Hmm, some more birthday tribute has trickled into the inbox:
from DSW, a gift certificate which can be combined with up to 2 OTHER OFFERS (listening, J.Crew?)
from Loehmann's, 15% off on all purchases on any single day during August. I plan to wait til the end of the month when there'll be more stock in the store. This birthday discount improves every year; it started as on the birthday, then the day before and the day after, then the whole week of, and now, the whole month!
from bloomingdales.com, 15% off my next web order, good through the end of August.
As the actual birthday draws closer, thoughts turn to what I think i might really, really want - aside from world peace and a few functioning brains in Washington? Himself is replacing a cherished ring that disappeared on our travels. Other family - goofy phonecalls, loving wishes, books and gift cards. But shopping for self these days seems less and less enjoyable and more and more like trying to stretch lunch for 2 into dinner for 6. Doable, but not as much fun as planning a Julia Child tribute dinner with GFs.
Here, then, is what I'm pretty sure I don't want:
Anything that catches my eye and makes me want it and then costs a small fortune buying the rest of the outfit to wear it with. (strange sentence structure, but you get the point) This is what I didn't like about a certain small but chesty doll:all you could do with her, really, was buy her outfits. And accessories. And - ultimate low - a friend. Toys should not make you sad.
Also: no clothes for lives I don't lead, events I no longer attend, impressions I don't care about making. Out East, I don't go to galas or go celebrity-spotting. Nor do I care if celebrities spot me. I go to the beach, I walk in the woods, I garden, I cook in season and eat out, out of season. Oh, and I go to the library and to outdoor art shows. In the city, tailored jackets and bottoms mix and match much of the time, dressy events are mainly restaurants and the odd wedding or other catered celebration, and there I'm in no rush to add to stock.
Shoes. I can always use shoes. I hope I can make myself do some serious weeding before I bring home any more.
Scarves. When I began traveling, I made myself a promise: no knickknacks, no dustcatchers, and no t-shirts unless utterly, utterly necessary. Instead, I would just get one perfect thing. I bought an Hermès scarf. I won't admit how many I now have, let's say, uh, some, all loved, all meaningful, all beautiful. And they don't have to be dusted. They've also made me very demanding of my everyday scarves. I just returned a leopard print wool-blend one to J.Crew. Could use a real sheepskin scarf in a short rectangle.Long coat. Was considering a deep red one, decided black would be better, less readily identifiable, still want length, high collar, single-breasted, slim cut - picture a Klimt woman waiting at a bus stop, that's the look. Will wait.
No more striped shirts. This time I really mean it.
Festive events: noone would forgive me if I didn't haul out the velvet-and-chintz patchwork long skirt at Thanksgiving, a dark green velvet something at Christmas, ironic black on Valentine's Day, red-white-blue on every patriotic commemoration from Memorial Day to Veterans' Day.
Sadly, I still don't know what to wear on 9/11. This may be the year I ignore that rule about "no legible clothing over age 25" and wear a tee-shirt that says I'M STILL HERE.
Moving on, no more colors carefully blended by art school dropouts that require me to buy $100 worth of makeup to wear. If at all. No good comes of following art school dropouts. Anywhere, anytime.
What are your non-wishes?
Loot update: today's tribute: Macy's -- 20% off on the day of my choice;
Banana Republic -- $15 coupon good through August;
Territory Ahead -- 10% off.
Vidal Sassoon -- 15% off next beauty service, in August.
J.Crew still doesn't call, doesn't write.
Lovely list of non-wishes!
ReplyDeleteHere is mine:
No must-have Fall items, I'm over it.
No cheap cashmere.
No short skirts, no short dresses, no trousers, no denim anything.
No cheap handbags.
No JCrew coats for the first fall/winter in a long, long time.
Actually I can't even believe it but I am not planning on buying anything from JCrew this Fall. Nothing there I have to have.
Oh Hermes! Now those scarves would be a good thing to collect. Great for turkey-neck coverage too, looking forward.
I think you're reading my mind!
ReplyDeleteI got into the perfect scarf thing by accident, wandered by, wandered in. Hard to believe now. I think the scarves have appreciated better than any other investment I've made!
Hmm...I actually really want that camel trench in the Crew's fall lookbook and some new shoes. I don't really need anything, so I am splurging on a very few really great items and no junk this fall.
ReplyDeleteI have been on a decluttering mission throughout my house lately including my closet. I only want things that I really love and that are worthy of the time and effort of owning and taking care of them. If it pinches, pulls, rubs or is made for a body not shaped like mine, it is gone.
I don't need anything else to sit around and collect dust.
I don't want anything else that requires feeding, watering or cleaning up after.
No trousers, no high heels, no short skirts and no more items that are too much like anything I already have.
No scarves. I love them in theory, but I am not and will never be a scarf lady.
No more junk for my DS. I really could do without goodie bags, happy meal toys and well meaning family and friends gifts to him. Trust me, he really doesn't need more small plastic junk.
This is a good exercise, as it amazes how easy it is to come home with exactly what one does not need or want. Dressing for the life you lead requires some thought, perhaps a list of the kinds of events you actually attend.
ReplyDeleteNo more crewneck T's in more nifty colors-- enough.
No more black pants--more than enough already.
Agree no more cheap bags/cashmere
Nothing I don't LOVE or feel very comfortable in-- too deeply cut necklines, for instance.
Kitsmommy, I just added Nothing that requires special undergarments! And agree about population control for pets and plants. Too many dark November afternoons in my past, when the only bright spot was not having to walk an unappreciative furry thing. And absolutely no short skirts, that goes without saying.
ReplyDeleteLane, agree, bsolutely nothing that isn't wonderful , whether it's a wonderful barrette or a wonderful coat-and-dress outfit!