I Have an Addiction

While I am first and foremost a fashionista, I am finding that I am also becoming a considerable frugalista. While that word initially hurt my ears and my tongue I'm trying to get over it. Especially in terms of what is realistic for me. Ah, realistic. The word hasn't resonated well with many Americans in my lifetime a la super credit card debt and serious recession. 

 

We all love to live the life we think we are supposed to have. Think being the optimum word. I think I deserve those Chloe' shoes because they suit the image that I am trying to portray of myself to the world: successful, attractive, style savvy. It's because of thoughts like these that I have fallen out of touch with the luxe for less side of my style mantra (Can you tell I've been reading Eat Pray Love? All this mantra talk...It's great by the way and I was a skeptic). 

It's about what you look like and how you feel: not how much your clothes cost or the label on the inside of your shirt. Given my shift from affordable housing to a more pricey lifestyle downtown I am having to shift my spending habits quite a bit. Much to my chagrin that is. I am going to have to start living conservatively. You'd think after working for my boss for nearly 3 years that this mantra would sink in. It hasn't. That's why I'm making a consorted effort to really, really, really live within my means. As much as it hurts. 

That efforts include my one true love: fashion. While I've grown to be one of those "have to have one piece of designer wear that embodies each season's trend" type of girls I am quickly realizing that those $600 boots not only break the bank {hello credit card debt!}; they also break my BUDGET. That's right. I've created a budget and I am trying to stay within it. As hard as it is. Because the first step to getting over an addiction is admitting you have one. I am not even kidding a little. 

So, I've resorted to actively looking at the must have items of the season by the designers that showed them in their F/W 2010 collections and recreating them using affordable, similar items. You know, like I used to do, before my obsession for nice things spun out of control. I am a Taurus and we can't help it. It's more work, but the payoff is legit or so I've been told. I hear it's a literal payoff in your bank account (savings account anyone?) so that you can travel more, save more, live more. I am starting with two of the biggest trends of the season: lady like bags & leopard print. 

Let's talk about lady like bags. One of the best things about them is that they are about the shape - not the label. They are generally label-less, made of supple leathers in varying colors. There are a lot of different options as Who.What.Wear showed (left). Some ranging from $58 (5. Kimchi Blue at Urban) to $1695 (6. Miu Miu pinched ruched bag) and they all look pretty much the same. Anyone can rock this trend and that includes you. 

 

While my finger thrillingly hovered over the "Check Out" button for the Mulberry Neely Shoulder bag (3. $995 - I actually thought: it's less than $1K what a deal! I wish I was kidding) I stopped and said, ok, take a break, this is a lot of money. So, I went to Asos.com  and checked out this European sites' wares (free shipping including returns!) and purchased the very wallet flattering ASOS Leather Croc Lock Across Body Bag that cost a wopping $85 - it's real leather too (right). I like it, it's within the trend and best of all I can actual carry it knowing that it was bought with real money. It is good looking and well crafted so who cares that the tag doesn't read Salvatore Ferragamo? I don't and you shouldn't either.

Ok, lets talk about the all over the place for Fall 2010 trend: leopard print. It's on vest, bags, pants and most importantly scarves. Thanks to Dries Van Noten, who was on everyone's favorite show of the season list, including mine, and it was due to his subtle blend of luxurious textures and patterns like leopard print with modern tailoring and reliably elegant items that are actually wearable. I was lusting over that scarf like a tiger salivates over a steak. Not just because of the styling (it was real rabbit fur!) but the fact that it was $565! I actually thought that that was a deal. I am crazy about designer clothes. Hence this live within my means experiment. 

A little side story: I found said Dries van Noten scarf for sale at mytheresa.com - it was at about 10:30 on last Tuesday night and my credit card was not accepted. Because mytheresa.com is a German company. That's right: I was going to buy this bad boy from Germany - there is no where I won't go to get my fix, I tell you, get me on Intervention people(!). My credit card company put a fraud alert block on this purchase because you know it was late at night and in Germany, of course they thought it was fraudulent. I nearly DIED when it didn't go through. 

So, the next day I went to work, got onto the website to try again and they were SOLD OUT. Talk about upset. I was devastated. I called my credit card company and they removed the hold (imagine me calling them and explaining this to them: they thought I was NUTS). But it was too late. I guess they did me a favor because I couldn't afford it anyhow. 

 

I am still dealing with the grief of the loss of said scarf, but I'm dealing. I was ready to move on, so I went to Asos.com and found something that is within the same style and within my price range: Asos Crinkle Oversized Leopard Scarf, $27 (right). It's also more practical because it's cotton, not fur, which makes WAY more sense here in sweaty Austin, TX.   

I'll keep you posted on my journey to financial stability. Wish me luck - in the meantime - happy saving?! Weird. Just seems weird. Not exactly my usual: happy shopping! Ugh. My name is Afton and I am addicted to shopping, my name is Afton and I am addicted to shopping, my name is...