I was bored, so I went shopping dressed…

[KateSpade83]

I’m still paying off my 1.9% APR credit card debt, so actually I couldn’t afford to buy anything, except thrift store $5 stuff. So I went window shopping at TJ Maxx, Jones New York, and Marshalls. Tried on a dress that didn’t work out at TJ Maxx. I dressed up in the same skirt suit as in my last Pic Thread… I feel like a pretty sexy professional chic when I go out and wear it. Like those many Professional ladies in skirt suits in Downtown Chicago! I’d sure like to shop dressed in Downtown Chicago but the CTA train R/T is about $5, so that’s why whenever I go to downtown Chicago I just bike there. I should go dressed up in women’s bike gear but I never tried that, as I wonder if I’d have a good tuck in my bike shorts. But one day, I’d like to be a Professional Chic in a skirt suit shopping in Downtown Chicago… But this actually happened around March 2009, when I went to an SSDI Psych appointment in Downtown Chicago. I dressed up in a skirt suit and I attracted so many men! One tried to run into me crossing the street!

Anyway, it feels great shopping and dressed as a pretty woman, and feeling like a professional chic. I prefer wearing skirt suits when I go out because they hide my manly arms [I can never go out sleeveless or else I’d get read by my arms], and skirt suits make me appear as if I have hips and an hourglass figure. Only bad thing about skirt suits is the dry cleaning expense, but I have several treasured skirt suits that are machine wash, - the best kind! Otherwise, I have select dresses or casual wear that I can go out in too, because sometimes a skirt suit seems overdressed, unless you’re wearing St John stuff and are trying to be “high class.”

As for shoes, I amassed a large collection of thrift store shoes since buying them from 2001, when I went back to crossdressing. Today I got the perfect $4.80 Purple heels to match my purple / black goth outfit! For dark skirt suits, I have the perfect size 2.625” high heels that are just the right tightness. If they don’t work out I have $65 Ann Klein flats.

I guess with being 4.5+ years unemployed now one thing I can do to amuse me is window shop in drag. But it’s so tempting to buy stuff! But I’m very picky in buying stuff as I already have a $50,000 collection of clothes. So I already have the best skirt suit collection you can have since buying them from 2005 when I became a size 4. Over 120 skirt suits! Imagine that sometimes I get thoughts of purging, but then I think of “How can I get rid of my clothes and get my money back?” Why purge? Because sometimes I get the NASTY thought that God is punishing me with unemployment until I purge all of my clothes. I actually get severe enough panic attacks at times when I have the notion that I have to purge!

Just had to rant and see where this goes… I guess I feel like I’d like to go shopping dressed up a little bit more… Just that I don’t have the money to buy stuff yet, unless it goes to CC debt.

How about you, when do you go out dressed for shopping? When you’re bored? Do you like to window shop in drag?

[Jenniferathome]

Kate, this is a bit of a digression, but rather then purge, how about SELL, oh, about 100 of your suits? Ebay is an easy source to do that. You can pay down debt AND still have a wardrobe

[Kelly DeWinter]

Usually on a Sat, With friends or family, I don't consider being TG 'drag' , I think drag is a term applied to performers who make fun of women for entertainment.

[KateSpade83]

Kate, this is a bit of a digression, but rather then purge, how about SELL, oh, about 100 of your suits? Ebay is an easy source to do that. You can pay down debt AND still have a wardrobe

Of those 120+ skirt suits I can only sell about 15 of them, the others are a rare one of a kind designs that are hard to come by. Like I have been searching for the perfect white skirt suit... This finally happened in Winter 2012 when NY & Co sold the perfect white skirt pant suit combo that was also machine wash! Buying this dream combo totally made useless and redundant my other white skirt suits that I bought while waiting for the perfect white skirt suit to come by! So I can sell some white skirt suits...

I have the best Yellow St John skirt suit. I'm still looking for the perfect Red skirt suit! I saw one beautiful hispanic woman in Downtown Chicago with the Perfect Red skirt suit that I wanted! I didn't have a camera to take a pic of her! I only have an ok enough red skirt suit now... I also have great red heels to match it!

[slamddoger]

and how did it go

[Monique53]

Kate,
How can you be unemployed for 4.5 years and have time to window shop. I am not being critical because I don't know where you live or your circumstances. Personally, I would be spending that time "beating the bushes" for some type of job. I could still find time to window shop and such in the evenings or on weekends. Maybe you have a secret method to take care of your needs and if so, please let me know. I want to be able to do that too!!!

Monique

Oh, I see that you live around Chicago(sorry about that, didn't look under your avatar picture) Are things that bad in your area? If so, wow that must get really discouraging trying to find employment. Maybe you should move here to the Deep South as we seem to have many jobs, especially those that have to do with the casinos.

Monique

[Beverley Sims]

I shop dressed quite often and a lot of window shopping as well.

[Sara Jessica]

Of those 120+ skirt suits I can only sell about 15 of them, the others are a rare one of a kind designs that are hard to come by.

No, you can really sell any of them that you choose to sell. Sounds like a way to make a dent in that credit card debt of yours.

[LisaBishop]

Kate another reason to sell some of those skirt suits (the ones you don't like anymore) is to free up closet space.

[Barbra P]

I agree with Sara that you can probably sell any of the 120 skirt suits, provided that you can find a buyer. Can you recoup the $50,000 you spent on them? No, for all intents and purposes that money is gone. Clothes are not an investment, they don’t appreciate, they depreciate and they depreciate drastically. Even one of a kind gowns worn by the rich and famous to fancy red carpet events are only worth pennies on the dollar the day after the event.

I doubt if many career women, women who need to wear skirt suits, women such as attorneys, have 120 suits in their closet. Clothes styles come and go with each passing season and what is hot and trendy today will be out of style and passé tomorrow. One reason you can find such great bargains in stores that sell secondhand clothes is not because the clothes are worn out but because the original owner feels the clothes no longer adequately serve the purpose for which they were bought. The summer season is upon us and, there needs to be room in the closet for this year’s summer fashions, the clothes from this past winter and spring will be out of fashion come next winter and spring, they served their purpose but they can go now. Sure there are many women of means who don’t want to be seen twice in the same outfit, but that still comes down to a sense of fashion mixed with an over abundant ego.

I too don’t wish to sound overly critical but in the end I just feel you need 120+ skirt suits like a cat needs a flag. You need to prioritize your life, at the top of the list you need to find gainful employment more than the Perfect Red skirt suit. In the event that circumstances still make employment unattainable and you still feel a great need for the Perfect Red skirt suit then you need to sell some of the 120+ skirt suits in order to purchase the Perfect Red skirt suit, if and when you it.

[famousunknown]

I agree with Sara that you can probably sell any of the 120 skirt suits, provided that you can find a buyer.

Most people on ebay are not even that clueless.

[Tracii G]

Kate you could put some of you suits on consignment at upscale consignments stores and get a few dollars more than ebay.Try Craig's List too.
I understand about liking to have lots of skirt suits its YOUR THING!
You tend to go for the high end designers sounds like so you should be able to get a good price for them IF you sell,finding the right buyers is the key.
At one point I had 150 guitars in my collection but due to medical bills and being on short term disability most had to go so I have 16 or so now.
Good luck Kate my friend you will figure something out.

[Alice Torn]

Tracii, 150 guitars!? Are you the guy they wrote that 150's song about? "GuiTarzan"? Kate, you sound like a hoarder! A lot of us tend to hoard some. I am now selling some of my dear dresses on Ebay, and consignment shops. Go through them, and pare down your stash! You will feel better, too, but it is hard at first to part with them.