I like to think of myself as a shopping enthusiast rather than someone who might have a bit of a problem.
Shopping is one of my favourite pastimes, I am not embarrassed to say.
I love all forms of the endeavour: the leisurely neighbourhood walkabout with my husband, frenzied sample sales with colleagues, even a mundane quest for hosiery. But I admit that the further the mission is from the fashion or beauty realm, the quicker I lose interest.
I prefer not to be consulted on the purchase of car tires, and trust my husband to handle most home appliance acquisitions. Delegating such tasks leaves me more time to investigate a new boutique that has Twitter abuzz, or revisit an old haunt freshly decked in new arrivals.
I realize that overindulging can become a problem, which is why, every now and then, I go on a shopping diet. During these periods of abstinence, I go hunting in my closet, or fantasy-shopping in look books and magazines.
Shopping, be it virtual or real, is a healthy form of escape. And depending on how much time and eff ort you put in, it can equal a light cardio workout—especially if you try on several pairs of pleather leggings.
Shopping can also save you money. Take, for instance, the Prada purse I bought in Hong Kong three years ago. It was around $800, all in. If I had bought the same purse in Toronto, it would have probably cost $1,000, plus tax, for a total of $1,150. So I saved our household $350. Of course, my husband rolls his eyes when I argue this sort of logic. But he is happy to tag along on my shopping adventures near and far.
I had been to Paris a dozen times to cover the designer runway shows before I bothered to go and see the Mona Lisa. Any free time I had between filing stories was spent sprinting over to Le Bon Marché. And if the Hermès sale happened to be on when I was in town, all the better—even if it meant a two-hour wait in line. The Louvre would still be there when I returned to Paris, but not those House of Holland sunglasses at Colette!
Let me know how you like our Shopping Issue—write to me at letters@fashionmagazine.com.
First published in FASHION Magazine April 2010
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