The Best Four Letter Word- S-A-L-E

If I had it my way, I would spend my entire paycheck on cocktail dresses. Because of this impulsive addiction, I have had to hire a financial planner to make sure I save for retirement (because apparently the stuff in your closet doesn’t count as equity). I also had to post the mantra, “I get more pleasure out of saving than spending” at my desk, specifically to remind me not to shop online. I look at my mantra every day, even though it is a bald-face lie.

I get more pleasure when I spend. Saving isn’t any fun. People save money so they can eventually spend it, so why not just spend it when you are young on clothing that will inevitably be age inappropriate if you wait too long. Carpe diem-buy the backless dress! Carpe diem- buy the five inch stilettos! This is what the shopping devil says as it sits on my left shoulder watching me click through page after page of fitted lace dresses.

This weekend I went shopping with my mom in Beverly Hills and I got caught up in a whirlwind of beautiful things. I nudged my mom into Nanette Lepore because I wanted to show her that there was a designer out there who completely got her style—feminine, colorful, and oozing with unique details that makes each piece special. As she drifted off to thumb through racks of bright spring wear, I found myself gravitating toward the most perfect work tote. It was a gorgeous two-toned, buttery leather bag with a beautifully crafted bow. It was also a whopping $495.00. As I began to recite my mantra to myself, I saw those magical four letters-S-A-L-E. Suddenly it was my lucky day. It was the last bag in the store and it happened to be 40% off.

My growing list of justifications for buying the bag started kicking in:

(1) it was on sale,

(2) I needed a “spring bag” because my black one was too wintery,

(3) it was big enough to hold legal-sized files,

(4) I just survived my first appellate argument and needed to reward myself despite the fact that the verdict had not yet come out,

(5) it was amazingly supple leather,

(6) it had strategically placed zippers for organizational purposes.

As I said each reason out loud my mom said, “You don’t have to make excuses. If you want to buy it, just buy it.” Then I had a seventh reason to buy it—mom approved. And so I drove home with a beautiful bag—a bag so beautiful that it came in its very own bag.

The thrill of the buy was glorious. Perhaps I do take more pleasure from saving as I do from spending—it was really that 40% off that made the entire purchase completely wonderful.