WAYS TO TALK YOURSELF INTO THAT EXPENSIVE PURCHASE

Just as some people feel that they are about to catch the flu, I feel that I am preparing myself for an Expensive Purchase. Those who were already dutifully reading Amayzine back then know how the purchase of my Proenza Schouler went and that process is exemplary for everything I buy that is actually just a bit too expensive. It starts with The Idea (“isn't that bag totally my bag?”) that turns into The Fancy (“omg this IS my bag!”) until you reach the stage of The Hysteria (“I MUST HAVE THIS BAG”) and then it’s a matter of getting your finances in order and striking. But to move from one stage to the next, a lot of psychological processes are gone through that all help to get yourself so worked up to buy something so expensive, and here they come.

Disclaimer: fathers and anyone with a sense of reality should stop reading now.

“This is a classic”
What is especially a classic is that sentence. We think we can justify every purchase by saying that “it’s a classic”. But well, it does help a bit because spending a thousand bucks or more on something you might wear a few times is not a good start to reach the rest of the stages. So, say it loud say it proud, whatever you have on your radar: it’s a classic.

“My entire wardrobe benefits from this”
Imagine, let’s say I want theè, Givenchy Shark Lock Wedge Knee Boots And let’s say those boots and I have, in theory, purely hypothetically, reached the stage of The Hysteria, then I tell myself a lot and often that everything in my closet will benefit if those boots come along. That is absolute nonsense because at the time I hadn’t even reached the stage of The Idea there was no need for it, but that doesn’t matter because they really make everything in your closet better. Do you see how that works? There are a lot of things that are even more expensive

“You will apply this between the stage of The Fancy and The Hysteria. Because the fact that you need the item is now certain, the only question is: how are you going to fight the possible Calvinist in yourself to spend so much money on something trivial like a coat/bag/shoe. The trick is to start looking”
for things that are even more expensive , so that your item suddenly doesn’t seem so expensive. So let’s say you’re looking at Givenchy boots (this is still entirely hypothetical) then you’re going to look at boots from Ala, a and Louboutin because those are at least twice as expensive and once you’ve seen those prices for an hour, those Givenchy’sïactually suddenly seem quite reasonable. If you buy that bag and I buy those shoes then we’re both crazy and broke.

“Surround yourself with people who somewhat understand what you’re doing and try to persuade them”
to buy something very expensive too. Together you are strong, that’s one, but as long as you’re not alone in the stage of The Hysteria, it doesn’t stand out so much. If it turns out that I want a new pair of boots, then I’m going to try to get Jet to buy her cherished Valentino bag, and I’ll also try to slip something expensive into May’s shoes. “If we all do it, then we’re all broke and happy and that’s super fun!” Whatever you do, stay far away from people who just don’t get it (men, fathers, people from the bank or the tax office) because they will only ruin it with their responsible realistic nonsense like “yes but Lies you can’t afford this” and with such an attitude, you’ll never get a bag/coat/shoe. Yes but I don’t have the money anyway.

“These thought processes are needed to turn the stage of The Hysteria into the purchase. The incomparable Stefanie Bottelier and Ilonka Leenheer from ELLE are my examples in this. They text each other for hours when they are in stores and now have bags full of arguments why it’s really a very good idea to buy that one piece of clothing. Especially when the counterargument is ”I don’t have money,” then the answer is “yes but if you buy that bag now, you still won’t have money, but you will have that bag.” Look! That’s logic we can work with. Moreover, there are few things in life”
as intensely frustrating as a piece of clothing that wasn’t bought and then sold out, you live now so you can think “hmmm I’d better not do it because I have to pay taxes in two months and oh I actually wanted to go on vacation” but what good is that saved money if you end up under a bus in a month? Absolutely nothing. So, buy those boots, at least you’ll be a bit stylish under that bus. Just as some people feel that they are about to catch the flu, I feel that I am preparing myself for an Expensive Purchase. Those who were already dutifully...