Since I already broke that ban...

I tried to rationalize that the ban was still in tact after buying the Steeler hat (deadstock from the 80s and very inexpensive). But after a trip to the Galleria, I was tempted by Anthropologie, where I bought a lovely slip, on significant discount. I can say with certainty that my post-holiday no-buy has ended. And I have officially started developing (albeit, slowly) my wardrobe of Ought Nine.

My purchases have been modest in volume and in dollar amount, which reflects my continued unease over the global economic crisis. I intend to curb my spending drastically when compared with the shopping patterns I exhibited in 2008, fostered in 2007, and developed in 2006 (when my price threshold for genres of products/things increased exponentially from where it was in years prior). I expect to more than make up for my pre-holiday sale gluttony. It should be easy as I haven't come upon many newly released pieces that I desire.

I guess I should reveal my first non-foundation garment clothing purchase of 2009:

I was browsing bluefly the other day. My junk email filter doesn't catch their solicitations so the emails function as they were intended: to remind me of the site's existence and to make it easy to click an image which opens their web page. I noticed a Tibi dress from a few seasons ago that looked like an updated version of one of my favorite vintage dresses.

I shrank out of the vintage one and if I ever figure out how to make a too-big dress smaller with my xmas present sewing machine, I will certainly move it back into the repertoire. But the Tibi dress was ready now.

This Tibi style featured a red and white colorway rather than the vintage dress' shades of green and purple, but the neck tie, the 3/4 length sleeves, and the psychedelic paisley print evoked my old standby perfectly. I even liked the length on this one more! The only problem was the price point on Bluefly. Even with coupon codes and click-through discounts, I wasn't comfortable buying an expensive, and admittedly kind of silly-looking dress in These Troubled Times. I closed the browser and forgot about it.

Then one day I decided to browse ebay, as I often do when I am bored or on a break from work. On ebay, I found the dress in one of the sizes I consider to be mine (I somehow wear three Tibi sizes, depending on the silhouette). I ended up winning the dress with a snipe bid for an obscenely low price. I got it today and although I could have taken my smallest of the three Tibi sizes in this style (and this is the largest), it fits better than the vintage dress.

I think it will be fun with black tights, my leather hoodie, and a statement cuff. I will post an outfit once I have styled it to wear outside!