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Friday, December 08, 2006

I Need Help...

It's no secret to those who know me, that I have a lot of clothes. Some may even say I have too many clothes, but I really think that's impossible. How can you have too many clothes?

I mean, I am aware that I've run out of hangers and my drawers don't shut and are literally overflowing and the coat closet door doesn't close and that one day clothes will smother my studio apartment until it exists no more.

But I still need more clothes.

Sure, I may have a lot, but do I wear them? No. Some have been worn to death, some I am bored of, some only look good when I'm skinny (I'm waiting for that to happen), some I bought when I was a club girl/bar star, some are stretched out, some have weird stains that don't wash out and some are victims of past trends.

My problem is that I don't throw them out. I've learned my lesson there since every item of clothing that I have ever chucked I have mourned over in the end. It may happen a few years down the line, but I will never cease to go "what ever happened to that dress? I need that dress! Why the hell did I toss it out? I don't care that the slip dresses over babydoll tees went out in 1996, I want it back! Why oh why oh why...."etc.

Plus, when I buy an item, it's permenant (it is now, anyway). It's not $25 bucks I could have wasted on dinner that's gone in a moment (and upsetting my tummy) but a shirt that I will always have. Even better is when I buy the pieces on my travels. Nothing is more thrilling than to have a skirt that people ask "Where did you get it?" "Oh this old thing? I got it in Oslo. Yup." (I can tell you on any given day, my outfit reads a little like this: boots-Ebay, skirt-Palm Springs, shirt-Germany, coat-Ebay, bag-Ioffer.com, cardigan-Vancouver) .

So to prevent "Thrift Bin Remorse" I keep all my clothes. And gone are the days when I would lend clothes. In fact, I know there are a few people out there with items of mine (Ross, I would like my underwear back), of course I can't remember what the items are or what they look like but I know they have them. You know who you are (even if I don't).

Anyway, despite having more clothes than my humble abode can handle, I still go out and buy stuff (seriously, I have like no sweaters!). And in order to be a little bit more original than the chain stores in Vancouver, I am an occasional slave to Ebay. I've been known to get really good bargains, like my pink and brown tweed Bebe coat with pink fur trim that was worth $365 and I bought for $80.

In fact, though I buy a lot of clothes, I have problems spending over $30 on one item. Aside from bags (which I will get into later) I would rather buy lots of cheap things than one big expensive thing. Quantity over quality. Plus, I have a hard time buying things that aren't on sale. Full-price ain't for me. I guess that's the only reason I'm not in any financial ruin than I already am...not yet, anyway..

My latest bargain is this lovely looking coat you see to the right. It's from the UK Ebay and I snapped it up for $22, the original price being $130 (it has a dark smudge on the back of the collar). It's from Topshop (which I adore but can't usually afford...stupid exchange rate), it's in a swinging 60's bell coat shape, has cute 3/4 length sleeves and a wonderful sheen to it. It's perfect for dipping in and out of bars and cabs (it's not the warmest thing in the world) and it stands out in a sea of black.

The only trick now is to keep it white, something that I find challenging (wish I wasn't so clutzy/messy). Also wish I didn't have the habit of smudging my makeup with hands and accidently smearing it on my clothes.

But while clothes are something I continue to acquire, so are bags.

I am not afraid to admit it. I am a bag whore (and a boot whore, but more on that at a later time).

There is something about bags, purses, clutches, totes that tickle my fancy. Whether gazing longingly at this wonderful bag found on Lilac Stripe's Boutique or at this Paris purse on Carol's Paris Breakfasts blog, I always crave the "perfect bag."

But at least with bags, I know my limit. I mean, I know it now...

I had so many bags in my apartment, I didn't know what to do with them. Then I went back to my parent's house, was rumaging through their storage space for a suitcase and came across a whole garbage bag full of like 15 of my purses! I didn't even realize that they were missing from my collection. How sad is that?

After I scooped up the bag and took it back to my apartment, I crammed all the bags into the only free shelves I had left. Then I stood back and realized..."Fuck me, I have a lot of shit."

I think it's safe to say that I had an epiphany about my excessive lust for bags and I will no longer* be purchasing them.


Pathetically, there is about ten purses missing from these photos. Excessive much?

*Ignoring the bag I bought at the Puerto Vallarta airport. Hey, I had 500 Pesos, what else was I gonna do with it?

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

I must admit, I have a bit of envy going on right now. I have so few clothes it's not even funny. It doesn't help that since moving to Grande Prairie (and falling into a pit of depression comparable only to the Grand Canyon) many of the clothes I used to cherish no longer fit my lardish ass.

Also, I have a really terrible habit of buying really horrid articles of clothing, and then regretting the purchase immensely afterwards...but being the chicken shit I am, I never return things...even if I KNOW I will never wear them.

That being said, I'm going out to buy a dress with my cousin today. She's a good girl...she'll tell me if it's horrid or not.

Kass said...

I need to show Bjorn the picture of all your bags, then he will stop harassing me for wanting more and only having 3 lol.

Wanderlusting said...

Janelle - I KNEW Beta was too good to be true!

As for the not returning thing, I soooo agree. I hate returning clothes, which is why I probably have so many. Half were just mistakes and impulse buys. And of the course the downside to buying things on sale is it's usually Final Sale. Boooo.

Oh and BTW - why the hell did you move to Grande Prarie (and why is it Grande not Grand. Are they trying to be French or like Starbucks coffee sizes?)

Kass - Yes, I'm sure that would shut him up! hehe. Oh and I'm thinking about giving some away. Ooooh maybe I'll have a blog auction...ok that is so now giving them away but whatever.

Oh. Didn't I just say I regret giving things away? Hmmm.

Anonymous said...

OK...I did write a comment about storing your winter/summer clothes away but hen I forgot that 'firefox' had logged me in under pre beta (it remembered my old log in) and thus it was lost :)

M said...

I was just looking at a bag and had to force myself to put it back - it was like 'no Mez, step away from the handbag...step away...STEP AWAY..argh...run don't look back'.

My friend has EXACTLY the same problem as you with the clothes. She is the world's biggest clothes horse. One day her husband had ENOUGH..and I really mean ENOUGH and he stood behind her and forced her to throw all the ones she hadn't worn in 5 years out. Then she went out and bought all new ones. lol.

That coat is a great bargain!

Indiana said...

I just learnt to accept years ago that if I ever shared a plave with a woman, there would be my hanger, my drawer and then all the rest would be for her clothes.

Beta won't let me transfer apparently it doesb't like my blog.

Anonymous said...

See, one of my biggest weaknesses is the color pink...I own everything in pink. Today I bought a little black dress...because I've never had one before!! Can you believe it? 24 and a virgin *cough*

I moved to GrandE Prairie because my grandma lives here in a nursing home and I wanted to be closer to her. Plus, there are jobs here...good jobs, with good pay. I am not working at one of those jobs, but they are here anyways.

I think the Grande was a spelling error. When I came here last winter with my dad, we saw a sign that said "Meet Satan at the farmers market!" Yeah...

Anonymous said...

I've got almost as many action figres as you do clothes.

yes...I am a big stupid dork. ;)

Steve~

simon said...

..and yet in your other blog you tell us you travel light! gawd! ;o)

almost famous kiwi said...

The most liberating thing for me was when I moved to Montreal and all I had to my name was a suitcase with a few items of clothing. The world is so hung up on material items. It was nice to be rid of them.
I only buy the things I need now, and only on a special ocassion will I splurge (and by that I mean a $30 top twice a year)
Our closets are full of things we a) don't need, b) don't wear or c) forgot. Yet there's a world of people going without that we're happy to forget about.
If there are things you know that you can live without, even if you do mourn them a little perhaps you could give them to the salvation army or something, I guarantee that the feeling of giving will replace the feeling of losing.

Wanderlusting said...

Scorpy - Yup it's a good idea. Only prob is sometimes I wear summery things in the winter.

M - Thanks, I love a good bargain. The problem with the 5 year thing is that I've just started to wear the cargo pants that I've had since I was 15. Can't believe I still have the ratty old things (not salvation army material) and now I'm wearing them again, 10 years later!!

MBIC - Thus is why I buy bargain things. I wish I hated bags. Would make things easier. Although I must say I'm not too fond of shoes (boots I love tho).

Indiana - I can't argue with that (the clothes thing, not Beta).

Janelle - LOL!! It's funny how Satan comes out at Xmas time. And way to score a black dress. They do come in handy.

Steven - If you're a dork, what does that make me? (ps I do have a Wolverine action figure, tee hee)

Simon - Which is why it's amazing that I am able to travel light. Seriously though, when I went to Europe for 3 months last year I had everything I needed in my backpack.

Kiwi - Yes, when I moved to New Zealand I also only had a suitcase. I don't recall feeling liberated but I also don't recall being annoyed at my lack of clothes either. I suppose I was too busy trying to comprehend having only 3 TV channels.

I guess I don't give to the Salvation Army anymore but I do happen to give tons of my clothes (and makeup) away to my friends. If it makes them feel happy, then it's all good in my books.

simon said...

backpacking IS great! :o)

Unknown said...

I'm in Janelle's boat....wedding planning and all its stresses (plus a particularly hellish year at work) has added thirty pounds to my body....I finally got rid of all the clothes that don't fit me because when we moved into our new place my husband did what M's friend's husband did....as we unpacked all of my stuff, he made me bag it up to give away....it wasn't the smartest move he ever made, on many levels....produced a rocky start to the wedded bliss stage. But I still take up most of the closet. My problem is pants....I've got tons of tops, shoes, bags, etc. but only like six pairs of pants (jeans and work pants). Its hard to find them that fit the right way.....