Week 8: HALT!

I haven't stepped foot into a mall since the start of my fashion fast. That is until last night when I had to pick up a gift for a friend's wedding shower and also felt strong enough to enter into the cosmetic area of Bloomingdales to replenish some of my makeup. I did okay spending wise. I stayed true to my fashion fast and didn't cave. I did feel a slight wave of excitement  and anxiety come over me when standing at the MAC counter and started to scan items that I really didn't need, but had the urge to buy.

You see, I've never been one to overindulge in lotions, potions and makeup. Not like my dear friend Miss S who is constantly on the hunt for the newest youth serum and anti-aging face cream that she could finance a small village with the amount that she spends yearly on products. In fact, my shower has one shampoo, one conditioner, a bar of soap and a razor. That's it.  Nope, I've never gotten the shopping bug for beauty products. Yet, last night, as I entered into the cosmetic department, knowing full well these products were full game, I started to go down a path that felt very similar to my fashion addiction.

I then remembered an acronym that was told to me by a wise friend I met during a Shoppers Anonymous group. She said that one should never engage in potentially addictive behavior when they are HUNGRY, ANGRY, LONELY or TIRED - hence the word HALT! Last night I was not only very hungry but also was feeling kind of distracted and bothered by a heavy conversation I just had with someone (which eventually got resolved, but not in the moment I was standing at the  cosmetic counters). That word saved me and also allowed me to connect to the deeper emotions that can often drive my need to shop.  I'm learning that trying to fill the sadness, anger, loneliness, (insert emotion) with a posession is always a short fix. And eventually, I wind up feeling more empty.

OK, so even with this infite wisdom that I have attained through my fashion fast I still know that the art of fashion is something that I love and appreciate. I think though, what I'm getting at, is that I'm finding a way to appreciate fashion and eventually shop in a way that's done in moderation and with attunement to my emotions. I like where I'm at right now...

One day at a time.

Miss F.