After skidding into July through a busy June, I noticed that I’ve hit the halfway point! I keep telling myself that these last six months will be like climbing the tallest slide on the playground. On the up slope we have to pull ourselves across every rung and hurdle on that ladder, but once we reach the peak, the slide down to the other side is simple, swift, and invigorating. Okay, maybe that’s not how it will really be, but if I keep saying it perhaps it will come true. In the meantime I plan to preoccupy myself with learning to cook new foods from scratch and developing my brand new shopping rules that are inspired by Sally’s no-nonsense approach to clothes shopping post-diet. I shall call them ”Tabatha’s Rules of Order”:
- Don’t buy the item if there isn’t already a hanger waiting for it in the closet.
- You know full well that you’re not going to hand wash that delicate blouse, so don’t invest money in something you’ll never wear for fear of ruining it.
- Never shop without a list. If you know what you’re looking for there is a lot less room for impulse buys and the remorse that follows.
- Just because you’ve never had purple pants doesn’t mean you need purple pants. Build a flattering color palette and a style board like that of an interior designer and work with it.
- Have shopping down to a science. Don’t just keep a list of what works, but keep a list of what hasn’t worked in the fitting rooms in the past. If spaghetti straps didn’t lend enough support in the last dress, they probably won’t in the next dress either.
- Natural fibers. Need I say more? There’s nothing more comfortable in the Summer heat, and once these materials are at the end of their life cycle they’ll biodegrade sooner rather than later.
- Don’t shop for food when you’re hungry or for clothes when you’re bored. Designate specific intervals througout the year for clothes shopping and don’t let it become a bad habit.
When it comes to breaking these rules, I’ve already “been there and done that” in the past and have spent too much time on The Diet for all of my efforts to be wasted. At first glance these rules may seem restricting, but we have to keep in mind that the successful completion of every project is due in part to the presence of guidelines. Afterall, without rules our closets could be engulfed in sheer anarchy. The coats would revolt. The trousers might roll up socks and launch them at unsuspecting dress shirts while using a bra as a slingshot. Sequined bell-bottoms would remain unworn and rendered resentful towards the underpants that are able to leave the closet every day. It would be mutiny, I tell you! Therefore, keeping the wardrobe in check is what good captains…cough… I mean what good shoppers do.
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Great rules! I think I will adopt those for myself, too! Hang in there for the 2nd half of your ride!
Thanks, I certainly hope to!
Tabatha, you are a great writer! It is such a pleasure to read your posts. As far as your rules….I need to adopt some of these and add them to my list. I like #4 in particular and the statement…”don’t go grocery shopping when you’re hungry and and don’t buy clothes when you’re bored.” Touche my friend. As far as the back side of the diet…it’s not easy. For me it has not gotten easier but more tiring. I was especially tired of it when summer arrived. But…low and behold many friends and relatives sent me their gorgeous castaways. It used to be me who was constantly giving great apparel away (some with tags) to friends and family. I guess now it’s payback and I am a very appreciative recipient. I find that if I tell people to think of me when they clean out their closets they do and I am happy to take their unworn apparel off their hands.
I hear that, and can tell this is the kind of project that can wear the patience thin.
I’ve been really lucky (and grateful) to have gotten my hands on an unused swim cover-up and a few t-shirts that friends brought back as gifts from vacations. It’s times like these I’m glad I know how to mend and hem. In fact I have half a mind to make sun dresses out of curtains and tablecloths that I have in storage. At least they’ll be colorful!