Yes, there are times you want to tear your hair out because you know what you want (or at least have a vague idea) but can you find it anywhere in the stores? No! You scour the racks, ask the sales staff, and search on-line. No luck! So what do you do? As I see it there are 3 options:
a. Get the next best thing that works even though it doesn’t give you that thrill.
b. Give up and go with what’s there because you want something new in your closet?
c. You’ll wait! You know what you love, and you’re not settling for anything less.
Obviously, you can do whatever you want, but if you are looking to create the wardrobe you dream of, the ONLY answer is C.
Settling for anything less than what you feel great wearing will only leave you feeling humdrum about your wardrobe and constantly on the prowl for something better. It’s a vicious (expensive!) cycle.
And, B totally bewilders me. It’s kind of like voting for someone not because s/he is your candidate of choice but because you know s/he will win (I never understand that philosophy!) – It’s a fleeting, hollow victory at best.
Okay, I know what you’re thinking. If I wait for what is perfect I’ll never buy anything! With very rare exceptions (and chances are you are not one of them) this is not true. It might just mean that the designers have taken temporary leave of their sense, and you just have to be patient. As long as you already have things in your closet that you love to wear (so this means you’ve been picky in the past, right?) you might be disappointed but you won’t feel desperate to buy something new.
Let me give you a personal example. Last spring I was looking to buy a few new jackets to add to my wardrobe. I certainly know how to do it, but despite all my best efforts I wasn’t finding anything I totally loved. So, rather than settle for anything less, I did the next best thing: I became proactive. I did a search on eBay for my favorite designer and guess what? A number of fabulous jackets showed up in my size. So, I bought two. Took one to the tailor to have the sleeves shortened to 3/4 length and wore both endlessly last spring.
Settling for less than the best always costs you more (in time, aggravation and money) in the long run. Being picky will pay off big-time!
