Hard Times--Grateful
Every once in a while, I catch myself recalling something that I always took for granted, and it still surprises me. For example, this year I altered my winter coat and it fits so nicely and looks so fresh I'm really happy with it. I was thinking how glad I was that I didn't have to buy a new one when I recalled that I used to think I was being thrifty to buy a new coat only every other year.
Another example is workout clothes. Whenever I would begin a new workout plan the first thing I'd do would be to buy new workout clothes. Cute little matched outfits (that I'd end up not wearing when I abandoned the exercise plan). When I first started Pilates classes, the classes themselves were a big expense, and so I had to choose--did I want classes or fancy clothes? I went for the classes--and wore my paint-stained around-the-house yoga pants and t shirts. Sometimes I felt a little self conscious--the other ladies all had nice matched outfits. And my pants were stretched out and falling down. And my tshirts kept shifting uncomfortably. I spent half the class readjusting my clothes.
Finally, after being in the class for 4 months, I came across a bonanza of clearanced workout clothes at JC Penney. At the end of the summer, those capris and short sleeved shirts (perfect for my indoor class) were down 80% off. Penney's is one of the few stores that allows their coupons to be used on clearance items. The pants were $10.80, and the top was $5.60. My two $10-off a $10 purchase coupons were suitable for the pants, but I needed to spend a little more in order to....save a little more. So I browsed all the clearance racks in the store. I found a bra just my size and brand, marked down to $6 (they are usually about $22). Thrilled, I spent about $4 and left the store with a new, comfy, and non-paint-stained exercise outfit, and a brand new bra (I had two, but a third one never hurts).
Without sounding stupid, I'm grateful for my new workout outfit in a way I was never grateful for the other ones in the past. I made myself wait to "indulge", I didn't just buy them because they were pretty, I had no credit card bill to follow me, and I took enough classes in my ratty clothes to be really grateful for the nice ones now.
In the same way, I am grateful every day that I get dressed in my nice work clothes and have nice, professional, comfy clothes. I no longer have nothing but jeans and tee shirts. I have nice slacks and blouses, nice sweaters and good shoes, a nice little cardi, and nice bras to go under and make it all pull together. And it cost me virtually nothing, but I am grateful because I had to work to get it. Not just going-to-work work but trolling thrift shops, altering, repairing, etc.
I realized I put a higher value on my work than my money. A few days after I've put $300 on the credit card for a new wardrobe I've forgotten about it. But every time I put on that pair of pants I remember the hours of work it took to rummage them out of the clothing giveaway, figure out their fit problems, take them apart, and figure out how to make them fit, and then put them all back together. I remember all the trips to the thrift shop where I came up with nothing when I put on the things from my "score" trips.
It's gotten to the point where I feel a little strange paying full price for anything. The options seem so limitless--what do I pick? The clearance rack or the thrift store narrows it down so much---and sometimes I find things there that I still think are too much money. It's really hard to pay more than $8 or $10 on something now that most of my things are around $5 or $6. I used to consider Target so cheap "back in the day" but now it seems like any other high priced department store. Furthermore, the quality at Target isn't always there. It's tough to pay $25 for a pair of pants that are poorly made when you're used to high quality clothing for less than $10.
I used to take for granted that at the beginning of each season I'd go shopping. It was just what you did. A new bathing suit each year (if not a two piece for the pool and a one piece for laps). A new coat each year (last year's isn't in style, and who wants to dry clean? Besides, a new coat makes the bitterness of winter easier to swallow). A new dress for every event (can't look the same in all the pictures). New workout clothes, new shoes every fall, new tee shirts every summer.
Now I take it as a point of pride that I'm NOT buying new each season. I fixed up last year's coat and I'm hoping to be wearing it several winters more (the cut is fabulous and so is the color). I am wearing a new swimsuit---that I got off the clearance rack for $14. My lap swimming suit I got for free at the clothing exchange. I have one nice dress ($15 on the clearance rack) and if I need a fancier one I'm waiting until the event shows up before I buy! I did buy one new pair of shoes this fall......at the thrift shop. The rubber is wearing on the heel, so I'm planning to get them resoled. They were only $4 to begin with, so the $10 to resole them still puts them below Target prices.....
and they're Kenneth Cole.
Another example is workout clothes. Whenever I would begin a new workout plan the first thing I'd do would be to buy new workout clothes. Cute little matched outfits (that I'd end up not wearing when I abandoned the exercise plan). When I first started Pilates classes, the classes themselves were a big expense, and so I had to choose--did I want classes or fancy clothes? I went for the classes--and wore my paint-stained around-the-house yoga pants and t shirts. Sometimes I felt a little self conscious--the other ladies all had nice matched outfits. And my pants were stretched out and falling down. And my tshirts kept shifting uncomfortably. I spent half the class readjusting my clothes.
Finally, after being in the class for 4 months, I came across a bonanza of clearanced workout clothes at JC Penney. At the end of the summer, those capris and short sleeved shirts (perfect for my indoor class) were down 80% off. Penney's is one of the few stores that allows their coupons to be used on clearance items. The pants were $10.80, and the top was $5.60. My two $10-off a $10 purchase coupons were suitable for the pants, but I needed to spend a little more in order to....save a little more. So I browsed all the clearance racks in the store. I found a bra just my size and brand, marked down to $6 (they are usually about $22). Thrilled, I spent about $4 and left the store with a new, comfy, and non-paint-stained exercise outfit, and a brand new bra (I had two, but a third one never hurts).
Without sounding stupid, I'm grateful for my new workout outfit in a way I was never grateful for the other ones in the past. I made myself wait to "indulge", I didn't just buy them because they were pretty, I had no credit card bill to follow me, and I took enough classes in my ratty clothes to be really grateful for the nice ones now.
In the same way, I am grateful every day that I get dressed in my nice work clothes and have nice, professional, comfy clothes. I no longer have nothing but jeans and tee shirts. I have nice slacks and blouses, nice sweaters and good shoes, a nice little cardi, and nice bras to go under and make it all pull together. And it cost me virtually nothing, but I am grateful because I had to work to get it. Not just going-to-work work but trolling thrift shops, altering, repairing, etc.
I realized I put a higher value on my work than my money. A few days after I've put $300 on the credit card for a new wardrobe I've forgotten about it. But every time I put on that pair of pants I remember the hours of work it took to rummage them out of the clothing giveaway, figure out their fit problems, take them apart, and figure out how to make them fit, and then put them all back together. I remember all the trips to the thrift shop where I came up with nothing when I put on the things from my "score" trips.
It's gotten to the point where I feel a little strange paying full price for anything. The options seem so limitless--what do I pick? The clearance rack or the thrift store narrows it down so much---and sometimes I find things there that I still think are too much money. It's really hard to pay more than $8 or $10 on something now that most of my things are around $5 or $6. I used to consider Target so cheap "back in the day" but now it seems like any other high priced department store. Furthermore, the quality at Target isn't always there. It's tough to pay $25 for a pair of pants that are poorly made when you're used to high quality clothing for less than $10.
I used to take for granted that at the beginning of each season I'd go shopping. It was just what you did. A new bathing suit each year (if not a two piece for the pool and a one piece for laps). A new coat each year (last year's isn't in style, and who wants to dry clean? Besides, a new coat makes the bitterness of winter easier to swallow). A new dress for every event (can't look the same in all the pictures). New workout clothes, new shoes every fall, new tee shirts every summer.
Now I take it as a point of pride that I'm NOT buying new each season. I fixed up last year's coat and I'm hoping to be wearing it several winters more (the cut is fabulous and so is the color). I am wearing a new swimsuit---that I got off the clearance rack for $14. My lap swimming suit I got for free at the clothing exchange. I have one nice dress ($15 on the clearance rack) and if I need a fancier one I'm waiting until the event shows up before I buy! I did buy one new pair of shoes this fall......at the thrift shop. The rubber is wearing on the heel, so I'm planning to get them resoled. They were only $4 to begin with, so the $10 to resole them still puts them below Target prices.....
and they're Kenneth Cole.
posted by knittykat @ 4:16 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home