I Finally Bought Some Shirts

Harder than it seems.

After chatting with Nicole on Friday about our wants, it became clear to me and probably some eagle-eyed readers that I need some new shirts. All my shirts are dirty in ways that are irreparable; there are stains and holes and traces of nacho. I could use a bib, or maybe, just a few shirts.

A Friday Chat About What We Want

This weekend, I made it my goal: get some new shirts and cross that item off my wants list. I went to Soho with a dream in my heart and a spring in my step, fully prepared to spend some money on some goddamn t-shirts. I figured out what my problem is, though. I know why I don’t have any shirts.

When faced with a pile of $10 t-shirts, plain and unadorned — just what I thought I wanted — I can never pull the trigger because why should I spend money on a shirt that’s just plain? What’s the point?

Clothing is supposed to be a reflection of My Personality. Am I a plain white tee kind of girl? Do I really need more stripes? What is this pink shirt saying? Why should I buy this? Maybe I’ll put this down and walk away, forever. My thinking is such: if I’m going to spend the money on something it might as well be fancier than a plain shirt, unembellished, unadorned, and simple. $10 isn’t even a lot of money, but I can never do it. It feels frivolous even though it’s necessary and that is why it’s a want and not a need.

But as Nicole and I discussed, accountability is important. Investing in new clothes and then wearing those clothes even just to sit at my desk and work is actually investing in myself.

Honestly, it’s not that serious. It’s just some clothes. We all wear them so that we’re not naked when we leave our house. I threw away some shirts and I bought some new ones — “fun” ones. I paid about $40 for the three — a number that feels fine and not too bad. It was less than I anticipated. One is grey and long sleeved and ribbed; one is black and speckled. There’s a pink one, too, plain, just in case.

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