It’s OK To Treat Yourself
Posted by Jen Anderson on
When the going gets tough, people tend to stop buying things for themselves. Whether it’s health problems, job insecurity, widespread economic anxiety, or learning to live on your retirement savings, we can curl up into ourselves like armadillos. We’ll put time, money, and energy into putting a smile on someone else’s face, but not our own.
This isn’t sustainable. Putting ourselves last is only going to add to your existing stress. And sure, you don’t have to put yourself first, but you should at least make it onto the list.
I’ve written a lot about how wearing clothes you dislike can distract you all day long. If they don’t fit well, you keep pulling and tugging your clothes. If you don’t love what you’re wearing or your clothing is getting a little threadbare, you look at everyone else and think about how much nicer they look than you do.
Which, just, ugh.
Keeping Your Spirits Up Isn’t Overindulgent
I’m not talking about that rush you get when shopping. I mean the contentment and ease that comes with looking forward to getting dressed in the morning. It’s so great to smile at yourself in the mirror because you like how you look.
If you’re already worried about something else, not having to worry about your clothes is a huge weight off your shoulders.
Paying For Quality Really Does Pay Off
Sure, you could spend $50 on a pair of black pants and replace them every year. Or you could pay $120 on a pair of black pants that will last for more than 10 years. The “more affordable” option ends up costing you $500 over the course of that decade - which is a number much higher than $120.
I sometimes hear from the recently retired that they can’t afford the upfront cost because they’re on a fixed income. Which confuses me so much. If you’re trying to make your savings last (which isn’t just a retirement thing), the more expensive pants make much more sense. I’ll spare us all the math, but investing in pieces that will last brings better returns than any mutual fund.
Besides, do you really want to go shopping for black pants when you’re 90? People are living a lot longer these days, so that’s a real possibility if you take the cheap, disposable option.
Frugality Isn’t The Opposite of Spending
When we go into survival mode, we can fall into the mindset that spending any money is bad. And that seems like a good idea until we get invited to a special occasion, or land a job interview, or schedule an important client meeting and start panicking over what we’re going to wear.
Clothing shopping under pressure is always more costly than it should be. And you often end up with something that’s just OK because you don’t have the time to keep looking for something you like better.
The Time To Buy Is When You See It
If you’ve been eyeing our fabulous sheer Whisper Tops and thinking you’ll pick one if you get invited to something fancy…what’s up with that “if”? Having to dress up is a matter of when. Even the meanest misanthrope is going to be invited to their niece’s wedding or something.
Or maybe you work remotely and think you’ll buy a blazer or nice jacket when you need one. You know you’re going to find out that you need that blazer with just a couple of day’s notice, right?
It costs you so much less stress (and money) to buy something you know you're going to need eventually.
Clothes Shopping Is Necessary
Our basic needs are food, clothing, and shelter. There's just no avoiding shopping for clothes. Considering how frustrating it can be to find plus size clothing, it's only natural that we'd use stress and worry as an excuse to avoid it.
But avoiding it doesn't make it any easier. And if buying that top will add to your happiness, there's no reason to deprive yourself.