On Dealing with Temptation

You know I didn't forbid myself to shop in thrift stores this year, I just set a firm annual budget of $1200.  I knew this would mean delaying gratification if I wanted a NEW luxe item by the end of 2012.  Early in January, Mette challenged me to purchase the luxe item now.  As I don't know where one shops Hermes scarves in KC, I went to eBay and spent hours scrolling through what purported to be Hermes scarves.  And I found one, by Sophie Koechlin that I liked.  Her l'Art Indien des Plaines appealed to me as a Midwesterner.  The scarf was priced at $179 to start, but I placed no bid.  I was worried about the seller--someone from my area, but one who had previously only sold electronics.  On the other hand, the seller had 100% satisfaction ratings.  I read up on the artist and the scarf, flipping back and forth between the thumbnail on the Hermes site and the eBay site.  I knew what my top dollar would be and after several days of watching, I went to bed the night before the auction ended dreaming of the blues and browns and greys in this scarf.  I told myself that if I woke before the auction closed, I would place a last minute bid.  Apparently a number of others had the same strategy.  The price shot up $125 overnight, far beyond my price range.

For two weeks this month, I didn't even enter a thrift store.  I was going stir crazy with so much time on my hands, as was DH.  By now, he has fully repaired the antique organ he bought January 1.  And it is a beauty.  He's trolling for another to apply his tinkering skills.  But he's on the search for baskets, books, and broken fishing poles.  In the past year, I've apparently turned my husband into a thrift store junkie!

I tried "picture shopping" in one, snapping a photo of a Gauginish jumpsuit I would never wear, but could easily picture on Sarah at Misfits Vintage.  I splurged .49 on a pair of lace gloves.

And then, we discovered antique stores.  I had not known such places sold clothing--hats, jewelry, hankies, hand-stitched lace, purses, bag pipes, accordions, and dresses.  In one I found the ribbons from an old uniform that might have completed my Visible Monday look.  I resorted again to my camera, trying to delay the urge to own another's defunct finery.  I tried to satisfy myself with "owning" the photograph of the item.  But Saturday, I bought an old cardboard funeral fan.  Should that be deducted from my budget?  It is essentially a prop.

Antique stores present an interesting dilemma to me.  I love strolling through them to have memories reawakened, but the idea that others not much older than myself and DH are selling treasures they've hoarded for years seems very, very poignant to me.

Skirt by Anne Taylor Loft; rust turtleneck by Talora; military style jacket by Ralph Lauren.
 
I am happy to report that I spent $30 on clothing in the month of January, all from thrifts.  That's better than last year's monthly average, but not as good as I'd hoped.  We've already begun to joke that the luxe item may end up being at DH's expense next Christmas.  Anyone know any tricks for delaying gratification?

Don't delay in joining the gang at Visible Monday.