Couture clash

Sometimes I am forced to stare my hypocrisy in the face. I like to say I believe in living simply so that others may simply live. But I also absolutely love couture--really well designed clothes made with high quality fabrics. I have never bought high end clothes because the prices give me nosebleeds. I have, however, bought some very expensive designers at consignment shops in the US. If something is well made and I like it, I’ll wear it for decades.

Since I’ve been here, I haven’t bought much. Shoes, yes, clothes no. I found my U.S. shoes aren’t as suited to the climate here as the shoes I’ve been buying at Clark’s shoe stores. Today David and I went to the outlet mall in Banbridge because he needed some new Clark’s shoes. I bought three pairs, which may be the third time I’ve done this. My U.S. shoes are either too summery for a cool, damp climate, or two business oriented, or too casual and sloppy. I’ve been buying Clarks’ very dressy loafers--good in rain and cool weather and sharp looking. Also some lace-up shoes with support--too many of my shoes are too flat. The shoes have an “ortholite” base, which makes me feel old. Whatever.

Today I also wandered into Jaeger, which was a popular designer when I lived here in the 70s and remains very high quality. The sales were very good. Not as cheap as at a U.S. outlet mall, however the quality was higher than, say, Talbot’s, where I would have bought a lot of clothes in the U.S. Now that I’m a working girl, I treated myself to a dress, a blouse, and a pair of pants for 85 pounds. Very reasonable prices. But if I didn’t feel constrained by my budget or conscience, I could have done some serious damage at Jaeger or at another shop I visited, L.K.Bennett, a London label carrying absolutely beautiful dresses. The dresses were around 95 pounds, down from 250. I can’t bear to spend that kind of money on clothes but I was tempted--the designs, colours, textures are all so fresh and lovely. Of course I have nowhere to wear a couture outfit. But I enjoy looking, I enjoy it so much that I feel guilty. I have a hard time reconciling my desire for these objects of beauty with my awareness that Syrian refugees have a better claim on my budget than an addition to my wardrobe that I don’t need.
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