Mom on the Run
Dang it. Dang it! I look and look at the subject line of the email: “Up to 70% off and Free Shipping! Shop Summer now.”
Dang it. I had resolved not to buy any more summer clothes. I have plenty, really. Last year I started exercising and straightened up my diet and I lost several sizes, so I needed new clothes … but since then I have replaced virtually my whole wardrobe.
As I’ve replaced clothes with smaller sizes I’ve also completely changed my style. Dark and shapeless is out. Bright and flattering is in. I wear dresses now, and heels. It’s amazing, putting on fashionable new clothes and looking in the mirror and never being disappointed in how I look.
So I’ve been doing quite a lot of shopping. Nothing extravagant, of course, I still have two college educations to pay for and I’m absolutely thrifty. If it’s not on sale plus a coupon I’m not buying it, no matter how beautiful it is and how good it makes me look. But still, even within those guidelines I’ve managed to accumulate a closetful of new clothes. Flattering slacks and swingy dresses and pencil skirts, fitted sweaters and flowy blouses and scoop-neck printed Ts. It’s enough that sometimes I look and I wonder if I’ll be able to wear it all this summer.
I mean, of course I can, right? It’s just turned July, and I’ve worn almost everything at least once already. But still, I have enough, I know it. We don’t have endless money, even with sales, and I have plenty of clothes. So, I had decided, I’m done. I’ve got an of-the-moment orangey-coral dress. I’ve got a colorblock dress. I’ve got shoes – so many beautiful shoes! – and purses and jewelry to match. My wardrobe is chic and complete. No more shopping.
But this email! “Up to 70% off”! With free shipping! From my favorite, favorite store! The one with the absolutely delicious clothes, which always fit. The store that is the source whenever anybody says, “Oh, that is so cute! Where did you get it?” I would never, ever pay full price for any of their clothes, but when I hit an end-of-season sale plus an additional frequent-customer discount … well, it’s a wonderful thing to open a box and pull out something beautiful and laugh at the $89.95 price tag, when I paid $12 for it.
I glare at the 70% off email for a while. Really, I think, I’ve been through their website. There’s nothing new on there. Right? But … well … maybe there’s something wonderful on there, something I had bypassed before because, even on sale, it was still too much. And maybe it’s more deeply discounted now. And, you know, I still don’t have special occasion clothes. I could just look ….
So I click, and open the email. Then I click again, and go to the website. I run down the menu on the left, and select “Dresses,” because I would only blow my no-more-shopping resolution for an amazing dress. Pants aren’t going to cut it. I click. And there, the first dress – oh. A fitted sleeveless zebra print dress. With a scoop neck and a wide orange belt. “Was $119.95. Sale $99.99 plus 40% off!”
Sixty dollars. Still pricey. But it’s beautiful. I would look so cute in that! Dang. I scroll down the page. Ohh. That “Shift into neutral” dress is beautiful. The “Cool colorblock dress” is so summery, in fuchsia and orange. Look at the coral dress with the stand-up boatneck collar! And the Oceana prism dress! All in my size, all on sale.
I’m not even a quarter down the page, and the pull of seduction is powerful. Such beautiful dresses! Firmly, deliberately, I move my cursor up, click on the X, shut the page. Take it down. Get it away. At least one of those dresses will still be there when prices drop to 50% off, 60% off. I’ll get one then.
Be strong, Lianne, you have plenty of clothes. Plenty of beautiful clothes. You don’t need another gorgeous adorable dress. Walk away….
