Sunday, July 31, 2011

I thought I could pack for BlogHer wihout buying anything

This is my first blogging conference, and there are a lot of posts on the Internets about what to wear to the event.You need to plan ahead. Be comfortable. Sell yourself. And look picture ready at any given moment. After all there are thousands of other camera-happy bloggers snapping photos like paparazzi and ready to post them on social media for all posterity.

No pressure, or anything.

I braced myself for some kind of combination of sorority rush and the Filene's bridal dress sale. Not that I've been to either of those - but you can imagine.

As part of my "birthday month" expenditures, I also bought a pair of skinny cargo crops and a teal blue tops. But that's one day's outfit. What would I wear the other two days? And nights?  I started to panic.You see, my pants are a little tight. And my "professional" clothes are circa Ally McBeal. And since I started this no-shopping thing, my mind doesn't revolve so much around what I'm going to wear.

After all, I'm going there because I'm a writer, not some wannabe reality TV star or D-list celebrity. I been updating my main website and making sure I've got business cards and marketing materials. I also spent the weekend going through my closet, trying on outfits and making my packing list.

I thought I needed just one more pair of slacks. Tan or brown, please. But my trip to the mall didn't really uncover any pants worth buying. Dodged that bullet!

Or so I thought.

Until I saw a pair of black Earthies sandals that look like something a geriatric dominatrix would wear. Marked down to $39. I had to have them.

I guess I'll be subtracting that from my savings. Hope they're worth it!

Friday, July 8, 2011

What Women are Spending on Shoes

I saw this interesting article in Marie Claire magazine--  What it Costs to be Me: US Edition. In it, the magazine features several young women (all of them are single, living in cities, and working in rather creative type fields), in which they spill the beans about how much they make and how much of that they spend on shoes. Like serious shoes. Even the dancer who brings home less than $40,000 a year is buying serious footwear. 

Read the full story at Marie Claire.

What do you think? Worth it?