I have a confession to make. I have a secret that I have been hiding. I can’t go on living this lie anymore. I feel I really must tell you the truth. As they say, “new year, new you.” 

I have an addiction. If you guessed chocolate you would be sort of correct.

Chocolate soufflee

If you thought divine French cheeses , that would be close too.

unnamed-1

But no, this one hurts the purse strings, and not the love handles:

I am addicted to shopping and I am determined to find a Cure for Couture.

Whew, I feel so much better for putting it out into cyber space. It means I really have to do something about it.

How did my love of couture, my penchant for Pucci, my hankering for Hermes get so out of control? When I was a little girl, my mother and I would drive from Wichita Falls to Dallas, Texas just to shop at Neiman Marcus. Yes, Neimans was my gateway drug. And it helped that my Father was friends with Stanley Marcus. Can you blame a girl for getting hooked?

After my parents moved to Newport Beach, California, shopping became a way for my mother and me to spend time together and bond over our love of designer goods. We would make a day of it or two or three.. shopping, morning snack, shopping, luncheon, shopping, late afternoon snack, shopping, dinner.

First we hit Fashion Island. The sun would be shining… we would cruise leisurely from store to store. take in the view to the ocean all while we shopped NM, LuluLemon, Nordstroms, Bloomingdales, Tahari, there are so many more.

Then we would hit South Coast Plaza and made a day of it as well.. Sax Fifth Ave, Dior, Chanel, St. Johns, Versaci Gucci etc.

You get the picture.

I used to look forward to my shopping sprees with my mother. I mean wouldn’t you? Fashion and French cuisine all in one day! Oo la la

I lived downtown in NYC, the Village and then Gramercy.

I was-too busy running Flavors Catering and Carry-out to make time for shopping in NYC. Back then I lived so far away from my beloved 3 B’s – Bloomingdales, Bergdorfs, and Barneys. Getting uptown was a hassle so shopping was spread out and irregular.

bloomingdalesBergdorf Goodman Barney's

 

I used to buy my clothes from a personal shopper who imported clothes from France and Italy and sold them from her apartment on the Upper East Side.

She had amazing prices, and I would make one trip a season and buy most everything I needed.

Then if I needed a special dress for a party, I would buy it ahead of time.

When I “moved on up to the Upper East Side” just a few years ago, I knew I was in trouble. Madison and Fifth Avenues have all my boyfriends: Oscar, Henri, Louis, Roberto, and Christian. Obviously since I was so close we had to go on some dates. Next thing I knew I was a woman obsessed. The perfect shoe had to have the perfect dress, which had to have the perfect necklace and earrings, and of course the perfect handbag, and a fabulous coat . I mean seriously.

5th av sign

Uptown is just different.

I so identify with the woman who wrote the book, Primates of Park Avenue. Women dress up to go to lunch. They have their Chanel and Hermes bags. They wear dresses… different ones too. It’s rare that I see a friend in the same outfit twice.

I became an expert at searching the sale racks, and finding that perfect piece at a sample sale. It is exhilarating each and every time. But the more I shopped, the more I realized I just bought to buy. I didn’t need anything. In fact, I would get an LBD for an event, and go home and realize I had several of them already. I was buying because in the moment I wanted them. They fed a need, but then my buyers remorse would kick in and I would return half of what I bought, or even worse hide my new purchases from my husband. Eek. Ya’ll know what I’m talking about right?????

Right before the holidays this year, I had a closet cleanse and I realized that I had so much stuff and could wear a different outfit everyday for the next 3 months. So…. I am giving up shopping for clothing and accessories – yes, even shoes – for three months. You heard me correctly, three months: January through March. While I am sure I will miss the comfort and high of shopping, I am kind of excited to see how I spend my time now that I won’t be in the stores

This isn’t going to be easy, I know that. I am going to be tested by many friends who know me as always game to shop a sale, but I think it is important to recognize that my love of shopping has gotten a bit out of hand. I am sure many of you can relate to this, or perhaps another vice that has taken over your life.

I could use all the help I can get, so if any of you out there in cyberspace can relate please reach out and give me much needed support on my 3 month hiatus, if you feel so inclined please join my Cure to Couture. I will be posting every other week with an update on how I am progressing and managing to stay out of the stores – and off the internet (eek). Who knows, by the end of this experiment maybe I will have enough new recipes for a new cookbook!

Leave your comments below.  I would love to hear from you!

Deep breath. Here we go!

Pamela Crazy Shopping

#confessionsofashopaholic

#shopaholic

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#acureforcouture