I need a (fashion) fix.

It's been almost a month since I have made any non-essential purchases. Sure, maybe I've indulged in the odd take-out latte, but food is essential, right? And in my world, caffeine is on par with oxygen.

Considering all of the pretty spring things have hit stores, shopping abstinence is killing me. It's good for me, though, I know: trying to recycle old things into new, re-purposing and mixing up outfits, thinking about actually sewing up some summer shirts. All very green, right? And frugal. I pride myself on green living, but my shopping habits can be a tad hypocritical. I'm a consumer. Where possible, I will absolutely support local and independent designers or buy sustainably created pieces. It comes with a price tag, though. And sometimes I can't help but fall for a mass-produced made-in-China skirt, when it comes at such a steal. But, while jobless, I need to avoid steals even. I'll have to stick to on-sale 6-pack sport socks, thank-you-very-much. 

Maybe it's self-inflicted torture, but I have been online shopping lately - filling my "cart" with much-coveted dresses and shoes and tunics, oh my! - but then never actually making it to check out. I've had an open shopping cart with jcrew.com for over two weeks, adding pretty things here and there. It's sick. Alex frowns when I confess my little secret. It's akin to taking tiny midnight bites from a big cake in the fridge while on a diet.

I want this, very badly:

 [ nothing says summer like gingham! ]

And these from Anthropologie:

Stepping into that store in my fragile state would induce manic binge shopping. I'd be wise to steer clear.

Anyway, I have a meeting with a recruiter on Monday - finally a call-back! Hopefully they'll take me on and do the job-hunting leg-work for me, and actually score real work. Then, maybe then, can I justify clicking on the checkout button. The job for which I initially applied is actually part-time, with decent pay, and perfectly ideal for helping me make ends meet while I attempt to become self-employed.

Next Saturday, the girls and I are attending SWAP IT UP: A Clothing Exchange Party at Freedom Clothing.

A perfectly acceptable form of acquiring new clothes while unemployed, right? I'll get rid of some junk in the back of my closet and maybe score a few new pieces while I'm at it. A pre-swap brunch means I can rummage through the girls' donations and get first dibs. I love hand-me-downs from Sheila, especially! This little outing is in lieu of our usual clothing swaps. No one was really chomping at the bit to host one this month, and this public swap may prove to be more fruitful anyway - a bigger pot! I anticipate a bit of clawing, but my freakishly long arms will come in handy.