Shopaholic Rehab

Henry Thoreau wrote some words back in 1854 that recently made me revaluate my sizeable shopping habit. He said, “beware of all enterprises that require new clothes, and not rather a new wearer of clothes.” This warning jumped off the page, smacked me in the face and left me with the sense that I’ve been headed down a dark path.

Shopping has always been my guilty pleasure. As a materialistic American 20-something female, I’m culturally predispositioned to want bright, shiny, new things. Cues are everywhere, whispering, you want this, you need this and you deserve to have it. Just open up any fashion magazine and you’ll see that the first 20+ pages are ads. Sucker that I am, I drool over the latest trend and run out to buy that new pair of jeggings even though I already own 18 pairs of perfectly acceptable jeans. Yes, I counted.

I’ve presented myself with so many choices everyday, that I’m overwhelmed with the options and leave some hangers unturned. Should I choose the black tank top with skinny or flare legged jeans, sandals or flats or boots, with this necklace or those earrings? Or maybe I should just go buy something new? I’ve become a purchasing packrat with no hope of saving space, money or self-respect.

So why do I do it to myself? When I look back on all the items I’ve purchased because of the feeling they gave me at the time or the promise of a feeling they might give me in the future, I’m left with a closet, and quite frankly, a room full of empty promises, some still adorned with price tags. I’ve realized that the void that needs to be filled most likely isn’t in my closet!

So I’m heeding Thoreau’s advice and embarking on the path to shopaholic rehabilitation. I don’t see myself venturing out to Walden Pond anytime soon, but minimalism is the goal here. What you can expect out of my blog is fun advice about saving money, curbing shopping, being kind to the planet, making the most of what you already have and letting that inner and outer beauty shine. Don’t be surprised if I backslide into retail redux occasionally and spotlight an object of desire that I just can’t live without. Change is a process.