How I’m Conquering My Shopism
The NY Times is reporting that consumers are starting to shop online for clothes more often than physically going to the store. I just can’t understand such a trend. Why would anyone want to avoid long queues for the hot, unflatteringly lit changing rooms, and the underpaid salespeople cooing, “Have you got the right size in there? Do you need a $200 belt to go with that $300 sparkly dress you’ll never wear?”
AT 19, I was just such an underpaid salesperson in an allegedly elite clothes store. One day’s work, after tax, gave me $45 cash in hand! And there was a thick book of rules dictating how to act (”Customers must be greeted warmly within one minute of entering the store”) and how to look, down to the length of my fingernails and the tone of nail polish. I remember noticing that (in general) women shoppers would dither and anguish over purchases, while men would either whip in and out alone within minutes, or be marched in by a bossy girlfriend.
Working there was sort of useful. I entered a grunge queen, all black hair and big boots, and emerged, if not a beauty queen, with slightly more style. Sort of like that weird chick at the end of The Breakfast Club but minus the silly blue bow.
But I did spend more on clothes from that point on, a weakness which I’m working hard on especially now I’m out of the magazine industry. My efforts to NOT shop include:
- Avoiding fashion magazines.
- Not wandering through shops for lack of something better to do.
- Not going to sales just because “it’s a sale.”
- Moving across the world from my fashion and beauty writer friend (well, that’s not why I moved really).
- Forcing myself to back away from something I like and consider over 24 hours whether I really want/need it. This technique really works because it’s made shopping much more boring.
Are you a reformed shopper, or still off the wagon? Any tips?
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Wednesday, May 16th, 2007 at 7:04 am
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I have a hard time with the “back away for 24 hours” technique– I am convinced that I am jinxed with things like that. There have been too many times when I dithered about something and when I went back, they didn’t have it in my size any more, and then I became obsessed and went to every other branch of the store, who were also sold out, of course… I guess you can ask the store to put things on hold, though…
May 16th, 2007 at 11:50 amYeah that would be annoying. This is a new tactic for me and I haven’t actually returned to a store yet (apart from the MoMA umbrella I blogged about a few weeks back). I always feel like putting things on hold obligates me to buy it. Otherwise it would be like saving a good seat at an event and then not using it.
May 16th, 2007 at 1:13 pmFunnily enough, I always use the “step away” method as a means of checking for better deals, coupons and cashback opportunities but after finding myself in the same obsessed situation as you, Madame X, I’ve learned to put things on hold. Otherwise I waste hours calling all the other stores. But 9 times out of 10, I remind myself that I just dodged a spending bullet.
There are usually 24 hour hold periods so I wouldn’t worry about the item going to waste though, richminx, I know it goes right back on the rack if I don’t want it after all or I can put it back myself.
May 16th, 2007 at 2:33 pm