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.
