We've all heard the advice on how to cut back when shopping, "If you see something you want, put it back, and if you are still thinking about it a week later, that means you really want it, and go back and buy it."
When I graduated from college, I really took this advice to heart! I was about to be a broke person in the real world, without the crutch of class or campus events to feed me when I can't afford groceries or a 24 hour library to crash in when I have nowhere to sleep! I read all the advice and truly took it to heart, I needed to form good habits right away! Cut to a few weeks later, visiting my parents in Michigan, I am at the Macy's at the closest destination mall and find the PERFECT jumpsuit. And I mean perfect, it was simple but had style, and hugged me in all the right places.
But what did I do? I put it back and told myself if I was still thinking about this amazing jumpsuit, I would come back for it next week. And over the next week I thought about it, I thought about it A LOT! When I had passed my personal test, I made my way back to Macys, and the jumpsuit was GONE! I searched high and low and it was not in the store anywhere, any size. It was sold out on Macys.com. The perfect jumpsuit had slipped right from my fingers.
Over the next 6 years I have repeatedly searched Macys, eBay, depop, thredUp, poshmark, thrift stores, just hoping this magical jumpsuit would come back into my life, it never turned up. Then a few weeks ago, I decided to search Poshmark again, as it had been awhile...LO AND BEHOLD SOMEONE WAS SELLING THE JUMPSUIT, and in my size!!!
I immediately purchased it, and after almost 6 years, I finally had the jumpsuit. After 6 years of waiting, I definitely knew I really wanted it (haha). When it finally came in the mail, it was so exciting, and truly the weirdest rush of emotions. Like that first love you never forget but then randomly see years later, I almost felt lost - what do I do now?
Despite the years lost of not having this jumpsuit in my life, I can be happy for a few things:
1) I was really freakin' mentally strong withholding that purchase from myself back in 2013. Go me. Why can't I resist pizza that well now?
2) I was able to save this perfect jumpsuit from a landfill (Where it would have taken 20-40 years to decompose due to the elastic) by purchasing it secondhand.
It's also said "If you love something, let it go. If it comes back, it's yours" (I'm just full of clichés today, but that happens with overwhelming joy!). THE JUMPSUIT HAS COME BACK TO ME, AND IT MINE, FOREVER!
ps. I'm wearing DIY earrings, boots thrifted from Buffalo Exchange, and a hat that I purchased new from Target, but am committed to wearing 30+ times (So far, I'm 11/30 IRL, and 3/30 photographed!). How's that for sustainable style?!