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.)
