Friday, April 17, 2009

The First Step

*stands*

Hi. My name is Alex and I am addicted to formal wear.

Group replies : "Hi, Alex."

*sits back in the hard plastic chairs of the meeting room.*
They say admitting you have a problem is the first step. It wasn't easy coming to this conclusion, but the evidence was hard to ignore.

I am addicted to formal wear. The dresses, the shoes, the accessories...

First, in my old house, I had allocated DB a mere 2 feet of space. This was just for my regular clothes and shoes, there were no formals in that closet. They had all moved into the guest room closet. He's lucky he got 2 feet. In the new house, he got 6, but only because our new closet was huge and my clothes and shoes got 16 feet.

Second, my closet shelving in the new house collapsed. Sure, the builder's didn't mount a single bracket of the 12 foot shelf into a stud. At the same time, DB's side is holding strong despite the workmanship.

Then, of course, after redoing the closets, washing all the drywall dust off my clothes and rehanging them, I counted - 16 formals. Me! A girl who wears dress casual on most days. I get dressed up about 3 times a year (aside from the occasional wedding) and I have 16 formals. This does not include dressy outfits, sundresses, church type ensembles or suits. Just glittery, satin, velvet, crenoline, beaded formals. Just check out the Playground Yearbook page to see me in my various finery over the years. 16...

Er, make that 19. As Angel mentioned earlier this week, I hit a sale at Ross this weekend. I have this inability to turn down a formal priced below $30. I have to buy it. How can you turn down a $250 dress that will cost you $30? When it looks good on you? You can't. Can't, I say! So I fell in love with this dress at Ross. Imagine it in deep royal purple. It was $27, marked down from $169. Great. It was also marked as a size 10. Since I got it on, I must, in fact, be a size ten. (HA!) So, of course, I bought it. And one very much like this one. And another. And the one for Angel. (See, I spread the love, too.) But the problem comes later in the accessories. The shoes I found to go with it...


$247 on Zappos. Ouch. They're Stuart Weitzman and absolutely adorable. At least they're on sale. Yeah. Not in this economy. Unfortunately, even if I could afford them, PC has informed me that suede is inappropriate for a summer shoe, so the shoe hunt continues.

So, what is your clothing addiction? I know I'm in good company with shoe addicts around here, but some people have a purse or jewelry thing, too. Is there anything at the store you just have to buy regardless of whether you have one just like it at home, or you have no real use for it?

SP

15 comments:

Linda Winstead Jones said...

Directions to Ross, please? :-)

Good luck finding the right shoes! I've done that before, I'm afraid. Great deal on the dress, but oh, the shoes . . .

LJ

M.V.Freeman said...

Hmmm. A clothing addiction.
Well, that's a tough question. I actually need help in that department--I don't even have a formal.

I have a secret thing for scarves & shawls. I love them draped over jackets and across shoulders. I like them gauzy, glittery, or just plain wool. Thing is, I don't wear them often, but I have them...:)

Actually, SP, I'm tasking you to help me find a formal next year when I finally go to Nationals-I have no idea where to shop and I hate shopping, yes, I have to get over that...LOL

Angel said...

The purple dress is even prettier than that one. That picture does not do it justice.

I, too, will have to hunt for shoes to go with my new formal, but lucky for me I only need black ones. :) I'm afraid I'm a practical shoe-hunting girl. I like to get ones that will go with a variety of outfits, like the silver ones I've been using for several years at Nationals. :)

I have to admit I'm not that addicted to clothing or accesories. And I hate changing out my purse. I'm more likely to buy stuff like books, scrapbooking supplies, or at the moment, basket fillers. Luckily they'll all be put together this weekend and I can stop fussing with them.

Angel

Maven Linda said...

I just don't understand why this particular addiction would bother you :-). Thus speaks the avowed-and-happy-about-it shoeaholic. Clothes, not so much, but shoes . . . oh, shoes. And purses. Can't leave them out. I'm like a magpie; if it sparkles, I love it.

I think shoe addictions are born from the mostly futile quest to find a comfortable pair of shoes. Except for a few brands like Saucony and Taryn Rose, women's shoes are made on lasts shaped for men's shoes, just smaller editions. Unfortunately, women's feet aren't shaped like mens' feet, so most dressy shoes HURT. Trying to find comfortable shoes becomes an obsession, then an addiction.

As addictions go, I'm comfortable with mine. At least it's decorative.

Andrea Laurence AKA Smarty Pants said...

Well, I could wear a pair of black or silver shoes I already have, but I could use a pair of pretty purple heels. Couldn't everyone?

Have no fear, Mary. I will not allow a fellow member of HOD to look silly at RWA. We'll stage an intervention.

Linda, I've seen a lot of the Taryn Rose shoes. Are they really comfortable? I've considered a pair or two.

Problem Child said...

I've got quite a collection of formal wear myself. I keep saying I'm just going to start recycling, but then we go to Ross or Belks and there's one there for $25...

I've been holding back, but once this book is done and I've lost the last of this poundage, we'll be doing some serious shopping...

M.V.Freeman said...

I'm looking forward to it SP, but I must confess, I have a certain amount of trepidation.

You know. I forgot about shoes too. *sigh*

Now I'm looking up all the brands Maven Linda just mentioned.

I will not panic. :)

Andrea Laurence AKA Smarty Pants said...

Don't worry, Mary. It will be FUN! This time next year, we'll hit the after prom sales and find something faboo. As for shoes, we'll start you out small and work you up to the brands Maven Linda mentioned. :)

Maven Linda said...

SP -- The Taryn Rose are pricey, and generally not in the styles I like, but the ones I've tried on are pretty comfortable. I love the Saucony sneakers, but I have to buy a full size bigger in them, just like the Onex shoes, so be aware.

I just ordered two pairs of Yellow Box from Zappos. They have the camouflage flip-flops again :-). But I already have a pair of those, so that isn't what I ordered. I've given away a bunch of shoes and haven't replaced them, so my shoe shelves have very disturbing bare places in them. That's just wrong.

Playground Monitor said...

Not much of an addict here. Well I do have a thing for office supplies. ::grin::

I have difficulty finding shoes that fit and don't cut across the scar from last year's foot surgery. My everyday footwear is either tennis shoes, Crocs or flip-flops.

As for PC's post-book shopping, I've promised her a trip to Ross on senior discount day so she can not only get a good deal, but a good deal with a 10% old lady discount.

Sherry Werth said...

Well, I always thought I had a shoe addiction until I met all of you. Now I realize it's only a mild case. ;)
I like to shop, period. Anything from jewelry to art. Just put me in a store and I'm happy. Now if I only had the finances to support this habit. LOL
I'm going to Ross tomorrow to look for a dress for the luncheon. Is there a specific Ross location that's better then the other? Or if there is another store I need to hit while in the area? Inquiring minds need to know! :D

Andrea Laurence AKA Smarty Pants said...

Sherry, I usually go to the one on University but my most recent finds were at the Ross in Jones Valley. With that kind of store, you never know what you'll find.

Lynn Raye Harris said...

Shoes!!!!!

Ahem. Well, I like clothes, but I'm afraid I'm always looking at them and thinking, "Yes, but if I just lost that next ten pounds, think how gorgeous that would look! I'll wait."

Shoes, OTOH, one does not need to wait for. This economy has put a damper on the shopping, I admit. Even the Christian Louboutin sale the other day did not pry the credit card from my fist. *sigh*

But I do need to go formal shopping again. After this next 10 pounds ahem.....

(LOOVE handbags too! I've been eying some gorgeous Italian leather bags at TJ Maxx...)

Katherine Bone said...

Ross! Ross! Ross! Oh, how I love thee... And now, I work near the one in Jones Valley. Hoorah!

Last week, I bought 2 formal dresses and found a pair of shoes on sale at DSW just the other day to go with one of the dresses. Yes... good times. But I do admit to thinking about going back, just in case I need another formal. Why it's just a skip and a hop away.

But here's the thing... my nightmare is showing up wearing the same thing as one of you....

Christine said...

I like shoes and pretty dresses and skirts, but I am not prone to spending inordinate amounts of moola on them. Show me a great sale and I'm there. I will have to check out Ross. I tend to steer away from large discount stores as I feel overwhelmed by the choices.

My main addiction is scrapbooking supplies--paper and sparkles. And my second addiction is dishes and cool bakeware. I know. I am a pathetic relic.

And books--love books!