“Oh Wow” Shopping: Frosting On The Cake

There’s an aspect of shopping that is inherently emotional for most of us, no matter how logical we are by nature. There’s the thrill of discovery, and adding new pieces to our closets that bring joy. Don’t we all love that “oh, wow!” moment when we find something that’s not necessarily a need, but too pretty to leave behind? I do.

shopping anthro dress

This is an example of an “Oh, wow!” piece for me. I might only wear it twice a year, but it makes me happy to look at it.

I call these irresistible pieces the “frosting” in my closet, and try to keep it to a manageable percentage of my shopping. A closet full of “Oh, wow!” would not likely get me properly dressed every day (or maybe it would . . . food for thought). But a lot of my wardrobe needs to consist of versatile pieces, things that mix and match and play well with others. When shopping I try to keep in mind my vision of personal style, and to remember my key style words: casual, feminine, refined hippie, classic-with-a-spark.

When I see something I want to bring home, I ask myself if these statements are true:

“I can’t wait to wear this!”
“I want to share it on my blog.”
“This will look fabulous with . . .”

shopping Suzanne jacket

Well, this gorgeous velvet jacket I found in Suzanne’s Etsy shop sure checked all the boxes. I can’t wait to get it and play.

Emotional shopping certainly has its place – fashion is art as well as covering nakedness – but it doesn’t completely fill the bill. I have to do the logical shopping too – great fitting jeans, layering tees, a well-cut blazer, walking shoes, et al. These pieces are not boring; instead I still enjoy the hunt for the best choices at a reasonable price.

There’s a saying in Twelve-Step programs that rings true for shopping as well: it’s called HALT – don’t shop (make big decisions) when you are Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired. Shopping’s not my drug (let’s not discuss chocolate and Chardonnay at this point) but these are good guidelines. And of course rules are meant to be bent, so I often let my emotions take over, and I buy the feathered sneakers.

How do you divide up your cake and frosting? And what makes you say “Oh Wow”? xo

Stay fabulous,

Here’s some fab pieces that make me say “oh wow!”:


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patti

10 Comments

  1. I am well acquainted with the WOW factor, which is why I probably have too many “scarfy, floaty tops” in my closet — but they are all different colors and patterns and…

  2. I saw that jacket on Suzanne’s blog – it IS fabulous. I’ve purged a bunch of pieces from my closet that are “WOWS” just because they rarely get worn and I needed to be realistic about how much space I actually have for clothes. I still have a few left for those rare occasions when I might need one though.

  3. Love the jacket from Suzanne. It’s funny how in the past, I had little interest in shopping for men’s clothing but, now, I enjoy shopping for women’s clothing immensely. It’s fun and creative.

  4. That blazer is amazing! I would love to swish around in that dress, too – it screams drama.

  5. This is so true. It’s something that annoys me about over simplistic “wear every 6 months or throw – even if it’s pretty” advice – such advice (as does all under planned minimalism) fuels consumerism rather than supporting it. Come the next wedding, party or wow event, the ‘not-quite-minimalist’ will but another item (to be thrown after), rather than having invested in something and carefully kept it.

  6. I see “Wow!” items that just don’t fit into my lifestyle anymore. I’m sometimes sad that I’m retired because I loved dressing for the office. So I often sadly leave things behind. That velvet jacket is amazing! I wish I had seen it first!
    Maggie
    http://www.thriftshopfashionista.com

  7. I like both of your WOW pieces, esp. that maxi dress. Fabric love *sighs*
    Because the majority of my wardrobe is thrifted, it has to pass the “gotta love it” test. No pass, no buy.

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