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?