Destroying a jewellery obsession
I can imagine destroying any kind of obsession is difficult, and in each case, depending on what you could be obsessed with, it is different. I have had recent obsessions with clothes and accessories, in that I buy anything that is remotely cheap, and think, “Wow, I now have loads of things to wear”. The uncool thing is, I’m a serial bargain hunter, so I look for things on sale almost all year round. My habit was particularly awful though, because getting more bang for your buck was something I took literally. If something was on sale, I wouldn’t just buy it – I would buy all associated products and walk out with a giant load from that store.
In essence, my habit of buying cheap things encompassed the following:
- Buying stuff I don’t need
- Buying cheap stuff I don’t need
- Buying cheap stuff in bulk
- Buying things in bulk
- Buying things I don’t need in bulk
Buying a nice, $5 ring that was originally $20 and something I would never buy at full price, was something that turned into buying large amounts of jewellery en masse, spending $100 in a hit, on almost thirty pieces of jewellery I almost knew I wouldn’t wear. It was just, “That’s nice, and it’s cheap, I’m saving money”. Newsflash Georgie, you aren’t saving money if you’re buying junk.
This probably isn’t the simplest or best idea, but sometimes it was best for me to just start over. I threw out a lot of clothes and jewellery or gave them away. I had made bad decisions, or hadn’t really made decisions at all, on these items. I felt like it would be refreshing to move on from them and start over, making wise decisions from the beginning.
I obviously don’t wear large amounts of jewellery every day. In fact, over time, wearing so many rings became irritating. People asked how I could type with so many on my fingers, and it was easy, but I soon found that it was nicer to have longer-lasting silver rings than a lot of cheap, easily-broken fashion pieces. Recently, I emptied my jewellery box and put aside all the pieces of jewellery I didn’t wear often, and ones that I didn’t like that much anymore. There was a lot of it, and I knew I hadn’t worn them because I had gotten over them after a few days of wear.
I’ve been spending a bit more money on quality jewellery, and really valuing it. Less is more. While I have written about not putting too much sentimental value into things, when it comes to making purchases, a well-thought-out decision can go far.
I know that I can be picky with jewellery, and I spend a lot of time looking for something nice and making sure I like it before I buy it. In the past, discount sales and deals would lure me in and make me buy more pieces. When I went to the jewellery store the other day, I spotted quite a few things on sale. I also had a 30% off voucher for any full priced items. I thought pretty hard about some of the pieces I had my eyes on. I found a bright blue bangle for $5, but after a bit of thought, and trying it on, I realised it was too big for my arm and had a shape I didn’t quite like, even though I was in love with the colour. The only thing I spotted that I was close to buying was a cute pair of jigsaw puzzle earrings, but I didn’t feel like I wanted to buy them right then and there.
It reminds me of a quote my friend Rachel shared with me:
If it’s not a “hell yes”, it’s a no.
I’ve tried to think this way for a while, not just with purchases but with most decisions in life.
When I started receiving more bracelets from my Helene Jewels Arm Party Club subscription box, I started to appreciate the bracelets I was getting more. Sure, I hadn’t even picked them out myself, but I spent more money on the subscription than I have on most of the fashion jewellery I currently own, and I was paying for good quality stuff that I liked, wearing the bracelets regularly. It was a bonus that I had no idea what the jewellery was like, but ended up liking it. To be honest, it saves me a bit of time in the store, thinking, “Am I just here to spend money or do I actually need jewellery? Damn, that looks pretty…”
I liked that I had spent a little more money on a good subscription and would receive a nice piece each month, instead of splurging great amounts on cheap rubbish every time there was a sale.
I love jewellery, and I honestly look forward to sharing more timeless, classic and long-lasting pieces that won’t just make their hit in a Fashion Friday edition once and then get forgotten or thrown out.
Damn you, consumerism.