An Intervention Please--Part 2

Again I'm here, putting another section of my problem out on the table.  With a current inventory of dresses holding steady at 112pc. with a tendency to spike at the next round of Fall sales, I bring you the next step in my Self-Intervention:

Part 2: adDRESSing the Issue

While it's true some things were bought just because I could, or just because it satisfied the moment, I will tell you many of these dresses have memories attached.  Sometimes a memory is all the more reason to hold on to it all.

My small, and almost useless, collection of evening attire:

These covered dresses, and a few exposed, show my lack of storing things properly.  

*On a different note, it reminds me of the Bah-Mitzvah I attended (my first real "fancy" event)-the dress I had to pinch my pennies to obtain; I had just begun working in NYC when a year into it my boss' daugther was turning 13.

*The dress I wore when I was asked to be my BFF's Maid of Honor

*The many other cocktail pieces I wore to friends' weddings

*The sequin Alberto Makali dress I JUST HAD TO HAVE for my 1st trip to Vegas (which I never ended up wearing)

*The red holiday dress I wore to my boss' 50th soiree, the grandest of all grand parties I've EVER attended-words cannot even describe the scale to which this party was thrown.

*And many others that now hang like dead weight in the back of my closet, surely yellowing over time and decaying from improper atmospheric levels.

Two of my ALL-TIME FAVE vintage dresses:

The one on the right is a Beacon's Closet find.  I remember wishing I had this on me when I was in Cleveland and received a phone call that my grandfather had passed away.  I whisked myself from Ohio to Indiana with any funeral appropriate clothing in my closet back in Brooklyn.  And I remember calling the BF to see if it was possible to send this to me in time for the funeral.  How silly to think of what I was going to wear at a time like that.

The one on the left is my 1st vintage purchase ever.  Reminds me of being just 15 or 16 years old--I'd say buying anything second hand was more so just teenage angst and something to compliment my revolving collection of boys' little league t-shirts and JNCOs (fashion at it's finest.....DUH!).  Rarely would my shopping ventures produce such a gem as this.

My highschool was just a few doors down from the University of Evansille's campus, and on that campus I found my way into a little head shop in a basement below a bookstore or something.  Incense lingered heavily in the air, bumper stickers covered the walls, and in the middle of the store was one rack of clothing. That rack is where I layed eyes on this.  I think I spent my weekly babysitting money just because I knew, I KNEW that one day I would punch myself if I did not buy this.

To this day I have yet to wear it, turns out my bust size does not accomodate the measurements appropriately.  BLASTED!

My Summer Dresses (as shown in the same pile 2 days ago):

 *Prospect Park picnics, 

*Vacation in California, 

*Graduation parties, 

*NYC humidity, 

*and late summer evenings!

My most recent Thrill of a Find from Village Discount Outlet:

(bought over a year ago which means I need to get back to Ohio real soon!)

So it didn't have an exposed zipper, I had that installed....in fact the zipper was ripped out when I acquired it; but for $0.35 how could I just leave this hanging on the rack?  Those sleeves!  The finished zipper detail?  Delightful it is!

*I wore it the first time I hit-up Atlantic City.

*Then again when I saw the amazing GNR coverband: Appetite for Destruction

My first big splurge:

Maybe not so much of a hit to my wallet now, but at the time.....yes.  I remember how independent I felt when I purchased it.  I finally felt a bit like an adult, I didn't have to consult anyone on this self-indulgent purchase, a gratifying-"I WORKED FOR THIS MOMENT" came over me for sure.

It's this oversized, slouchy, off the shoulder Betsey Johnson sweater dress.  It might be going on 3-4years old now, and I didn't wear it last year, but I'm thinking it's time to put this on again.  I do love an animal print!

And shopping days of yore:

This is a shame that A.) I've never had a moment to wear just a classic little black dress and

B.) Love Saves The Day is now closed in NYC :(  Such a fun store w/great vintage dresses.

I used to stop in that store anytime I was trolling the streets of the East Village-down St. Mark's and around the corner.  I've found many cute dresses there, a lot of kitschy gifts, and a very awesome OWL cookie jar.  It was like shopping in your grandparents' attic finding toys, comics, anything your uncles might've left behind.

And the Fall Dresses of Everyday Goodness:

*Brisk walks to work,

*Friday Happy Hours that turn into All-night booze fests,

*Snow,

*Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve,

*And all my boots--because I love boots w/dresses!

So as it is now, I have plenty of dresses w/memories attached.  I can subside on these for a while longer-wearing them again and letting my mind wander back to "remember when...."

With this I do not need any more dresses.

But wants and needs are two different things.

I pledge to hold off on buying anymore dresses until at least next month.

Oh, and I have a trip to Atlantic City planned for Halloween--so no more dresses until I come back a winner :)

(Unless of course my halloween costume calls for one, that's an exception by all means.)