Week 2: The world is my oyster...well, sort of.

Actually, the world of shopping used to be my oyster. Lately, it seems like everything related to shopping, and I mean EVERY DAMN thing, is off limits. I sometimes forget I'm on a fashion fast and still have that rush of excitement and nervousness when I come across a clothing store. Take today for instance. I was walking past my favorite sample sale shop on 5th Ave. and saw a huge "25% off" everything in the store sign. For anyone who has ever shopped in Manhattan, there is a sample sale going on at some time during the year for every designer around. My therapist gave me some sage advice last year during the height of one of my shopping sprees. She said, "Miss F., I think it would be best if you avoided sample sales from now on." Her rationale was that we (yes, you and me!) tend to buy things that we really don't need, but because it is significantly marked down and on sale, we'll be more inclined to buy it. Plus, the frenzy that takes place at a sample sale, you know, throngs of women digging, hunting and frantically trying on things over their clothes because the line for the dressing room is an hour long, can tend to make me lose all sense of rational thought. Like the time 2 years ago, when I purchased five Diane Von Furstenburg wrap dresses from a sample sale because, hey it's DVF, it's a steal, and when will there be another sample sale of this kind? Ah, probably tomorrow!

Which takes me to where I was headed today when I strolled by my favorite store. I was in the market for a necklace for my boyfriend's daughter. I went to one of those stores that sells boatloads of costume jewelry. The kind that has knock-offs of the overpriced stuff that is sold in Bloomingdale's and the like. Again, I was overcome with a rush of emotions- excitement, anxiety and happiness. I felt like a kid in a candy store!

I happened to have been on the phone with my mother at the time who as you know, is also "supposedly" on a fashion fast. I asked her if accessories would be permissible for me to buy for myself as I felt the urge to indulge. She answered my question with a confession about herself. She told me that she had already cheated on the fast. This stopped me in my tracks. I was filled with curiosity, disdain and envy. I shot back, "you did?! what did you buy?" She offered up that she bought a pair of shoes and went on to say, that she really didn't think she could keep to the fast. She justified it with some mumble jumble about how if she just bought one item a month, she still would be limiting herself and thus on a fast. I quickly hung up the phone as I was feeling weak, and surrounded by tempting jewelry, I knew if I talked to her any longer, I might be convinced that it would be "okay" to treat myself.  So, I quickly found a gift and ran out of the store in record speed.

What this fast is making me realize, is how easily my emotional state and peace of mind has been influenced by shopping. I wish that nature and all things non-shopping could give me that feeling of euphoria and excitement and then the wave of contentedness that I get from shopping. I'm one of those people who could spend three solid hours in Loehmann's, going back and forth in and out of the dressing room, trying on clothes, seeking the perfect item(s) to round out my wardrobe. And that's what I tell myself too, that "this will be the last item and then I'm done"! Yeah right Miss F!

I did spend some quality time with my boyfriend this past weekend nowhere near a clothing store.

Delaware Water Gap

I came up with a lovely way to spend our Saturday afternoon- hiking at the Delaware water gap. It was beautiful and felt like we were in another world. We stopped at the local Italian market and picked up fresh Italian bread, provolone cheese and a bag of sweets. We hiked for 3 hours and took in breathtaking views of the water, hawks, lush green hills and ate our delicious lunch. I felt at peace, settled, content and truly like the world was my oyster. I could get used to spending my time like this. Who needs shopping anyway....yeah right!