Fashionista Finance: Emotions & Shopping

So after posting Fashionista Finance a few weeks ago, I started to think of some of the reasons that draw many (mainly myself) to the allure of shopping. Is it boredom? Greed? Depression?

When I was growing up, my parents sent me and my older sisters to Catholic school from kindergarten all the way to high school. I wore a uniform for a good half of my life! The only times I could sport my own clothing (when it really mattered) were for picture day and dress down or dress up days. I can remember begging my mother to take me to A&S (which is now Macy’s) to buy me a brand new outfit JUST for the maybe 1 or 2 dress down days we got each school year. I was determined to look fresh–even though my “freshness” usually fell short because my mom had a “different” idea of what preteen fashion should look like. *sigh*

It wasn’t until I was 18 and starting my first year at college that I was able to really branch out into developing my style. But even then since I had Accounting 101 at 7 A.M. every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday followed by a slew of additional classes until 11 A.M., you could often catch me rolling out of bed and going to class in my pajamas…lol. Sophomore year came and I became more “hip” to scheduling and also that a big, beautiful mall was only a 5 minute drive from campus. I decided then that I really needed to show out when it came to fashion. I was reading 4-5 fashion mags a month and had figured out exactly what to wear for my frame and you couldn’t tell me NOTHING…LOL. My shopping sprees were as often as the folks at Express and Bloomingdale’s could put out the new stock. I was shopping every weekend—it was so exciting and fun putting outfits together—not to mention all the compliments I was getting from my peers.

Looking back, I guess I used fashion to validate myself. I wasn’t always the cool one, but with a hot outfit who cared about being cool? And the downside of all that validation? Like I mentioned in Fashionista Finance—a $700 Louis Vuitton Speedy 30 bag can wind up costing you over $1200 if you plop down a credit card to finance your purchase. YIKES!

So what drives you to shop?

If you find yourself perusing the sales rack at Nordstrom every time you get chewed out on the job or to simply cheer yourself up, it’s time to deal with your emotions in healthier ways. For instance, if you’re not quite feeling like yourself, talk your issues out with a friend (or write in a journal). Sometimes just getting it all out is what you need to feel better.

If you often have nothing else better to do but to shop, it’s time to pick up a more cost effective hobby. Some people get a rush of euphoria when they shop, and often times it could be that with all the walking you do in the mall is exercise that releases endorphins (known as the feel good hormone your body releases during workouts). So if you’re bored, take a walk outside. You may also want to look into joining a local sports or other recreational team to keep your mind busy and off shopping.

If you find yourself still not able to kick your habit after reading these tips plus the others I outlined in my previous Fashionista Finance post, do know that you’re not alone. Often times being a shopaholic is an indication of having some sort of an emotional issue. You can find help—whether it be through therapy, your religion, or self-help books.