when you walk through my door, well worn and equally loved shoes greet you. their presence will cause a reaction. the sneakers have been photographed many times by visitors. they are a conversational piece for newcomers. the collection is obnoxious. it's true, my favorite mode of transportation is the trainer.
before you can accuse me of wasting good money, i can assure you that i don't pay for my shoes. in fact, the last time i paid for a pair of sneakers was in 2001. since then, i've been fortunate enough to receive free shoes from adidas, gravis, nike, vans and doc martens. adidas is my absolute favorite. their shoes just fit my little feet all snug and nice.
every year i donate several pairs to goodwill. the shoes in the hallway are worn on rotation. so shoes that aren't worn get moved to the basement. when spring arrives, i dig them out and put them in a bag, ready to move out. some pairs i can get a pretty penny for on ebay. but i don't like selling my shoes. it doesn't seem right.
i believe, i am an odd bird in that i absolutely despise shopping for clothes. i don't have the patience for it. dressing rooms annoy me. counter people freak me out. no, someone didn't help me purchase these three pairs of socks! it's rare that i have to dress up so my closet houses pieces decades old that i can still wear today. i can honestly say, i shop for a dress less than once a year, if even that. my daily wear consists of t-shirts and jeans (just like supermodels). looking sharp is a lacoste shirt.
i wear clothes gifted from tokion, x-girl and adidas originals. i receive big discounts from apc and others. i wear my shirts until they are so heavily armpit stained that i have to cut off the sleeves or junk them. i still rock t-shirts purchased from my college days. the same street fashion sense that appealed to me then, still appeals to me today.
once you've worked retail it's hard to justify purchasing anything above cost. i am guilty of purchasing extravagant pieces once in a blue moon. the last time i bought a piece of clothing, i was in tokyo in 2002 and i paid silas and maria $400 for a jumpsuit. a jumpsuit i wear all year round. the way i shop for clothes is how i shop for the home: everything is a permanent purchase. no fads, no fashion. just me.
what is my guilty pleasure? cds? video games? nah, get those comped too. i spend my money on candy.
