Yesterday, on a lunch break with a coworker, I caved and succumbed to temptation. I broke my proposed 5-month shopping sabbatical and bought a Nougat London skirt at Winners. Now I'm torn over whether or not to keep the skirt. I really love it, but it goes against the whole principle of the sabbatical! The point was to refrain from impulsively buying cheap crap I wouldn't use or wear and it was an exercise in forcing me to think about what I buy. At the end, I'd take the money I saved by not shopping and splurge on a Chanel purse.
So, I need your help. As my readers, you should tell me whether or not you think I should keep the skirt. Log in and leave a comment in the Comments section stating your opinion for/against. On Sunday June 15th, I will announce my decision to keep or return the skirt based on your input. Until then, I'm taking a bit of a posting break to let you guys vote.
Here are some pictures and arguments for and against to help you make a decision.
I should keep the skirt because:
- Nougat London is a quality brand that's not very widely available in Vancouver, and the stuff at the boutique is definitely going to be more than $31.
$31 is only 22% of $140. I paid 22% of what the skirt's actually worth, so I saved a bundle. - The workmanship and quality are fantastic. All of the black detail on the skirt is embroidery. It's not printed on.
- I will wear it more than once, and I will wear it often.
- Technically this isn't an impulse purchase since I saw it in Winners yesterday, thought about last night, and decided to go for it today.
- I've already gone 5 weeks without buying any clothes, shoes, or accessories. I didn't succumb to temptation at the new H&M. For those who know me well, this is practically unheard of.
- Five months is a long time to go without buying anything at all.
- If I return it, I might always regret it and remember it as "the skirt that got away," and secretly resent everyone who told me I shouldn't keep it.
I should return the skirt because:
- This goes against the shopping sabbatical!!! I'm kind of embarassed that I promised myself I'd buy nothing for 5 months and I slipped up after 5 weeks.
- This slip-up might compromise my willpower for the next 3 months and 3 weeks.
- It's a little bit big in the waist for me (the skirt is a size 3 and I'm a 1/2 usually), so I'll need to take it in, which increases the overall cost of the skirt by $20.
return
ReplyDeleteeven though its a nice skirt its not perfect, because it doesnt fit you perfect. if you slip it has to be forsomething perfect and because there is no other chance to get something perfect in five months like that, but the skirt isn't so my vote is that you return it. you'll get something way better in the future and in the mean time where your cute clothes that you know you got!
If you like it so much that the $20 to take it in is worth it, then keep it. It looks really awesome.
ReplyDeleteIf you don't like it that much, then return it. Anyway, maybe slipping up this time will increase your willpower to not slip up again.
Sorry, I hit enter to create a new paragraph, and it just posted...so, here are my reasons as to why you should return the skirt:
ReplyDeleteFirst off, I'm truly sorry for not having pulled you away from the racks. I should've told you adamantly, "don't buy it, Lisa!"
I think the fact that you are feeling so badly about breaking your sabbatical suggests that you should return the skirt. Yes, it is a good quality skirt and a great bargain, but as Lulucita27 mentioned, it doesn't fit perfectly.
Also, I remember you saying before buying the skirt that you already had lots of skirts...so maybe don't think of returning this one as losing out on a great bargain. Perhaps there is someone out there who might need a skirt more than you do atm, and find the skirt a perfect fit...you'll be giving them the chance to really get a great bargain. :) If you think about it, I do think there will be lots of other bargains in your life and you won't regret and think of this skirt as "the skirt that got away." Right now, I think keeping to your sabbatical is more important. More so than the fact that this is a quality skirt at a really low price.
Plus, I think returning the skirt will help strengthen your will to stick to your sabbatical, and you'll probably feel a lot better once you return it-- seeing all the trouble this purchase is causing you. So, even though I know it's going to be difficult now that you've actually bought the skirt, but I think returning it is still the best option. It might help, if you do decide to return it to just put the skirt in the bag so you won't see it, and take it straight back to winners. :P
Anyhow, Good luck, Lisa! I think a 5 month shopping sabbatical is a huge feat...so I hope you'll be able stick to it and feel super proud of yourself at the end! :)
While it is a gorgeous skirt and such a good deal, I agree that you should return it. Consider yourself like a recovering alcoholic; would it be ok for them to slip up occasionally and have a drink? No, because it's like starting the whole recovery process over and breaking their personal promises to themselves - the same applies to you. Don't worry the next couple months will fly by!
ReplyDeleteAlthough I risk your eternal resentment, I think that you should return the skirt.
ReplyDeleteIf you keep it and get it altered so that it fits perfectly, how will you feel about it? Will you enjoy your new skirt for the beautiful skirt that it is, or will you always think of it as the skirt that broke your willpower? That should be the deciding factor, how you will feel about the skirt, not necessarily other people's opinions.
Return the skirt and put that $31 into a piggy bank or a special account for that Chanel purse that you really want.
Good luck making a decision!
You should bring it back. If the sabbatical was only to save money, then I agree that a $31 slip (and one which is 78% off, to boot) isn't going to cost you much. As I understood it, however, it is a mental/moral battle against your need to shop - a test to see if you can avoid it for five months (with a big treat at the end). If you keep the skirt, you've fail that, the most important part. The remaining 4 months would be as empty and as hollow as an empty walk in closet...
ReplyDeleteI'm going to say keep the skirt. There was thought that went into the purchase, so it wasn't a complete impulse buy - and it's kind of like a diet right? You need that occasional chocolate bar to keep you on the wagon the rest of the time! *wink* (Just do not equate this to a daily chocolate fix stashed in a purse and think long and hard about any other purchases and you'll be fine! *grin*)
ReplyDeleteI say get it altered and keep it.
ReplyDeleteIt is hard to just stop a habit 'cold turkey,' so I wouldn't feel too bad about buying the skirt. And it sounds like you really like it (looks great in the photo, too).
If I were you (note that I have pretty weak willpower), I would try to reduce spending by doing this: divide the cost of the Chanel purse by the number of weeks of your sabbatical, and bank the resulting amount of money each week. Every time you buy something, you subtract its cost from the amount you've banked. Once the amount you've banked is equal to the cost of the purse, you can buy it.
I don't know what the purse costs so maybe this method isn't really appropriate. But it might work well because if you find something that you like at a really good price, you can still buy it without totally abandoning your plans to save money. On the other hand, you'll have to think twice because your goal will be further away...
So you look cute in it, so I say what the bugger. Keep it.
ReplyDeleteThen there was that small line about "and secretly resent everyone who told me I shouldn't keep it." Which made me snicker and vote 'no' for the heck of it. But really still keeping the 'Keep It' in my head. So then I looked through your friends comments. And those in the 'nay' had a compelling, if not persistent argument. And honestly, I got lost in the math of 'ThisMonkeysGoneToHeaven-' though I can't get "...and if God is SeVeN !!" ...out of my head
So after some deliberation, I have decided to vote in favour of the 'nays'. If you placed yourself on a sabbatical it is more than likely needed. And I liked that 'perfect' comment earlier. If you are going to break a promise to yourself, at least do it for perfection. After all, that deal may have you paying 22% of the overall cost, but I am betting that your promises are worth more than that 78% savings which equals a paltry $109. While promises to yourself are the easiest ones to break; Conversely, they are the most important ones to keep.
(how is that for laying it on thick?)
ps. you do look precious in the dress.
I agree with what others have said: If it's not perfect, don't keep it. It's *you*, not the skirt, that looks great. There will always be other skirts, including ones that fit!
ReplyDeletetake it back
ReplyDeleteit doesn't fit properly, and i promise you there will be other skirts.