Negative Nancy Says Winter Means Blahs, Dryness and Frigid Weather

I've talked about winter blues and how to stay warm. Now, it's time to talk about dryness. Dryness is a terror that deserves it's own post. It isn't a footnote in the long list of what is terrible in life about winter.

Instead of focusing on alligator skin and scarecrow hair, let's talk about suggested fixes.

Dry Skin

Aveeno! I love Aveeno. It's genius. It's cheap. It's widely available. All year round I use Aveeno Moisturizing Bars for Dry Skin. This bar is so gentle that it soothes my itchy, irritated skin. (Itchy and irritated are common words to describe me.)

In winter, I buy some kind of Aveeno lotion. It doesn't matter which; they've all been wonderful. This year I bought Aveeno Active Naturals Positively Nourishing Body Lotion, Energizing Pomegranate + Grapefruit. I'm a sucker for bath and body products that are grapefruit scented. (Sometimes, this ends badly, and I end up smelling like dish soap or worse bug spray.) This lotion smells great and once it absorbs is subtle. It does take awhile to sink in - especially on my hands and feet.

My coworker Sue introduced me to Nivea Creme. I buy it in the travel sized tins. The packaging is cute and small. It's easy to carry in the palm of my hand or throw in my purse. I find that I use it most often on the bus! I'm sitting there and BOOM my weirdo cuticles pull a run in my stockings like that is their main function. Solution: mourn the tights, silently swear, moisturize the cuticle.

Dry Eyes

Go to the drugstore. Buy five or sixty bottles of eye drops WITHOUT vasoconstrictors. Put them in your desk at work, every purse you own, in your bathroom, on your mantle. Hang them from your Christmas tree. Make earrings from them! 

Dry Hair

Sometimes lather, rinse, repeat isn't quite good enough. Here are the three things I use on my dry, coarse hair during winter - along with instructions on how to best utilize them.

Biolage by Matrix Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner
wash hair well, massage liberal amount of conditioner into scalp and through hair focusing on roots, sit in tub until unbearably pruney, rinse in a half-assed way

Cantu Shea Butter Leave In Conditioning Repair Cream
apply utterly ridiculous amount to dry, dirty (like 3rd day dirty) hair, play video games for four hours OR watch four blood-soaked episodes of Vampire Diaries, take a normal shower

CHI Keratin Mist 
realize your hair is disgustingly dry but you have no time to do anything listed above, hold your ends altogether making your straw hair into a sort of broom, spray that shit until you drown that broom like you're a magician's assistant

Dry Lips

Lately I've been loving Maybelline Baby Lips Moisturizing Lip Balm SPF 20 Sunscreen. I bought it in cherry. It really doesn't have a color to it (which I like). It tastes good (enough). It isn't sticky.

For those with cash to burn, I do like Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment SPF 15. It tastes good, has a little color (and is sticky in a good way?)

It's better to realize what you don't want than what you do want in makeup (and all things), because then it's easy to say no. What I DON'T want in a chapstick-but-not-chapstick: Glitter, stickiness, strong odor, strong taste, odor or taste that isn't based on something edible (read: floral), no SPF.

Mouths of Babes

I was harassed in high school by a girl with low self-esteem.
I was harassed in college by a grown woman with low self-esteem.

This 15 year-old girl totally gets it.
Getting Over Girl Hate by Tavi Gevinson

Tactics to Get Out of a Screaming Match

Whisper

This is my favorite tactic to employ when dealing with an argument that isn't an argument. Usually I whisper when someone decides to raise their voice and turn an informative conversation to an argument. In example, I might be discussing a news topic that is controversial. I will be explaining an article I happened upon, but the person hears the explanation as stating a personal opinion that s/he disagrees with. Instead of joining in on the yell-athon, I just speak very softly until s/he shuts up to hear what I'm saying. If it doesn't work, skip down the list to the end.

Example Argument: THAT'S JUST RIDICULOUS! WHO WOULD EAT BABIES TO SOLVE POVERTY! THAT'S DUMB! YOU'RE DUMB! (Useless argument because as stated above... some people don't listen well.)
Example Response: I was just talking about a satire Jonathan Swift wrote... you're illiterate. 

Yell About Something Unrelated

I reserve this tactic for when I am arguing with a good friend. Once I realize that the argument is useless, I just start a new argument that is more entertaining/ridiculous. I don't segue; I just start in on it full steam. As for fair warning, the person talking at me usually doesn't like this at all. His/her reaction can be very encouraging.

Example Argument: The war in Iraq is necessary in order to show the terrorists what for, and to decrease the price of gas! (Useless argument because, I could care more about ferret farming than politics.)
Example Response: Chinchillas are the only acceptable pet rodent. Hamsters are the pets of peasants! 

Agree With Them Completely

A strategy best applied when I realize there is no winning, and the argument is of no consequence. It's important to agree verbally. I would suggest an "absolutely" or a "you are completely right." Saying "uh-huh" or nodding does not do enough. It's also important to not agree ironically or sarcastically. It's also important not to elaborate. The point is to end the argument, because there is no argument. Elaborating might start up an argument where you are agreeing with each other... just loudly.

Example Argument: Don't go to art school, because you'll never make any money. (Useless argument because a. It's your life not his/hers and b. What the heck? Are you talking to a psychic?)
Example Response: You are absolutely right.

Take Their Argument Too Far

If agreeing doesn't quite shove them over the edge... agree and then blow his/her argument way out of proportion. This is the anti-argument tactic that utilizes faulty logic. Look at any example of slippery slope for ideas.

Example Argument: Don't go to art school, because you'll never make any money.
Example Response: That's right; I'll end up living in a cardboard box, painting poo murals and selling my organs to make ends meet! (Hopefully, they're just embarrassed, because they can't come up with anything worse. Even more possibly, they're just imagining possible themes for your poo murals.)

When in Doubt, Walk Out

Personally, I like to a get down and dirty and skip to this. I just walk away. No ands, ifs or buts about it. Just a person talking at someone walking away from his/her stupid, contorted face. Because no one looks good angry.

I would give an example, but I was too busy walking away from whatever was loud to listen to his/her topic.

What to Do When You’re Unemployed

Volunteer

Volunteering is a great way to service your community, but I want to hit on the more selfish reasons to volunteer:

1. You'll get to meet new people.
2. You'll get out of the prison that becomes your living room.
3. Volunteering provides some sort of schedule to stick to, thereby, limiting the number of late afternoon wakings.
4. Giving your time when you have no money is a great way to feel some kind of purpose.

Spend More Time Outdoors

Working on your tan provides Vitamin D and scares away the debt depression. You can also take this time to prioritize getting in shape. The world can be your gym! Look up what services are offered by public parks in your area. Find hiking and biking trails near you.

Trade in Traditional Cable for Netflix

Cable can run up a bill over $50.00 a month. Netflix instant streaming is $7.99 a month. Ditching traditional cable free up some cash flow. And, as a bonus, with Netflix you watch what you want when you want to. You can take an afternoon to watch an entire season of Veronica Mars, or fill up on Mel Brooks movies.

Don't Carry Cash

After I turned 18 and opened my first bank account, I stopped carrying cash on me. My Gram thinks this is a bad idea and that I should have "emergency" money on me just in case. Personally, I don't trust myself to believe an adorable widget on sale isn't an emergency. So, I don't carry cash (or most of the time any sort of money). If you don't carry money, you cannot spend money. Ergo, your savings are left to pay ever surmounting bills.

Invest in Family and Friends

Now that you have free time, you can catch up with old pals and build a relationship with your mom that you might not have had before. Make a point to speak to the people you value in your life on a regular basis. I feel that the people who care most about us are neglected under the pretense that they'll always be there.

Holley's Shopping Rules

I love shopping, but I am poor. I have developed the ability to shop for hours on end, carefully choosing my purchases. If you have ever had to endure a shopping trip with me, you know that both your feet and your patience can be worn out by the end of the day. I own two closets of clothes; I like what I own and wear everything I own. I believe that MSRP is a suggested mark up, not a suggested price.

These are my rules for shopping:
Avoid Big Sales

A big sale can mean big price cuts with ample product. It can also mean hundreds of tired, frustrated people, staff included. Big sales with big crowds can make shopping an awful experience. Also, it puts your decision making skills in jeopardy, because of flash marketing. When someone says "limited time" offer to me, I inevitably hear "scam." I would suggest shopping the night before the sale. You might still get the markdowns advertised if they've been priced out early. Otherwise, shopping after the sale will vastly limit your available merchandise, but usually the discounts remain or become even greater.

A true sale shopper knows to peep into the store every once in a while and check for markdowns. This has been called "predatory shopping." I consider it a retail version of chicken. This is my most loved version of shopping. It's like the thrill of the hunt with delayed gratification.

Note: If you have to attend a huge sale, wear sensible, easily removable shoes and clothes. Every year, I attend Madison, WI Maxwell Street Days. I have gone with my aunt before. She wears a long, flowy skirt and a neutral colored tank top, so she can try on clothing without a dressing room. That woman is a master. Also, treat the sales people with respect. I have witnessed a sales clerk recoil after she turned down a coupon. She seemed to be expecting me to take a swing at her. Don't make someone's job more difficult, because you feel crowded and frustrated. She didn't make the coupon rules. Which reminds me, always have them at least scan in your coupon. Don't let them just guess it doesn't work.

It's Not On Sale Unless It's At Least 50% Off

Clothing and accessory markup is ridiculous. The prices you see on the tags can have up to a 300 percent markup. Here is a link to a short article on the subject. I don't really consider something on sale unless it is at least 50% off. For example: Buy One Get One 50% Off is not a sale. Do the simple math; that's 25% off, and marketing is forcing your hand into a second unnecessary, over-priced purchase.

It's a good idea to keep an eye out for when sales happen. Right now, Winter Coats are on sale. Here is a list from Lifehacker for the best times to find anything in 2011. On a closer to home note, I know that Younkers sale prices are stepped percentages off: 65%, 70%, 75%, 85%. After that they are price marked. I also keep an eye out around stores I frequent for an additional 50% off sale prices.

Predict Your Future Needs

My friend Ciera and I were wandering the mall yesterday. (And yes, I got so exhausted from the trek, I wanted to sleep in the car back home.) I lost my mind for a second and stopped right in the middle of asking her if she needed a winter coat to remember she was moving to North Carolina in May and will possibly never need a winter coat again.

Knowing what you'll need twelve months down the line is important when you're sale shopping. Usually, the best deals can be found right after the season is over. Buy swimsuits in September and winter coats in March. Then, hope and pray you stay the same size.

If It's Not Marked Down, It Isn't On Sale

This is a rule that isn't always a true. Sometimes I do find nice sales where entire racks of seasonal clothing have been price marked at say $49.99 for a winter coat that's MSRP is $240.00.

But, most of the time - especially at places like Kohl's - entire racks of items are "marked down" from absurd prices to almost acceptable prices. This once again is marketing; don't let yourself be fooled. Do the simple math and compare the numbers. If something seems steep, it probably is. (This is also why I don't like Kohl's.)

Try On Everything

When I comb the racks, I generally ignore sizes. I feel like a lot of what is available, that is marked down, that doesn't suck has been sized incorrectly. A lot of people shop by saying, "I am a size 6 and only a size 6." In that case, their stubbornness can be your gain.

Pick out everything you like the looks of and try it on. Don't be too obsessed with what doesn't fit you. Be more aware of what actually does. Standardized sizing in the clothing industry is a joke.

Always Search for Defects

The other likely reason that something is on sale that is acceptable looking is that the item in question has a defect. Search for poor sewing, weirdo darts, pulled threads and stains.

When I actually do go thrift shopping, I'm always looking at coats. I learned the hard way to always check the arm pits. The last thing you need is strange, floppy fabric annoying your under arms.

Buy What You Want

This is crucial, and possibly the most important advice I can give shoppers. Buy items you would buy at their MSRP. Do not convince yourself that you want something just because it is on sale. If it has weird darts, is incorrectly sized and is dyed the most heinous color imaginable... but it's 99% off, don't buy it unless it's cheaper than wash rags and your kitchen needs a good scrub. Knowing something was cheaply priced is not enough to make anyone want to wear something she hates. Plus, consider the space in one's closet valuable real estate. Don't lease space to something that doesn't work.

You Can't Choose What You Love

I do want to add that if you love something, and you can afford it, I say go for it. I still think about a soft leather, red pair of ballet slippers I hovered over for three months when I was a senior in high school.

You Can't Love Everything

At the same time, when you're sale shopping and have good enough body image, everything looks cute or at least is tolerable. Understand what you already have and recognize whether or not you would be filling a hole in your closet. Avoid duplicates if you can.

Wear Nude Undergarments

This one may seem a little silly, but it's important. A day of shopping can be ruined by a blue bra.

Surviving a Wisconsin Winter

When people in Wisconsin learn that I grew up in Florida, Wisconsinites all suddenly want to talk about the weather. Usually this conversation ends in some kind of evasive maneuvering on my part. I really didn't have a hard time adjusting to the cold weather. I feel like there are very few people that enjoy the long winters. But, I complain when I'm uncomfortable, which most people do. Anyways, my dearest blogger cousin, Rachel, is moving to Delaware from Alabama/Mississippi soon. I put together a little list of all the things that helped drag this snow-hater through some of the "worst winter"s of Wisconsin. I admit some are obvious, but the obvious needs to be said.

Hats and Gloves

Hats are a smart choice from the moment the humidity is sucked out of the air. It protects the wearer from red, frozen ears as well as dry, crispy hair. That being said, buying a cute hat that doesn't provide ample ear coverage is a waste of hard earned money. (Unless it's a summer hat, but we're not talking about summer here.) What's great about hats is that they work as a two-fer. They can be used to hide bad hair days and keep heat from leaving your body.

Gloves are necessary in cold climates. Personally, I'm not a fan. They make me clumsier with my hands, I lose them constantly and knit gloves absorb water which can defeat the purpose. There isn't much to do about thick fingers making keys harder to find and coins more difficult to pick up. I have found a pseudo solution for lost gloves. I buy them in bright, neon if I can, colors.

I have Lime Green and Bright Blue ISOTONER Gloves

Sunglasses

Don't retire your sunglasses after summer. Snow blindness is real and painful. It's a danger while driving or walking. Sun reflection off of the snow is brighter than the beaches of Destin. And that's pretty darn bright.

Good Coat(s)

I suggest getting a snow coat that is water resistant and captures heat along with a dressy coat that is warm enough for windy days. I do not in anyway advocate buying a calf length down coat. Gram calls this kind of coat a blanket with sleeves and is all about them. But, everyone ages by at least 30 years (cut off at 70) when they put one on. It will rot in your closet waiting for you to declare your sexuality DOA.

Tights, Leggings, Nylons

Long Johns can be stifling and uncomfortable under pants. Tights and nylons can be just as effective at adding an extra layer to your bottom half. They can also be paired with skirts and dresses. It's a good idea to have these on hand, because weather is generally not very stable for months. If it's a very cold day you can put socks over nylons.

Wool Socks

Speaking of socks, Gram has a motto for winter wear, "ABC, Anything But Cotton." She gifts socks for every holiday. She's gotten me into Smartwool socks. They're hella pricey, but fantastic gifts. I just wear whatever I think aren't cotton with my sneakers and grab the Smartwools for leather or rubber boots, because they have little insulation.

Boots

Boots are a must have. I do want to admit that I'm a boot nut. I think it's because I can't wear heels, so I substitute boots for heels often. I have cowboy boots, fall leather boots, fall short boots, and rubber boots. Out of that list only the rubber boots are functional. I use the rubber boots in slushy weather which there is no lack of lately. I also own Keen tennis shoes that I call snow boots. They are water resistant, have thick tread and are well insulated.

I avoid a lot of accidents by not wearing the cute boots through winter. Also, I feel that my nice boots are going to last years longer without salt stains.

Lotion

Each winter my skin threatens to curl up and die. I realize about half way through September that if I don't do something, I'm liable to claw off my legs from all the itching. I've started putting on lotion after showers. My dermatologist says that if you put on lotion within 3 minutes of washing, then you'll lock in the moisture.

5-htp with St. John's Wort

For a little while I was getting the winter blues. I didn't want to be on an SSRI. I felt that they're way too strong for a little bout of seasonal depression. I do suggest that if you start feeling not quite yourself, you can try 5-htp with St. John's Wort. I'm not 100% sure if it's a placebo effect or what, but these things seem to work after about three days of regular use.

Leather Protectant Spray

This will be a small entry. Do buy some leather protectant spray if you own anything leather. It's not so much about snow and wet. It's mostly about salt. Salt will stain and dry out your leather. Thick, hard leather is easy to clean, but with suede you can be SOL.

Emergency Car Kit

Another short entry. Here is a link to an article on what should be in an Emergency Car Kit. You can't foresee a winter car problem; it's best to be prepared.

Blankets Blankets Blankets

Winter is cold. Heating bills can be ridiculous. We have blankets readily available throughout the house. It's just a better idea to heat yourself than to heat the empty space around you. It's ecofriendly and just financially prudent.

Memoirs of a Warranty Holder

Do you want to hear it like it's girl meets tech and the rest is history? I'm going to tell it like a flashback story.

I type to you now from my new Lenovo S10-3. It is smaller than the one I purchased in 2007, and features an LED screen, larger memory, full sized keyboard and bluetooth capabilities. It also runs Windows 7 Starter (which has some downfalls). The casing is surprisingly a checked red.

I did not pay a dime for this netbook.

This all started in early 2010 when my netbook acquired a rootkit virus. I then had Brandon and my then roommate Garrett take a look at it. Brandon reinstalled Windows as a separate partition, but the kitroot was still in my computer. Garrett tried to use a USB thumb drive to install Ubuntu, but instead deleted all the partitions to my laptop. He then reinstalled Ubuntu on to my laptop. I used Ubuntu for a few months, but in May I was able to send in my netbook to be reimaged. I also asked to have my USB ports looked at, because the connection was loose.

I got back my netbook within a week with a newly reimaged hard drive and no change to the USB ports.

In November, my power cord started to lose connection. I received a replacement soon after reporting the failure; only, the replacement I received was half white and half black. I called in the discrepancy after realizing that it bothered me so much. A week passed, and I received nothing, so I called again. They told me it should be here, and they were sending another power cord. Three days later at a thrilling 8 AM, UPS called and asked for a current address. Lenovo had sent two sets of power cords to the address I lived at in 2008. Both sets of cords were delivered that day to the proper address. What I thought was funny (and not funny haha) was that one set of cords was the correct type and a solid black, the other was for a laptop I didn't own. I sent the mismatched cord and the incorrect cord back to Lenovo the next day.

This December, I was watching Confessions of a Shopaholic. I had reached the scene where a line of shoppers waited for entry into a sample sale. A second door was opened and the women ran screaming into the sale room. My computer froze in the middle of a high pitched wail. I held power button hoping to god to make it stop.

I called Lenovo reporting the hard drive failure as well as my USB ports being loose, and received a box to ship my laptop in for service two days later. I received it back right before New Years. The hard drive was replaced, but the case suffered cosmetic damages including scratches and cracks to the exterior. The machine also ran hot.

I contacted Lenovo about how I received my netbook, and was told that I would be contacted by a Customer Service Representative that handles incidents like this. Instead I was contacted by a Lenovo executive who sometimes handles these calls personally to hear about problems first hand. We took about two and a half weeks to talk to eachother, mostly because of my new sleep schedule.

He told me that most likely the parts and shipping costs for my netbook exceeded the price of a new netbook. He was sending me out a new netbook, and I was to send in my old netbook once I received its replacement.

And, here I am today new netbook in hand sharing the best advice I can give: If you own something of great value (at least to you) always renew the warranty. I renewed my warranty twice for $69.95 a year, have sent in my laptop twice and needed to replace a part. Knowing that the company I buy a computer from will do what they can to solve my netbook ills is priceless.

Income Based Repayment

I recently read a blog entry from a person who could possibly be reading my blog right now. This post is for you.

If you are low on funds and recently graduated, you should look into federal loan programs. One is the IBR program. This is a program that can lower your loan repayments to nothing. It acts as deferment if you currently are broke and lowers payments to where you can afford them if you aren't broke.
website: http://www.ibrinfo.org/
how to take action now: call your loan provider and tell them you want to apply for the Income Based Repayment program.

If you are low on funds and not sharing food with someone high on funds, apply for Foodshare. It's the Wisconsin food stamp program. It isn't embarrassing to use; if you qualify, then you need it.
website: https://access.wisconsin.gov/
how to take action now: click "Apply for benefits" and find your last month's pay stubs.
*side note: if you are in school and reading this, you will need to be a part of a work-study program and be working 20 hours a week.

If you are not in Wisconsin (Hello, Erin and Amy.) and want to see what benefits you qualify for, use https://www.benefitscheckup.org/ to see where you stand.

Also, using block quote html tags reads a lot better than centering a paragraph. And, you can't be mad at me for reading your blog, after all you obviously read mine and get post ideas from me. If you didn't, then you couldn't respond to this anyways, and I'm just being paranoid.

Natural You

I just watched a fantastic documentary on beauty on Hulu called America the Beautiful. I had a huge reaction to this film... much like my reaction to Good Hair. And now, I welcome you to a beauty slash health rant.
I will open with a confession that I have permed and dyed my hair, exercised obsessively and whined over every little lump and bump on my body. I also own makeup and a padded bra. None of these things exclude me from general disgust at the beauty industry, if anything these things help to instill my message: Nothing is more beautiful than normal, natural you.

America is a society where people are led to believe that what they wear and how they look defines who they are. It tells us that those oh so tight jeans, striped tee and possibly ironic tennis shoes... if properly accessorized can speak volumes about your personality. It also leads people to believe that others not only take note but care. (I am not encouraging everyone to run about naked --especially not in this Wisconsin weather-- nor dress inappropriately for the occasion. I will threaten a much shorter, louder rant on sweat pants.)

I find a lot of this paranoia based in insecurity. The beauty, fashion, magazine, food... health care etc. industry relies on women and men alike to think that they are less of a person, that they are broken, that there is something foul about them. It's a business plan based on denying people the thing a lot of them crave: The idea that they're okay and whatever they're doing with themselves is fine.

An article relayed to me through Jezebel.com (a site that I highly recommend) touched me deeply and not in my heart, but in my brain. It made me realize that I have never been skinny, but I've always been healthy. I sometimes joke that my numbers (when tested at the doctor's) are always good. I have an excellent standing heart rate, blood pressure, iron count, cholesterol level. You name it. I have it, and it's all good. With the teeny tiny exception of my height to weight ratio. From the time I hit 100 lbs in the 8th grade until now I've always been marginally overweight. Right now, I'm a thrilling 156 lbs. (Naked, of course. Try washing that out of your brain.) I'm 5'2'' tall and a size 6 in pants, 10 in dress. (Mostly, from the boobs.) It's taken years of therapy and far too many grovels over dieting to realize that this is not fat. I'm not fat. In fact... until you've reached the point where you are endangering your health... who gives a fuck. Excuse my french. So, now I don't diet. I do eat well, not because I'm forcing myself to either. I just like carrots, bananas and grapefruit. I get twice my weekly servings of fruit and vegetables, because they are delicious. I also eat pink-dyed coconut covered Snowballs for the same reason.

I also am not a fan of makeup and hair enhancement. Some of that stems from laziness, but most of it comes from the fact that I look pretty awesome without a layer of paint. The other Universe sized problem I have with cosmetics is medically labeled as dermographia. I have pretty, puffy, red reactions to a lot of different products. ("Pretty" was sarcasm.) But why does this matter to you, the reader? Because my reaction to products can be severe and triggered [not instantly but] pretty darn fast. I consider this a great advantage. I get to know what's bad for me right away. I don't need to expose myself to a product over and over again to figure out it's filled with chemicals my body can't take. And, once I accepted that I can only buy Wet and Wild mineral foundation, it's cut down my beauty box to a tenth the size it used to be. Now, imagine what chemicals are absorbing through your pores and consider how long it's going to take your body to react.

I do want to take note that while I choose to go barefaced out into the world (except for special Wet and Wild occasions), I am totally cool with ladies who love themselves and love makeup. Those people who want to experiment and want to doll themselves up, but can feel confident without the extras... you guys rock! My message is to those who consider makeup the means to an end. The ones covering themselves, hiding their perceived "ugliness." I want to say to those ladies that I am all about the idea of letting your freak flag fly. Be you, exactly who you are... don't cover that up, because I want to assure you that it is awesome.

I watched a news segment this last year on a group of popular teenage girls who choose to not wear makeup once a week. I was shocked that these girls considered this to be a publicity stunt. Then I was more shocked that the stunt got such publicity. Imagine it... women whose faces are just faces. Shock and awe. This newscast added to the hundreds of reminders that I face everyday that looking like you woke up and washed your face this morning is a strange thing. How truly shocking is it to want to look the way you do lumps, acne scars and all? Why is the world so bent on covering the faces of women?

Shopping Style and Flash Sales

I've recently decided it would be best if I did not buy clothing for a year. I have far more clothing than I need but for now am done narrowing down my closet. By not buying clothing I will be able to focus on what I already have and (to use a hackneyed phrase) shop my closet.

Through a little self examination, I've come to the conclusion that I tend to shop as a way to treasure hunt. I don't channel my inner pirate and map my way across the department store, but instead I spend hours of my time filtering every sale rack, every aisle of a thrift store... turning over every knickknack and examining every clothing item. I search for items that strike my fancy in a particular, long-lasting way but also meet my standard in price vs. retail value.

Becoming self-aware of my reason for shopping has made not shopping a little easier. Right now, I've decided that if I need something, I need something. Which means I should buy this item and only this item.
Example: My winter coat is a black, wool pea coat made by Calvin Klein. Last year, it fit like a glove... but now the top button stays open. I went to the mall this Saturday with a friend from work and tried on five similar coat from the same designer and have decided that my waist is too small for a 10 and my chest is too large for an 8 for this season's Calvin Klein coat line. However, I still need a winter coat that zip/buttons to the top. This is the frozen tundra of the Midwest that I live in. I chose to purchase a Columbia medium weight coat in a Medium. Which fits perfectly, I want to add.

Then, I got the hell out of there.

I'm making a point in all future purchases to only use store cards when a discount is provided for store card users. I paid for this purchase on my everyday credit card which has an interest rate much lower than a store card's.

Which brings me to section two of this blog entry. I am closing all store cards that I do not use. I am keeping my Younker's card (for use that in Wisconsin), my Macy's card (for all future Minnesota, Mall of America shopping), and my Old Navy Card (for all basic clothing purchases). This might seem like a lot of store cards to keep but I've closed four accounts this weekend and am calling Maurice's in the morning. It shouldn't hurt my credit too horribly, because all of these accounts have been inactive for over six months.

Finally, I recently read an article published by Jezebel on Flash Sales. This article has reinforced my belief that "limited time" offers are scams. Without fail, I recoil at any sales pitch that is offered "for the next 48 hours" or "until close today." Mostly, because I watch a lot of TV and have seen make-believe con artists fool their marks into rushed decision making. Outside of treasure hunting... I don't fall prey to flash sales or BOGO offers or even coupons. If you're offered $10 off a $50 purchase... that's 20%. That is not a sale. If it isn't 50% off... it isn't a sale. If you didn't even want it... you aren't saving money.

My dad always would correct someone who would deliver a sales pitch claiming to "save" you money if you buy an item for $40 that is normally $50. "You aren't saving money; you just aren't spending as much money." If you want to save money you just take $10 and stick it in a savings account. Now, you have saved $10... and come to think of it you could just not buy anything and put away $50.

Personal Style

Here is a small confession:

I didn't pick out or buy my own clothes until I was 16.

Over the past 6 years I've found out several things about myself and my personal style.

1. There is really one pair of jeans that I like, so I now buy the same style in different colors. I also do this with underwear and tank tops.

2. I like black, but not enough to wear multiple pieces in the somber tone. Plus in winter my skin washes out, and I look really dowdy.

3. No matter how many cute scarves I buy... I will never wear them as much as the scarf Gram gave me 5 years ago.

4. I don't like glitter... or glam... or large jewelry. Shiny is good for shoes not faces.

5. I buy way too many hoodies and fleeces. I wear all of them and like all of them. This makes downsizing my closet really difficult.

6. Everything I try on is tolerable... sometimes everything is cute. These are not good reasons to buy clothes.

7. I love dresses. I did not wear dresses in high school. It wasn't until summer of freshman year where I lived in a place that had no A/C that I started wearing dresses to survive.

8. I do agree with one thing that my mother's boyfriend outlined in the house dress code... logos are awful. I could go on a rant about The Man using your body for product placement... but really I don't like having wording across my chest. 

9. Cardigans go with everything. Everything.

10. Lastly, I don't need to wear makeup. I'm way too young to look like a raccoon, clown or cougar.

Personally, I'm into a hipster/granny/librarian style. Humor t-shirts, cardigans, knee length skirts and excellent lapel pins. My basic 15 minute shopping quick trip involves looking through purse sale racks for Fossil handbags and skimming the very on sale racks for looking at fabric first, fit second and utility last. I do this based on what is fastest to judge. This way I'm not trying on a 100% wool size 0 romper. (Also, I hate rompers.)

Which leads me to the point I intend to make. The best way to avoid accumulating tons of clothing is a two step process.

Step 1: Figure out the following:

What you wear most often and if you really need more of that.

What you never wear but continue to buy for the wrong reasons: obligation, trend following, hoping for a tomorrow that might never come.

Step 2: Stop buying stuff. 

A Wednesday Challenge

To all readers and non-readers,

I would like to encourage everyone to go on Google Local and review a local place you love.

I got a trim at my favorite salon in town yesterday afternoon. My hairdresser, Connie, thanked me for reviewing her salon on Google Local (Link). Apparently, a lot of college students use Google to find local businesses and many rely upon reviews to make final decisions. I feel very happy about my review because A) It's 100% true and B) Connie gets some well deserved patronage.

I reviewed all the local places I frequent enough to comment on consistency. Admittedly, I have left a poor review or two. I keep a policy that for every negative review I leave I try my best to leave a positive review. I consider it internet karma.

I'm challenging you to write a positive review and boost your favorite salon/restaurant/boutique store's patronage.

Woah It's Cold

It's a little late, and as friends, colleagues and a certain faculty member of UW-Platteville might tell you... when it gets late, I tend to get a different perspective.

And, I need to say that tonight I am worried. Over the past few days I have been sleeping in until 1:00 pm after going to bed between 2:00 am and 3:00 am. That's ten or more hours a night. I'm worried, because --- given my history of depression --- sleeping this late can mean that I'm in for a spell of the winter blues, or I have a cold. I know what the Seasonal Affective Disorder feels like, and I haven't had a cold that has lasted this long before. I'm going to make an educated guess that this is a taste of the former. It's like I get a full on welcome to winter: my fingers shrink, my legs and arms dry out, my nose wants to fall off due to itchiness or temperature, and my brain's usual Paul McCartney/John Lennon theme song turns into Everclear complaint-rock.

I have a three part plan on how to get this thing nipped in the bud far before I start sleeping 20 hours a day and missing out of my life again.

Part 1:

Take 5HTP every day. It worked last year; fingers crossed it will work again.

Part 2:

Work out at least five times a week. Exercise got me through Junior year's near constant snowfall as well as the horrible drama.

Part 3:

Try to get some sunlight everyday. Hopefully, when it gets colder I'll still feel this is necessary. Either way, as the great Michael Lee Aday once said, "Two out of three ain't bad."

As I sit here, cross-legged on a couch older than myself, I pull the hood of my sweatshirt tight allowing just enough space to view my netbook screen. I ponder the greatest mysteries of life: what would a nose warmer look like? And, why hasn't anyone capitalized on this yet?