A time will never come when you will be the perfect shopper and have the perfect wardrobe. Believe me, I know. I’ve tried. Every year, I have to let go of some of the things I’ve acquired, tried, and had to admit don’t work for me.
Over time, my shopping mistakes have changed. When I first began simplifying, I cleared out a lot of mistakes. I was able to learn a lot from them. At that time, I was buying a lot of things because of price. Not because they were my style, not because I could use them, but because they were a good price for what they were. Something is marked down 75%? Of course I need it! A Banana Republic top for $5 at the thrift store? Yes, please!
A few years later, I wrote this post, acknowledging that while I was better about resisting purchases based on price or trends, I was still making mistakes in the form of trying to push myself out of my style comfort zone or what was practical for my lifestyle.
Now the mistakes I’m making are because I feel that I need to have something to be credible or knowledgeable. I’m buying things because I want to support the businesses making them, even if they’re not useful for my life. I’m buying things so that I can walk around Manhattan and feel like I can compete. So that some other fashionista will be able to look at my coat or shoes and recognize it as a cult designer and they will know that I know about fashion. It’s taken me since the last post I wrote about shopping mistakes to realize that my confidence needs to come from my own sense of belonging, not something I’m wearing. I’m getting there. Making the space to let go of these mistakes teaches me something every time. If you never clear out the mistakes, you’ll keep making the same ones over and over.
In the Making Space online course, we’ll work through your reasons for buying things and why you’re holding onto them. Get on the waitlist here.