Thursday, May 20, 2010

Shopping diet update 2

Since day three of my mostly sequestered writing marathon (of moderate productivity) has me looking unfit for internet eyes, I thought I'd update on my self imposed shopping diet. I decided, because of savings goals that Blokey and I had, that I would limit my spending to only used/thrifted, and about $20 a week (it was originally exactly 20 but luckily I'm no math genius). April was OK, until I visited Chicago during an academic conference and went on a mini spree with my close friends.
This month has been better. I've only bought second hand stuff. But I have gone over my budget, and I didn't buy many things that I needed, just wanted. I realized again that I tend to want to accumulate new stuff when I have the most anxieties about my scholarship. Shopping (even if it's thrifting and Ebay/Etsy lurking) is part of a larger strategy of distraction/procrastination, and it generally does pick me up temporarily, but then I'm all "What am I going to put all these clothes?" Blokey and I do have limited closet space, and I can only store so much stuff away before it becomes pointless to buy them. I am traveling a lot this summer, so I do hope that I can stick the spending plan better next month (and the rest of this month). I have the goal of really limiting my shopping to needs, not boredom, and then supplies for sewing. And instead of fuzzy goals, I have a concrete one of saving on clothes so I can fly out to hang with Anne and company for one extra visit.
On a lighter note, I read this very funny piece in Jezebel called "Catalog Fantasies: This Could Be Your Life." It's a clever deconstruction of the different kinds of narratives within the styling of various popular clothing chain catalogs (I don't receive any). The comments made me laugh, including one person who said that the JCrew catalog is a world without breasts. Since I don't look at this often, I peeked over at the webpage, and sure enough, these Ivy League type patrician looking ladies are pretty universally elegant on top.

While other look awesome in this look, I tend to shy from JCrew (unless thrifted) because it's a bit too polished and I'm someone who admires Lisbeth Salander. But I did appreciate these $50 numbers:

"Luxe Terry Drawstring Pant". The description reads: "think of it as polished sweatpant."
I will (and I think poorly of your use of "pant" as a noun).
source

This is it's sister, the Luxe Terry Un-Sweatpant (the description calls them "sweats")
source

These are obviously perfect for my many periods of self-imposed research hermit moments, because I can throw on a denim jacket to meet folks or run errands when I am on the verge of going crazy. I've lusted after tailored sweats before, but as I'm not buying new, these aren't relevant. I am having sewing fantasies.

Tailored/polished sweats (of the non Juicy variety): cool and comfy or too close to "can't be bothered" for your comfort?

15 comments:

  1. Damn, that Jezebel piece is funny.

    And I DID just buy a pair of knit harem pants that may end up as fancy loungers ... but I hold out hope that they'll leave the house. Somehow.

    ReplyDelete
  2. The first pair doesn't look too bad for leaving the house in. I used to have some knit work pants from NY&CO that look dressy but feel like sweats. It felt like my little secret :)

    And keep up the shopping diet! You may just inspire me to stick to one. How about we save up and plan on another shopping trip during one of your many visits here this summer? That (and travel) is worth saving for.

    ReplyDelete
  3. "Shopping (even if it's thrifting and Ebay/Etsy lurking) is part of a larger strategy of distraction/procrastination."

    This resonates so much with me. I imagine that iconic image of the dichotomy of the internet with the staidly dressed, bespectacled man sitting at a typewriter above which "research paper" is written, to the right of a bikini clad woman with a birthday cake and dinosaur and airplane jets that accompany a marquee caliber sign proclaiming "THE INTERNET!" I am so easily distracted and need to hunker down to wrap this dissertation up before I start my faculty job in the fall. But I also need the internet to be available for quick access to research tools. Blah..

    anyway, good luck with your shopping diet. I too need to go on one right now.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Is it just me or is there no salient difference between the "polished sweatpant" and the "un-sweatpants"? The second just looks like a scrunched up version of the first, though they both look comfy and less like the ratty Old Navy yoga pants I am currently languishing in.

    Anyway, good for you for the shopping diet. I am going to join you in a shopping diet, which I will properly post about when I reach the day's perscribed word limit. Actually, mine is more of a "shopping emissions offset". If I buy something I don't need, whether it is second-hand or not, I have to pay the same amount toward my student loan, in addition to the monthly payments I already make. This means that I have to decide if I really want to spend double the purchase price. This plan has been in place for a month now, and so far, so good. Hurrah! Stay strong, Rad! We have your back!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I'd totally leave the house in both of those, but yeah, not for $50... Guh, I ought to put a number on my thrifting budget, I think I'll have to unless I find a summer job soon!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I don't know.... These kinds of pants just have too many undergrad wearing sweats with uggs and a hoodie connotations for me to be fully comfortable with them in my wardrobe. I do occasionally lounge in yoga pants and a hoodie, but the only reason that I leave the house in yoga pants is to go to yoga -- same for sweats and work out shorts. It's the gym, the running path, or they should neither be seen nor heard. I know I'm kind of stricty-pants about sweatpants.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Oh, and I meant to say that I'm envious/excited for you re: the trip you and Blokey are taking to Germany!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I am always strangely drawn to better-fitted sweats although I never buy them. I also remember seeing a sweatshirt-material blazer in Lucky years ago and hoping the entire world followed suit.

    Strangely, very few designers have.

    Best wishes to your shopping resolve! I tend to shop when I'm stressed so...I hear you.

    ReplyDelete
  9. ooh, I would wear those anywhere! Cute.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Oh, man, that rings so true. When I'm fretting about how good my science is, I totally go on shopping sprees.

    ReplyDelete
  11. ooh, I would wear those anywhere! Cute.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Oh, man, that rings so true. When I'm fretting about how good my science is, I totally go on shopping sprees.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Oh, and I meant to say that I'm envious/excited for you re: the trip you and Blokey are taking to Germany!

    ReplyDelete
  14. I am always strangely drawn to better-fitted sweats although I never buy them. I also remember seeing a sweatshirt-material blazer in Lucky years ago and hoping the entire world followed suit.

    Strangely, very few designers have.

    Best wishes to your shopping resolve! I tend to shop when I'm stressed so...I hear you.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I don't know.... These kinds of pants just have too many undergrad wearing sweats with uggs and a hoodie connotations for me to be fully comfortable with them in my wardrobe. I do occasionally lounge in yoga pants and a hoodie, but the only reason that I leave the house in yoga pants is to go to yoga -- same for sweats and work out shorts. It's the gym, the running path, or they should neither be seen nor heard. I know I'm kind of stricty-pants about sweatpants.

    ReplyDelete