Need?

I used to be an impulse buyer.  I would buy on the spur of the moment something that would catch my eye or seem to be too good a deal to pass up. Such impulse buys, often during the sales, have lead me to own fabulous one-offs that I still wear years later, but also a number of items that don't really fit or suit me and never will. Experience has taught me to become more mindful of what I spend my money on. The economic crisis supports that change in attitude which actually predates the banking collapse. Whilst there still is a thrill in shopping - my hunter-gatherer's instinct awakened and my heart quickening when I fall for the perfect new jacket or pair of shoes, I now try to establish clearly what I need before I set out to shop.

What I need has actually become quite a tricky question. Do I really "need" anything, beyond fresh underwear on a regular basis? I have a wardrobe full of clothes which are in good condition and have not fallen out of fashion yet. I have good-looking handbags which still have years of service in them. I own a wide range of well-looked after shoes that I can wear without fear of looking ridiculously outdated. I must say that I have never followed fashion diktats that claim that I must rush-out and buy the "must have" shoes or handbag of the moment.  I have always liked to define my own style and not be dictated to. So, as I am not blindly following what the fashion industry wants me to do and as I own very good timeless pieces, what I "need" becomes quite circumscribed.  Have I mentioned world hunger and real need experienced by most of the earth population?  A vast subject that I am not going to tackle here but that makes me look at my buying impulses with more caution and a very critical eye.

In fact, what I "need" is to find those few pieces that will update my existing clothes, pieces that I can happily mix with what I already own or which will replace a well-loved but clearly worn out item.  In order to identify those magic pieces that can lift my wardrobe and give it a bit of zest, I don't rely on fashion magazines. They are clearly not targeted at me. They feature models the age of my daughters, promote outfits that have no relevance to my lifestyle and display photographs that have become so artistically obsessed as to hide the clothes rather than show them. They announce so many competing trends that it is impossible to predict what will catch on. At best, I can try to translate their pages for my purposes and try and tease out the bits that I can use, but it tends to be hard work. People watching is a rich source of inspirations. I am very lucky to live in an area teaming with creative and artistic types whose looks can provide good ideas. I find shop windows can be inspiring too. As I walk along shopping streets, my eye catches a colour or a shape that inspires me. Also, trends emerge as I see shop after shop featuring similar cuts or styles and I make sure to avoid what is over exposed but keep the elements that appeal to me. These days, so many competing styles and lines are trying to catch our attention that I feel very comfortable picking and choosing and making my own mix. Also, with age, I see the return of certain styles and I am able to focus on those that I know will work for me and stay away from previous fashion mistakes.

I certainly can't claim to have found the perfect formula but I think I am getting better at identifying what I will use and enjoy wearing. I still make mistakes and I still go beyond my definition of "need" and will buy a dress for its fabulous colour, a jumper for its amazing softness or a pair of shoes just because I can't resist it. But it is getting rarer - the lamb has toughened!