I make justifications for everything. I think maybe we all do. The fight with the hubby or significant other,with the kids , the lady at the checkout, even the atm machine-last resort on the badest of bad days. Justification seems to help the behavior until we can figure it out. And maybe then we make amends or promise ourselves, at four in the morning, never to act like that again. Ever.

By a stretch or two of the imagination I've decided to somehow use this same perspective to alleviate the guilt of shopping. A women I once worked with who loved the 'secretary' look [skirts, bow blouses,heels and stockings [love that look myself] and shopped any and every vintage spot she could find mentioned that she justified her purchases by how often she wore them. She had developed an almost mathematical approach to her rational. A= B=C ,maybe not quite, but it made sense. Buy it, wear it and enjoy it.

So get into that closet. Change it up. Wear that coat hiding in the back you brought on sale at the height of the summer knowing it would be perfect for the fall. Use the bag stashed away that you brought at that sample sale. Work beyond the first 1/3 of your closet. Justify those expenses.

That's my new approach. It's been working. I'm thinking through how I dress instead of dressing blindly hoping for the best. Its fun and best of all I actually find myself wearing all those purchases. At least a good lot of them. Somehow shopping has become less spontaneous and emotionally driven which scares me truth be told. Cannot believe that can last.

But as they say in the movies: If you build it they will come. I say if you wear it you will become happier. Less guilt. More joy. Justified and looking good too.