Recollections of a recovering Shopaholic
Among my most ill kept secrets is that I used to be a shop- a - holic. It was not possible for me to visit or even pass by a market without buying a skirt, a sweater or a scarf, regardless of the fact that I needed that cash I blew up on those items more than the stuff itself. It got to the point where I finally resorted to a prayer (said half in jest), which is used by the people in The Twelve Step recovery program. I asked God to help me as I had become powerless over my addiction to shopping. It worked & I was a good girl for almost over a year & stuck to buying only the most necessary things.
However, after a while I realized to my dismay that when the time came when I actually needed new stuff, nothing that was available in the market appealed to me. Imagine my predicament. Just when I was patting myself on the back, I felt like kicking myself on the backside for passing up great stuff when I found it.(shopping for me is like a treasure hunt- you never know what you’ll find when).Moral of the story?
Whatever you do or not do as far as shopping is concerned, do not self - flagellate. It serves no purpose at all. If you splurged on something you don’t really need right now, just save it for future use. (Moderation should be your watchword here, though). And if you passed something up which later torments you, understand that it wasn’t meant for you (like a lost love) and move onto something better.
February 8, 2005
Today I was sold a dream & I didn't buy it!
The lady at the cosmetic counter said- “ Buy this crème - it’ll restore glow onto your face. She pointed out my flaws, played upon my insecurities regarding my looks & told me how it would help rectify those. However, I paused for a moment & thought, “Will it, really?”
Isn’t this the myth we are sold daily by the media & the cosmetic companies- A shampoo will give us glossy, silky super hair which have actually been conditioned & flat ironed by professional stylists. Every winter, I switch over to a specific body lotion just because it promises to keep my skin soft & supple. It doesn’t. Yet, for ages, I’ve never paused & thought whether it delivers what it promises. I now know it for a fact that it doesn’t & that horrible, stinky mustard oil I’ve rejected in its favor is a lot more effective for my dry as a parchment skin. But will I reform? I don’t know. Similarly, I really don’t think that fancy body washes are any better than the much -maligned regular soaps. Both give me the same result! Then why don’t I switch over to natural & time -tested remedies from grandma’s repertoire? Is it lack of time or sheer inertia that keeps me stuck in the same groove? I really don’t know.
February 7, 2005
Who is afraid of fashion police?
What does fashion mean to you?
Is it religiously watching the Ftv for hours, noting the latest trends, turning pages of Elle and Vogue?
Nothing wrong with that. However, sometimes it is better to follow your own rules rather than diktats of fashion pundits. Why should we accept their verdict on boot cut pants when they appear to have descended straight from heavens for our less than perfect bodies? I dread what I’d look like in oh so fashionable cigarette pants. Wear what makes you feel good even if it isn’t ‘in’– fashion police isn’t after u.
