Impulse Purchase

Almost a year ago, I saw this dress on Pinterest (which I should be more active on, but can’t find the time).  I tracked it down on ASOS.  I stared at it.  I put it in my online shopping bag, but did not proceed all the way to Checkout.  I logged in a few weeks later.  It was still there.  It was still in my size.  I did this many times over many months.  I noted how high fashion it looked, in spite of the modest price.  Like the fabled magpie planning her nest, I admired all the shiny multicoloured sequins. I planned how I might style it and where I would wear it, and I reminisced with myself about how much I enjoyed multicoloured things in previous outfits.  I have too much black now!  Don’t I?  Why not more multicoloured pieces like this, like the ones I used to wear?  Where did my colour go?  Did New York steal it from me in the 1990’s and offer it to the goddess of Urban Minimalism?

I am a 45 year old woman who on some days, feels about 145.  I have a toddler, an inquisitive sticky little being who requires round-the-clock surveillance, and who would gleefully pull off those neon sequins on this dress.  What am I going to do with a dress like this?  London isn’t exactly tropical, so it isn’t something I’d get a lot of mileage out of.  It doesn’t look like it would pack very well for holidays.  I continued to stare at it longingly, but would always talk myself out of it.

THEN I saw one of my favourite bloggers wearing this dress.  That was it.  Someone had beat me to my own dress!  How was this even possible?  How dare she!  She had it first, but I would rather be late than never, so after more months of staring, I proceeded to Checkout. It arrived today, and I love it.

Realistically, how long can I wear this dress?  I don’t know.  If not now though, then when?  When I’m 75?  Probably not.  I may have more sense by then (doubtful, but maybe).  The dress reminds me of that anguished feeling of being young and broke, and wanting something that is both unaffordable and impractical, but which you are certain will change your life for the better if you had it.   There needs to be a word for that.  If there is a word for schadenfreude, there should be a word for that.

I will wear this dress, even I just twirl around in my bathroom when my son is safely asleep.  I hope you will see it on the blog at some point in the (not so freezing) future, because that means I will be wearing outside the safety of my bathroom!  For every stack of grey and navy and black wear-forever pieces that I buy, I need to temper it with something completely irrational. It keeps me in touch with my inner 20 year old (I remember she used to sew sequins on tank tops and crop tops);  that girl still gets a charge out of slightly bonkers clothing because it feels true to her personal Style.

Have you bought anything bonkers lately, or anything that feels particularly true to your Style?