Justify a spending spree
The results of a study of 3000 women undertaken by a popular iced dessert company recently have revealed that even though 83pc of the respondents felt shameful after a shopping spree, one in five has not allowed the recession adversely to affect spending habits.
The research was publicised on the back of a quite ingenious calculator the company has launched, which helps female shoppers justify their spending by calculating the cost-per-wear of an item.
Inspired by the notion of removing the guilt from spending, it wasn’t hard to formulate some other strategies a wily female might use to justify continuing to buy new items in the economic climate.
With all the bargains available on the High Street at the moment, it’s hard to resist shopping, especially as we don’t know when the sales might end and prices will start to soar again. This is the perfect excuse for a woman to replace a large proportion of her wardrobe so that she is well equipped for any future eventuality. And we never know what the future holds.
However, purchasing a good quality piece of clothing, whether reduced or not, is a long term investment. A superior item will last longer, wash better, have a more flattering cut and should be more versatile than cheap imitations. Have you ever heard the phrase “Spend more, save more”? I’m sure many women would swear by this motto.
Another option is to engage in a wardrobe weeding session, rewarding yourself for all the hard work, time and elbow grease with a brand new item or two that you just have to have. It wouldn’t be good for your self esteem to suffer with a bare, empty looking wardrobe – this might even adversely affect your popularity amongst friends and colleagues or even have a negative impact on your work performance … heavens, no!
A bag of purged clothes donated to charity should also be rewarded. You could always replace unwanted items with ethical alternatives – organic cotton t-shirts, items manufactured with fair trade values or pieces made from materials that have been coloured with vegetable dyes.
Finally, there is always the chance you could sell a few clothes that have outlived their shelf life in your wardrobe via an online auction or at a car boot sale. The proceeds could be used to revamp your look with that extra special dress or pair of shoes you just can’t live without.
Let’s face it — it’s time to ditch the guilt, ladies, and hit the stores. The summer collections are on their way out and it’s time to start preparing for a new season’s fashion frenzy.
