hiking boots

I had intended to write about not buying anything, just to prove to We Willy that I can. But alas....
I did a shoe inventory and decided that while on most fronts I can probably go years, my hiking boots are toast. Today I spent a very frustrating two hours at MEC trying on boots before finally buying a pair that I hope will work and which cost a ridiculously large amount to money. Apparently all hiking boots come in a B and my feet are EEE so there is a mismatch.

On the plus side, I did not buy a stretchable hiking skirt at MEC, nor did I buy a shirt. Also this week, I did not buy a pair of dress shoes. Or rather I did buy a used pair at VV that will be good enough.

It is time to go back to not shopping. It seems that I lack will power and so must rely on rules.

bra shopping

I went bra shopping at Sears. I went there to buy socks (definitely needed) but they lured me in with a sale on bras. It reminded me of how awful shopping is. I had to wait 45 minutes for a change room since everyone ahead of me tried on dozens. I got lucky on the second hit, though now 4 days later I am not sure that I like it. Of course despite the awfulness of shopping, I still managed to buy a skirt--definitely not needed. I came away without the socks which seem much less necessary when I think about having to brave Sears again to get them.

I also bought a book with the gift card that I got last year for my birthday but couldn't use.

I calculate that in the three weeks since my year ended I have bought 6 things. At this rate I can expect to buy a hundred things by the end of the year. Must do better.

More shopping, but in a restrained kind of way

Chris and I went to get him a desperately needed pair of shoes and some socks that are not white sports socks, the latter less desperately needed, but still....

I resuscitated my Bay card because it was worth 10% off today and promptly went off to check out women's shoes. But I couldn't do it. I kept thinking about the shoes already in my closet about why I don't really need any of this. This makes me very happy. Still, I have yet to fall hard for a pair and when I do.....

A quick retrospective

I have just been looking over my year and two things come to mind. First, in both my first post and my most recent, I mention resisting buying a purse. Is it a coincidence that both were orange? And perhaps it is worth noting that I already own three orange bags, at least one of which is kind of trendy (though not "What Not to Wear" trendy).

The second is that I talk about shoes a lot. I must have 3 dozen pair (low by many people's standards) and still often can't find an appropriate pair to wear. Today for instance, what can I wear in the rain with my cheap but trendy, and more relevantly reddish, second hand coat? The red sneakers one might think; but with the sock shortage, I am reduced to wearing blue socks and I just don't know about that combo.

Writing all this down, it strikes even me as ridiculous.

Other things noticed, I never did use the yoghurt containers nor the ironing board. In fact I recently got rid of some of the shirts bought last year at VV because they need ironing (and are kind of ugly). I think I need to bring the second hand shopping under control as well, though this year has been pretty good for that also.

In which I shop

I broke the barrier and went shopping. I was at a conference in Moscow Idaho, and went to the mall with Del (I was staying with her for the weekend) and her sister Amy. I bought two pairs of jeans, a pair of reading glasses (in my defense I have lost two pairs and chipped one this year) and bought a conference t-shirt and hat for Chris and a conference t-shirt for Del as a thank you present.

I also acquired from Del a suit and a pair of cords. This should mean I won't need to buy work clothes next year. And I found a coat at the Sally Ann. Exactly my size and kind of trendy--cheap version of what they would tell me to get on "What Not to Wear".

More importantly. I walked away from all kinds of stuff most notably a stunningly beautiful and amazingly trendy bag that would go fabulously with the suit that Del gave me. It had the capacity to turn me from dowdy to trendy. But who needs trendy, right?


More impressively, I walked away from some lovely wooden flamingos. See attached photo.

I also bought a pair of underwear, which I desperately need, at least pending some mending. Actually, I desperately needed them to wear that weekend, but made the mistake of buying some tie-dye ones (at the same fair where the flamingos were) and apparently they need to be washed first. I kind of regret buying them because it seems pretty clear in retrospect that it was all about the tie-dye and not really very much about needing new underwear.

I do desperately need socks. But the bonus is that I won't need dusting cloths for quite some time. Here is a picture of Chris holding some of my new dusting rags.

Ok, I regret the tie-dyed underwear but otherwise I'm pretty sure I bought things that I could reasonbly describe as needed.

I have also since coming home bought a DVD as a birthday present for my niece. So I think that maybe this week I have bought as many things as I bought in the past year.

It is clear that I need a principle to regulate my shopping, so I will be looking for one that limits the permissible. (I can't believe how protestant I sound here.)