Are you ever haunted by something you wanted to buy but resisted- only to realise that it wasn't self indulgent and you should have bought it?
Although I often get infatuated with things I do try not to buy things I don't need- because of financial and space constraints.
Still there are times when you leave something on the shelf and forever after it periodically pops into your mind and you know you made a mistake. For me these are often shoes- the navy and white vaguely nautical, perfect for Deauville heels I didn't buy from Loewe because they were too expensive that I think about every summer (we are now five years on); the bright pink Louboutins that were 75% off that I told myself were impractical and that i constantly dream of livening up little black dresses; the Arthur Rackham exhibition catalogue I didn't buy for £20 because I was being good that is now £200 second hand and that I still want.
It's strange how sometimes the mind tricks us into thinking we don't want something when really we do- and how long a memory we can have for something very beautiful.
Years ago, in a used bookstore, there was an autographed photograph of Cary Grant, on which he had written, "Good Morning, Sweetheart". It was in a frame and was $75. I didn't buy it, but oh, I wish now I had.
ReplyDeleteThis happens to me all the time... so much so that I get paranoid if I see something that I like and now I think I buy too much for fear that I will regret not buying it! It all started with a sweater from Bebe (this was about ten years ago) that reminded me of the one Audrey Hepburn wore at the end of Breakfast at Tiffany's. I didn't buy it because it was too expensive (I was in high school at the time) and lamented for the next ten years. Lol. I am still lamenting!
ReplyDeleteThis happens to me ALL THE TIME! Most recently a perfect copy of the book Hitchcock Style in a Highgate charity shop, for £8 - a proper bargain, really.
ReplyDeleteOh how I wish I had a little bit more of resistence when it comes to impulse purchases. If it's something I really want, I buy it. Sometimes I even bought shoes that didn't fit properly, because I SO wanted them. They ended up unworn in the closet and made their way to the charity shop a year later. It's insane.
ReplyDeletePamela- Oh dear I desperately want that to! Nothing seems bad in the world when Cary Grant is in front of me.
ReplyDeleteHi Daily- it happens to me less than it used to when I was younger, and also I think because I haven't been as excited about trends lately. It's true though, the perfect sweater is hard to find and when we see them we should pounce!
Hi Cassandra- ooh that does sound like a lovely book. I'm hopeless with books too. I met a man in a pub once who maintained his house was collapsing from the weight of all the books he had in it (he was needless to say quite eccentric and I assumed quite rich). I've always worried I will end up like him. I could buy books all day long.
Hi MM- It's good that you act on instinct, it saves a lot of obsessing and chasing on ebay! Also it saves you purchasing something you don't like as much from the shop where you liked something to try and make up for your mistake- I do that a lot. I have also bought shoes that were clearly always going to be a squeeze, it's crazy isn't it, my feet can't slim at fat fighters! still i feel better owning them than not.