Have you sat glued to the computer's screen, finger poised above the enter button ready to click or not and submit your order? All too often I have wavered and thankfully so. Here's my short list of the greatest thing I never bought.
There have been numerous things I've bought thinking they would change my life; make me more stylish; totally change my look. What they did in fact was lower my bank balance and raise what I owed the credit card company. Far too easy to click and spend restlessly, from a few wildly bright ties to iffy cuts of pants I've pretty much done it all.
One of my worst bits was a pair of shoes a few years back, they were beautiful, shiny and painful. They hurt my feet from the moment I slipped them on. Sure they looked good, but I felt like Cinderella's ugly step sister trying to squeeze my foot in and make it work. That was a waste of $200.
Then there is my strange need to buy things more than once. How many pale blue dress shirts does a guy need? Apparently I seem to regularly forget that I have a few of them. Usually once a year a new one shows up to hang next to the others that are already there. Along with the pale blue numbers are the ones that in idea sound so good, but in reality match nothing and are far too much of a fashion risk making me the fashion casualty. If I'd only stay focused and remember who I am. It's like the tourist visting some exotic locale, who buys something that all the people wear there. Once returning home all it does is make you look silly.
But back to my title, The Best Thing I Never Bought. There have been cord jackets on sale in odd colours, cashmere in ice cream bright colours and seersucker pants. All part of my collection of the best bits I dodged.
How about it, what's the best thing you never bought?
"Thanks!" again to J.Crew Guy In Canada for his thoughtful look on such an intriguing topic! I am personally guilty of hovering over the submit button (on a daily basis!), wondering if I really should be getting an item or not. Although, my ending usually involves regret (wondering why I did not get it!) ;)
What are your thoughts on this post? Do you have any experiences with not buying something or buying something you regretted? If so, please share with us your story. :)
Ha, there are plenty of things I regret buying but really, not much from J.Crew. They are just pricey enough to make me think a little harder about my purchases, haha.
ReplyDeleteI think one of the things I most regret buying in the past few years is a romper. Don't get me wrong, it's actually pretty cute. It's a "dressy" one. But damn, how the heck am I supposed to pee with this thing on? It's already impossible enough to put on (small fabric buttons near the neckline). I just give up and never wear it.
Oh gosh yes, I wanted a romper that summer they were everywhere, but the thing that stopped me was when I read someone's online comment that you practically have to strip naked to go to the bathroom. I thought, the only place I'm ever going to feel comfortable doing that is at home, so what's the point of buying something that trendy if I can only wear it in the house?
DeleteGreat post! This sounds familiar: "It's like the tourist visting some exotic locale, who buys something that all the people wear there. Once returning home all it does is make you look silly." And it is why I make so many returns (sorry, SAs!). I usually come to my senses when I've tried something on at home and return.
ReplyDeleteThere are so many beautiful sky high heels that I have had in my cart but never pressed buy. The ones I have bought rarely get worn due to uncomfortable ness and thw leather bottoms not worn due to weather. Sad.
ReplyDeleteShopping regrets are interesting. For me they used to be something I purchased and then never wore. It didn't look right, fit properly or work in my wardrobe. The past few years since I've completely changed my shopping style and purged my closet, my regret is more likely to be something I don't buy and then realize I could have used and would have enjoyed. Needless to say, I'm making fewer mistakes these days!
ReplyDeleteI find this true as well. It's usually something that I missed that I think would have been perfect.
DeleteSame here! My biggest J.Crew regret is passing on a 100% cashmere navy hacking jacket for $100 at the clearance store a few years ago. At the time, I was in school and thought I'd have no use for it/it was too expensive. Now, I REALLY wish I had bought it. Even though I recently bought a wool one just like it on eBay from 2006, I still pine for the cashmere one. It was truly gorgeous.
DeleteOh, another one, there was the 100% cashmere Bella coat in camel on eBay a few years ago (I think it was December 2008), that was buy it now for $100, also did not buy because I thought it was too expensive. Hello, past self, what were you thinking!?!? Sigh. I think I regret these failures to purchase so much because I know that the quality of those pieces will never be seen again at J.Crew.
Ah... Regrets..... It's a mystery how everything looks so much better at the stores, on Pinterest, catalogs, etc. than they actually do on us. I've bought so many things that have not seen the light of day.
ReplyDeleteI have gotten better about not buying stuff just because it's a drastically reduced price, I've been able to sell off most mistakes on eBay so not a total loss but I always try to remember that no one is going to know how much I paid or what a bargain I got except me, what they will notice is how flattering the item is on me, a great color, cut, etc. Don't get me wrong, I've scored some great bargains on stuff I really love but there have definitely been the moments of wanting something just because it's 70% off or whatever. As I get older, less is more, I would rather have fewer items that I really love even if they cost more than a closet full of so so's. I have almost bit on some of the neon colors that were on super sale at JCrew but then realized neon hardly looks good on anyone but especially me!
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I regret not buying the Bella when it first came out. I remember my heart skipped a beat and I don't feel that way about clothing. I passed on it thinking it was impractical (I loved the Azalea color) and too expensive. Then came pregnancy in 2008 which caused me to not buy anything from that year.
ReplyDeleteIt's ok to have regrets when it comes to clothing, because it's only clothing; not life or death. There will be something else we will love more in the future. There is never any shortage of things to covet in the fashion world.
I love your last paragraph. Well said!
DeleteWell done, JCGIC! I think my biggest regrets are when I listen to the wannabe personas in my head. The girls and women inside of me who want to go to x/y for lunch or vacation. The ones who have x/y type of career other than the one I have. I should really only buy with the ability to return; no final sale. And if I don't wear it within the 30 or 60 days, I should return it. I know the best pieces are the ones I wear right away. I wear them often & feel no guilt or worry about where/how to wear them. One thing that J Crew gets me with is the prints. I end up buying things because I love the print and don't always wear them. Looking at you red watercolor floral, electric plaid, etc... Not quite sure what I'm waiting for. Life is now.
ReplyDeleteActually bought Banana Republic patent color block sandals for $28 down from $110. Do I have anywhere to wear dressy 3" heeled patent color block sandals, NO! Did I purchase because they were 80% off(and something my favorite blogger would have worn), YES! Fortunately enough my Mom saw them and asked said questions, returned and bought wearable gingham shirt instead. Thanks Mom.
ReplyDeleteAlso I noticed that most of the items I love most in my closet are ones I never intended to buy. But the ones I pined over for MONTHS and tracked down once on sale I got tired of really quick. I am reeeaaally glad I don't fret about getting such and such item any more, it takes all the fun out of shopping.
Sadly, I've never stopped myself - here is a list of my post-purchase regrets: Mona tassel heels (love them, they kill my feet), tile necklace (that seemingly peachy shade is actually glow-in-the-dark, barbie-bright orange), mint merino cardi (too pale, looks like a white sweater was washed with something green), "perfect fit mixed tape" cardi in "romance pink"- actually, nothing perfect about it and certainly nothing romantic - it's sweatshirt material, complete ick - and (drumroll please) - worst purchase ever - the brightest yellow cords ever made - love them in theory, but when I wear them they are screaming CLOWN. No more online shopping for me without first checking this stuff our in our B&M.
ReplyDeleteWhite sequin short shorts. I saw them on some model in some magazine that I don't remember now. I had to have them. I pined and pined but could not find them anywhere that they were supposedly sold. I most likely would not have worn it then and definitely not now. Thanks to fate and my general bad luck, I dodged that one. Maybe my luck isn't so bad afterall.
ReplyDeleteThis is a fantastic post. I have been much more discerning in the items I buy in the past year and a half. Partly due to the fact that pregnancy completely effed with my judgment - and my size. In a bit of irony I never thought possible, I'm actually the smallest I've been since like fifth grade. But in my last months of pregnancy, DYING to buy some new and fabulous clothes, I made some purchases that I now regret because the items are way too, ridiculously big. Meanwhile, I'm holding onto all of this big stuff in case I get another bun in the oven. Eeek.
ReplyDeleteI think the best things I never purchase are J. Crew shoes. They always looks so lovely, but they are hella expensive IMO. And I do not do final sale.