eat what you kill
Monday, August 31, 2009 at 2:23PM My friend (and fellow fashion fiend) Maggie has a bold, new Recessionary motto: Eat what you kill.
This means she will only let herself buy something new after she has sold something old. A seasoned consignment-shop consigner and eBay seller, Maggie has passed along her wisdom to me, and in the past few weeks I've sold a few gently used fashions on eBay and entrusted boxes full of barely worn shoes and sweaters to my own favorite consignment store. Now my closet looks like this (contrast it if you wish to the more cluttered version of several weeks ago):
Nothing, but nothing, tempts me more than an empty hanger.I'm feeling virtuous and waiting for the money to come pouring in. All good, right? Not exactly. Because I've failed to internalize Maggie's meta-message, which is that you're not supposed to eat until you've actually gotten the money from what you've killed.
I feel like a dieter who has denied herself chocolate for too long, because in the past two weeks, after months of watching every fashion penny, I have gone nuts and bought the following:
Twelfth Street by Cynthia Vincent black suede over-the-knee boots.
But they'll go with everything!
Justification: I have wanted a pair of over-the-knee boots for a decade, but always thought they'd make me look like a street walker. This pair has low heels and is demure enough that I don't think I'll be mistaken for that kind of working girl. Also the over-the-knee part can be folded down to just below the knee if I chicken out.
Elizabeth and James skinny pants.
Here I am, just casually standing around in my new pants. OK, this isn't really me.Justification: I have been searching for just the right pair of more-substantial-than-leggings leggings that I can wear with my zillions of longish sweaters. Also, if I may say, these will look great with the over-the-knee boots.
But there's more: A boiled-wool DKNY cape. Yet another longish sweater from H&M. A "transitional" summer-to-fall cardigan. A pair of workout shorts. And this is all before I've seen a cent of my consignment-shop money. I should tell you where the shop is so you can run up there, buy all of my barely worn shoes and sweaters, and put me safely into the black.
But there's one bit of heartening news. It seems Maggie, too, has fallen prey to the temptation to Eat in Anticipation of What You'll Eventually Kill. In the past several days, she has purchased a pair of Prada heels and a dining-room table and chairs.
Which has put things into perspective for me. I am not likely to start buying large pieces of furniture.
For one thing, there's nowhere to put it in my closet.
don't tell my husband, fashion, friends, recession
Reader Comments (5)
It's just dumb luck thigh high boots hit me at the chin, or you know I'd have to get a pair! And just to set the record straight, the dining set is a $3000 set purchased second hand for $900 to replace our decaying 13 year-old table and chairs. And, you forgot to mention my biggest ebay coup ever - the nwt $1000 Post Card jacket I got for $125. So you see, for a little over the cost of the jacket retail, I got a whole dining set thrown in for nothing! (Just ignore the Prada shoes for the moment please...).
xox,
Maggie
Maggie is being too modest. She neglected to mention the time she found a pair of Prada boots at a consignment shop for $50, bought them even though they weren't her size, and sold them on eBay for $300! You are my shopping hero and deserve all the new furniture, plus the Post Card jacket, plus the new shoes, my friend.
my motto at this point is, "shop in your own closet." and damn, if recently i didn't score 4 darling new cute skirts and two new pairs of pants, one coveted JEANS.
i'm still losing the baby weight, so it all feels new.
and, i also lightened the load by giving my mamaz helper some reallly freakin' awesome hipster clothes that i'll never fit in again for her imminent college days. *sniff* i'll miss those clothes, but hey...now there are empty hangers...perhaps a shopping trip does calleth. :)
Love the boots, love the pants!
xoox
Do those pants come in size 12?