Shopaholic

I can pinpoint the exact moment when I became a fan of shopping... Not necessarily a fan of fashion... Just shopping.

When I was 13, my mom let me rent Clueless from Blockbusters, and I watched it 11 times before having to return it. I was addicted to Cher's and Dionne's lifestyles. I wanted to be them. I wanted their closets.

Whenever I went shopping with my parents, I'd ask for pleated skirts and knee socks from Express, and that's exactly what I got. They would take me to Lord & Taylor and buy me cashmere cardigan sweaters and button-down shirts. We would go to the Macy's downtown, and I'd pick out bell-bottomed jeans and dresses. I'd get high on getting new clothes on sale. When I got home, I'd tally all the original prices and compare them to the sales prices then hang every in neatly in my closet.

I haven't changed much now that I'm an adult. I am a bargain shopper, and I refuse to buy anything regular priced. Although I no longer shop at Express, I am thoroughly addicted to Ann Taylor and The Loft. As a matter of fact, I can't (literally) resist their big sales on sale items... Like the one this weekend where there is an extra 50% or 40% off sale items. I bought like 5 outfits for the low. And then The Gap had the same sale, so I had to buy from them too!

What's so crazy is that I live arms distance from three Lofts, two Ann Taylors, and two Gaps. I remember last spring, I went to all three Loft stores in a day just to take full advantage of the sale.

To keep myself from pissing my money away in clothes, I'm going to try and establish the policy of saving the same amount I spend on clothes for charlie's college fund. That policy will go into effect August first.