Month: July 2016

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July 2016 “Grab Bag” of Useful Links

Thank you so much to all who commented on my last two posts, the fishing harbor photography interlude and my 2016 Nordstrom Anniversary Sale experience. I normally like to respond to all comments, but I was away for five days and am still catching up on things after returning home as well as dealing with some ongoing personal issues. Please know that I read and appreciate all comments and learn a great deal from the wonderful insights you share, as do your fellow readers.  I plan to do a travel packing debrief (like this one) next week, as I know those types of posts are popular and well-received.  I don’t know if I’ll ever be a packing minimalist (see a post from one of those below…), but I continue to improve in terms of actually using most of what I take along with me on trips, so that’s a positive thing.

It’s almost the end of July, so it’s time for the latest installment of useful links (see previous editions here).  Included below are links to articles I hope you’ll enjoy on the subjects of shopping and shopping psychology, wardrobe management, style, and personal development.  I’m also sharing a few previous “Recovering Shopaholic” posts that you may have missed the first time around (or may choose to revisit now). 

Overlooking the beach in Del Mar, California

Overlooking the beach in Del Mar, California.

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How I Shopped the 2016 Nordstrom Anniversary Sale

For many years, the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale (NAS) has been my absolute favorite sale.  I’d look forward to the sale all year and go online to check out the offerings shortly after midnight on the first day of “pre-selections” for Nordstrom cardholders.  I would usually make multiple purchases before the sale was over, both online and in the store. Over the years, I’ve spent far too much money at this sale and have often bought things that I later regretted purchasing.

2016 nordstrom anniversary sale

Do you shop the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale every year?

NAS Blog Posts Over the Years…

Every year since starting this blog, I’ve done a post about NAS.  The first year (2013), I opted to skip the sale entirely, which was empowering for me at the time and proved to myself that I could successfully resist shopping temptation.  The following year, I went back to the sale with good intentions, but encountered some of the same difficulties I had in the past, spending too much time, energy, and money on the process.

My NAS post last year was about FOMO and the marketing messages that Nordstrom used to trigger our fear of missing out and get us to shop more.  I shopped the sale last year, too, but ended up returning the lion’s share of what I bought.  Fortunately, however, I spent a lot less time on the experience and didn’t feel that I overdid it, even in the face of the intense marketing messages directed toward Nordstrom shoppers.

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KonMari in the Closet: July 2016 Edition

A little over a year ago, I used the “KonMari Method” to pare down my wardrobe.   At the time, I was able to purge 23 garments and 32 accessories from my closet.  Since then, I have continued to do some culling here and there, including my recent jewelry box downsizing back in April.  It’s good to periodically let pieces go when we find they aren’t working for us, but sometimes a more formal closet audit is in order, especially when we notice that the our wardrobe size is gradually increasing. So I decided to use Marie Kondo’s decluttering process once again this past weekend.

konmari your closet

The “KonMari Method” can help you downsize your closet. 

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How to Dress for Weight Fluctuations

In my last post, I wrote about body image and how it affects both shopping and style.  I shared my thoughts on that topic, as well as some insights from members of my private Facebook group.   I’ve already received some very wise and thought-provoking comments from readers – and you’re welcome to share more, but today I’d like to move on to a related topic.

Sometimes our body image challenges arise as a result of actual weight gain, which leads us to feel less than fab about the way we look.  In other instances, we may fluctuate in weight due to health issues, changing metabolism, seasonal shifts, or other reasons.  When our weight goes up and down by a few pounds or more, or if we experience bloating from digestive distress, crazy hormones, or whatever, figuring out what to wear can become difficult.  This has been the case for me as of late for many of the reasons I mentioned above.  Again, I turned to the collective wisdom of the Facebook group for answers.  In today’s post, I share what group members had to say about how to best dress for weight fluctuations.

dressing for weight fluctuations

Bloating & weight shifts can make it challenging to get dressed. 

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On Body Image, Shopping, and Style

Today’s post kicks off a series of at least two installments on the topics of weight, body image, shopping, and personal style. These subjects have been at the top of my mind lately, as I’ve experienced some weight fluctuations resulting from health challenges and hormonal changes.   This has been going on for months now, but sometimes things feel too emotionally raw for me to post about.  However, since I realize that I’m not alone in these struggles, I’ve broached the subject in my private Facebook group and will do so here as well.

negative body image

How does your body image affect your shopping and style?

As someone with a long history of eating disorders (which I wrote about here) and negative body image (I even used to have a blog about that topic – you can now find those posts HERE), it’s very challenging for me to deal with what I’ve been going through lately.  What makes it even more problematic is that I don’t really understand the reasons for my body shifts or what to do about them (I’m not overeating and I continue to exercise regularly).   It’s often difficult for me to get dressed and I sometimes don’t feel good about how I look at all.   I experienced similar issues in the early days of the blog, which I wrote about in this April 2013 post.  Interestingly, I could basically write the same words again today, except I also have the specter of turning 50 hanging over my head (just over a month now…).

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