Salvation Army in one trip. It started off slow, but then I found a promising item, and then another, my excitement grew and before I knew it- I needed a cart! Just like you, I know I should be spending my money on photography equipment. It just seems to be more difficult to drop a lot of money on one item as opposed to spending less on more goods. This is when I realize, my priorities are backwards. Photography was what I went to school for. It was always in the forefront of my mind. Sadly, it's taken a backseat to my unruly spending habits. My education ceased to exist when I was handed my diploma. OK, maybe now I'm getting a bit dramatic. Yet, I know precisely what you mean about the added pressures of trying to impress and even just to simply look your best. It's so difficult to keep away from stores and namely urbanoutfitters.com but, I think you're on the right track. You've recognized your true desires (not ones that were implanted by someone else) and are taking action to turn things around. You've also got a support system to help keep you on the straight and narrow! Oi, sorry for the length of this- your words have clearly struck a nerve. Not only that, they've inspired me to change my own behavior. In the future, I will find more productive ways to spend my time. I won't go to that Salvation Army where I always find the best goodies...Oh boy, this isn't going to be easy!
ReplyDeleteYour boyfriend is a fucking jerk. Love you though.
ReplyDeleteyou can do it jasmine!!! :D it's not going to be easy, but when it comes to my shopping, i think that i have learned to have control over my expenses because i know how it is to have none. before buying something i ask myself like 10 times if i really need it or if im just being impulsive.
ReplyDeletedont worry, i think when it comes to your resolutions, you'll slowly be able to manage them both. im trying too.. oh so hardly, we can do it! :D
Jazzy, i looove the photos here! i'm trying to curb my shopping addiction...hopefully, i'll be able to carry on with this thru the Lent season.
ReplyDelete:)
Oh I think shopping can definitely become an addiction! But I find that lots of people use the term loosely. Like, just because someone shops on a regular basis, that means s/he is addicted to it. But addiction is a lot more than that. I think it goes more to how a person can not resist the urge to shop, or having a kind of irrational thinking when it comes to it. Something like that. (Haha I have so many thoughts about this but I can't verbalize them right now as I am in the middle of work!)
ReplyDeleteAnyway. Good luck with the budget! I truly believe you can survive with what you have now, you have the cutest stuff! (: I myself can never do it, I am just too stubborn with spending. So my money just flies out the moment my fingers touch my monthly salary. Haha.(: I hope you get all your camera equipment!
i know exactly what you're talking about. i remember when i got my first job at delia's, after my first night, i decided i would buy less clothing since i realized how hard i had to work just to earn 7.50. i thought i'd start to appreciate hard earned money. HOWEVER...the fact that i had my own money gave me the power to use it as i wished. (working at a clothing store didn't help either, especially since they gave me a hefty hefty discount). soon my mindset changed to "oh, i can buy that $30 shirt, i'll just work back the money tomorrow". shopping can definitey be an addiction. people become addicted to drugs and alcohol because it's an escape; they provide a temporary high that soothes the user. with some of us girls (and guys) it's the same thing with shopping (but maybe not to the same extent).
ReplyDeletegood luck with your budget! i really should set one for myself as well. i'm not doing so well with my own resolution to stop buying so many clothes but i'm working on it. i hope you got your paper done on time and i'll be awaiting your next outfit post. yay! :)
Thanks for a great post (which is always expected from you:) )
ReplyDeleteI think shopping has always been an addiction for many women, however it's more obvious now because of the popularity of fashion blogging. I remember the first several months after I started blogging, I couldn't help myself from drooling over so many trendy clothes,shoes,and bags and spending money on the things I liked,but not necessarily needed. As a result, my closet exploded and my bank account was crying for help.
Since then, I've been trying REALLY HARD not to spend money on unnecessary stuff (or regular-priced stuff,hahaha!) I think fashion blog is meant to channel your creativity in fashion, not to brag about your new purchases. If someone is really into fashion, then she would be able to work with what she already has in her wardrobe instead of buying new items every time she's running out of ideas what to wear. Sadly, I notice that this has become a trend in the blogsphere.
Anyway, that's my 2 cents :)
Goodluck with the shopping budget! It's gonna be tough but I know you can do it! :D
Amazing photos =) I need to clean out my closet and add new pieces to my wardrobe as well. <3
ReplyDeleteoh oh oh and YES to dynamic duo part two!!! :)
ReplyDeleteWHOA I LOVE THIS POST. I agree 200% with everything you said. I feel like I go shopping nowadays just because I'm bored and don't have anything to do, and buying more stuff takes up my time. I started three things about the exact same time which instigated my addiction to shopping: college, my first part-time job, and blogging. I too bought everything on sale before but now I buy clothes at a regular price quite more often. Ugh I hate it when I buy something and find that I can't or won't wear it! I guess reading and being inspired by online blogs has it's downside; it has made us feel like we need new things all the time. I think it goes further beyond shopping for clothes with me: books, sewing notions and fabrics, and especially food is where most of my money goes towards nowadays. I guess we have to sort of force ourselves to not spend money by putting away most of our money into the bank (I'm usually too lazy to ever withdraw) and just forcing ourselves to buy the necessities. Do you really want to buy donuts just because other people are eating them or because you're really hungry? Stuff like that, you know? And I agree about timeless pieces, though I tend to buy multiple timeless pieces. But I can't wait to see you in heels and blazers! Good luck with the shopping restrictions, I too am suffering the same consequences when I should be saving money for a dress form! Haha misery loves company :)
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I love how you compared the thrill of a new clothing item to a honeymoon stage!
Oh dear I wrote a lot. SORRY!
Oh, I was just talking about this very thing on my blog due to a post made by another blogger (http://jesseanneo.blogspot.com/2010/03/wish-list-v-3.html).
ReplyDeleteIt's funny because I started blogging about style/clothing to hold myself accountable for trying to remix things instead of buying new things. I do try to avoid fashion blogs vs personal style blogs, but I do wonder if reading other style blogs encourages me to want more vs remixing what I have?
Hey hun!! I hope u are well, I luved ur post and I missed them too! I ma back to blogging, still busy with trhe lay out slightly, but I missed blogging too much! Will catch up on ur blog this wknd xx
ReplyDeleteThis was a very thought-provoking post. I really do think shopping can be an addiction. Anything can. We can't just look at drugs and alcohol as addictions. We can be addicted to food, watching TV...whatever. Being married and having only one of us working, it really does strain our budget and we try to be as frugal as possible and that was why I started my blog - I was tired of looking at my closet and seeing nothing I want to wear or thought of wearing. So it was great for me to get ideas and find my style in the proceess. Now when I buy items, I know they're ME not just because it's cute or cheap.
ReplyDeleteclothedmuch.blogspot.com
I love reading your blog. Not only are you such a fashionista, but you have great substance to your blogs. I love your writing, it is definitely inspiring! Keep up the good work!
ReplyDeletemargarethhing.blogspot.com
HI!
ReplyDeleteI just found you! Thank you for this post! I have felt and wondered all of these things too. I have a closet with things waiting to be worn for the first time, after months even! My style blog has also helped me to get everything into the rotation, to stop waiting for the perfect event to wear an item, and just wear it for no reason at all. As for a budget, I agree, it hurts at first but in the end it feels empowering to NOT SHOP! And having a goal is a great idea! I usually set goals for myself too... this is the driving force behind practicing self control.
I have worked in clothing stores and dealt with people who have actual shopping addictions. There was one lady who would come in every day, (or at least multiple times a week,) buy hundreds of dollars worth of merchandise and then return it all the next day. She literally could not control herself.
ReplyDeleteI'm on a pretty tight budget and don't shop often as a student. I'm disappointed that good quality vintage is getting so expensive!
Hi! Thanks so much for a very thought-provoking post! Having recently started my own style blog (and having gotten very into reading others' blogs), I can definitely agree with the tendency to find all sorts of pieces that I now desperately want and wouldn't have even considered buying before I saw other people looking amazing in them. (A leopard print coat...top on my list right now...but I haven't been able to find a cheap one yet!) I'm still in the process of developing my personal style, I think, so I don't yet know what pieces fit into that style and what pieces I just shouldn't buy, even if I'm drawn to them at the moment.
ReplyDeleteFortunately (or unfortunately?) I tend to do almost all of my clothing shopping at a local used-clothing store in the section where they price clothing/shoes/purses at $1.50/lb. This is fortunate because it keeps my costs low (and definitely has made me unable to justify spending $20 on a shirt unless it is absolutely wonderful), but a bit unfortunate because the thrill of poking through their huge pile of stuff to find those handful of great pieces is definitely what I would call an addicting experience!
. I love your writing, it is definitely inspiring! Keep up the good work!
ReplyDeletevideo models
nice writing :)
ReplyDeletewhere are you from ?