Clothes Horse

Do you ever purchase clothing or accessories only to have them hang in your closet, unworn, for months? In my case, it's years. Not intentionally, of course. But I've been one to have a dress on in a fitting room and a grand vision of where exactly I'm going to wear it: a special event like a wedding or baby shower (since I've entered that period where it seems more and more are getting married and having babies than not) or a ritzy night out on the town. High on the vision, I've plunked my money down and, unfortunately, as in the case of the BCBG dress pictured below, it hangs in my closet for a good two years without seeing the light of day. Yes, you read that correctly - two years! That's what happens when you have these grand visions of all the dresses you try on and you wind up with two or three... or twenty-five. 

I only recently pulled this on for a friend's birthday party at Santana Row. I'm the second from the left. And, hey, I managed to pair it with my new Frye boots (which I wear all the time) and a strand of Mikimoto pearls (which I never wear). 

I received so many nice compliments from fellow partygoers, random diners, and employees at the venue I wondered why I kept it in hiding for so long.

I also managed to find an opportunity to wear a more recently acquired Juicy Couture dress. It still sat in my closet for about two months, though, before I pulled it out for our company's holiday party.

Did I mention our company's holiday party was at a Shark's (hockey) game this year?

Though we were in a suite, many chose to dress in traditional Sharks fan-wear. I would've, too, had I possessed any. Instead, I thought What the hell, if not now then when? and put my dress on for the evening. This is the attitude I've decided to adopt and carry into 2010. Instead of waiting for the perfect occasion to wear my dresses, I'm going to rock them whenever I feel like it.

I've also created a rule for myself: if I don't wear my new purchase within the first three days of acquisition, it has to go back. That is, after I allow myself to start shopping again. I am still abiding by rule to only purchase Christmas gifts for others during the month of December. Am also thinking I'm going to hold out through January, too, so I can pick up a few things during my February visit to HONG KONG without feeling guilty. From what everyone tells me, the shopping there is incredible!