Get Out of Jail Free

I signed up for Wardrobe Refashion 2007 back in January. I pledged not to buy any new mass manufactured clothes for two months. During that time, I could buy used or handmade clothes, remake used clothes or make them from scratch.

Well, we had a family emergency (and also a minor health relapse for me) and my sewing and knitting time disappeared. I did manage to organize my closet and repair most of the clothes that needed it. It seemed like I had more clothes because I was simply reaching deeper into my closet. That alone makes the wardrobe refashion pledge worthwhile.

Anyhow, I got some bad medical news the other day which sent me shopping. At first, I stuck to the pledge and bought some spring Vogue and Burda patterns releases and some quilt batting.

Then Iris needed new shoes and her nanny, who had been a real lifesaver during this crisis, deserved a present. Who knew that black Mary Janes are a fall item and that I couldn't find them in March? I dragged Iris to every place that sold children's shoes in the mall--no small feat--but we couldn't locate a single pair of black leather Mary Janes in her size. We also looked for a pretty hair accessory with roses for her nanny, but struck out.

We did have a few minutes to kill before meeting Mark for lunch so I perused the sale rack at Nordstrom. Oooh, bad idea. The Eileen Fisher High Neck Steel Satin jacket I had admired since last fall was on sale for 40% off; it was even in my size. I tried it on and it was perfect.

What about the pledge? 40% off a lot is still a lot and I don't need another jacket. I just wanted it very badly. I put it on hold and we went off to meet Mark for lunch at the appointed time and brasserie.

I sat down and told Mark about the jacket that I was not going to buy. He asked if it cost less than x hundred dollars. Yes, it was substantially less than that. Then he said, "If you like it, I don't understand why you don't just buy it. You don't need to discuss any purchase that size with me. Besides, you need something to cheer you up."

You could think, "What a great guy!" But we've been married for some time. I thought, "Uh-oh, what x hundred dollar item does he want?" A new DVD player that displays twice the number of interlaced lines as the old one is on its way to our house.

Quid pro quo. But I love the jacket. It goes perfectly with a dark taupe skirt that I sewed from a discontinued Calvin Klein pattern. It's too bad that the skirt doesn't show in the picture above.