Just when you thought it was safe to go back to the mall ...

[PamelaTX]

I got hit by the pink fog really bad last July after joining this site. You know the drill: every piece of feminine clothing within a hundred miles is screaming at you "Buy me! Buy me!" It got so bad I had to stay away from the mall to avoid bankrupting myself. But there's all these on-line merchants, and there's Walmart, and they sell nail polish at the supermarket, and pantyhose at the drugstore and, and, and, ...

Finally, by mid-October I started to get things under control. I could sometimes even go a whole day or even two whole days without logging in to "Suddenly Fem" or any other of "those places." I could go to Walmart and buy a wrench without "accidentally" dropping a pack of panties into the cart.

Now finally, it's January, everything's cool, everything's under control and I figure it's safe to go back to the mall. Sure enough, I stop and look at some dangly earrings and a cute little pendant without so much as a twinge. There's this amazing little top in the store window, and I can walk right by without even slowing down.

But then, there it was!

This lovely little black dress right there in the store window. Right there where it could work its black magic on unsuspecting crossdressers like me. And Just my size! I stood there staring, and I could feel the waves of pink rolling in. I couldn't resist. The dress commanded me to buy it, and I obeyed. And then I looked around -- and there were the signs: 60% off store wide! Panty sale! Buy one bra, get one free! ARRRGH! Months of self-discipline undone in an instant. I spent the whole week shopping. Little black dress, strappy shoes, pink bra, skirts, blouses, pantyhose, etc. etc, etc. And the worst of it is, I'm not even the tiniest bit sorry!

So here's my question for you more experienced ladies. Is there any hope? Is there life after the pink fog, or am I doomed to wander the malls of the world forever, seeing everything through pink-fog colored glasses? (I'm so fogged-out at the moment that I'm actually hoping the answer is "No.") And if there is no hope, can somebody find me and point me to the nearest shoe sale?

[2b.Lauren]

I so love shopping, but I tend to be very frugal maybe considered by most that know me as cheap. I guess maybe in my defense and it sounds better to word it this way, the real girl in me is more often happier to window shop, try things on, and then never buy anything. I went to the mall Wednesday and just walked around. I went to Payless and tried on some shoes. I tried on some pumps and then a very cute pair of ankle boots, they almost got me! Then to Sears looking for skirts and socks. I did buy some socks since I really do need them. They are ladies microfiber. I went to J C Penny and tried on a skirt and a dress and looked at lingerie. I did see a few bras I liked and I just ordered some forms so I almost bought a couple of bras, but I decided to wait until my forms came in first. I then went to Lane Bryant and looked at some jeans. Left there and went to Belk, did not see too much I liked. My last stop was Victoria Secrets. Pricing and looking at bras. All in all I made the rounds good, and only spent $12.00 in total. So I treated myself to a Cafe Mocha coffee from Starbucks and just relaxed a little before I had to leave for an appointment.

[jillleanne]

Stay strong and take heart knowing you will get it under control again shortly. When you realize how many new outfits you can make with what you already have, you'll be so pleased with yourself. And when you take the price tags off all those clothes you already bought and never wore yet, you'll be so delighted. Instead of shopping at the mall, etc., go shopping in your own drawers and closets. You'll be amazed!!! As for shoes though, I can't help you there. I have about 100 pairs and counting, sorry. They just keep selling me all these beautiful designs in gold, black, pink, green, red, purple, oh that beautiful purple, and white. lol

[Phoebe Reece]

There is hope. Just decide that you will not buy any femme things unless you are actually fully dressed femme at the time. Unless you are a full-time girl, that should slow the purchases down a bit and make your outings more fun in the process.

[Phyliss]

Yes Pamela, there is "life after the pink fog" ....It's difficult to buy anything when you're in "Debtors Prison"

Almost ended up there myself. OMG the $$$$ I've spent. My plastic almost melted in the reader machine once.

[Sandra Dunn]

Difenitly shop en femme and buy only if it's on sale. Even when I work in butch mode I wear panties, don't own any other kind of undies. The jeans I wear in butch mode are womens, some tops and loafers. You might slow down when you run out of space for your clothes, NAH.

HUGS Sandra

[Paula Siemen]

OMG....little BLACK DRESSES........surely our downfall!! How many Little black dresses does a girl need?....How many is enough........NEVER ENOUGH.....NEVER TOO MANY!!!! They're just to SEXY. A girls has got to have'm and a girl has got to wear'm.

Stop..don't....Stop...don't....stop....don't stop....don't stop!!!!

[Jess_cd32]

I'm going to invent and market the 'stop shopping patch' for cd's like yourself, make myself millions selling them, then go shopping myself:doh:

[Karren H]

There is hope... leave your credit card at home and go shopping anyway!! Nothing more fun that spending an afternoon trying on dresses at the mall and not paying one penny!! FREE!!! Like going to Disney World for free... And what's really cool... is you can go back the next day and do it all over again!! FREE!!! What could be better than that??

[Kelsy]

Certainly in time you will reach a balance, even if for your own financial sanity, but it sure is fun to let that fog take control!!!:D

Kelsy

[SherriePall]

Karren has the solution. I have done it myself (really feel guilty not buying anything, though). And then there is just window shopping if you have the willpower!

[Magickman]

Yesterday, I went to Wal Mart.

And bought...

A Stanley 7 oz. claw hammer.

It is beautiful.

Polished steel head.

Yellow fiberglass handle.

And a black rubber grip.

I'm in the tool fog.

[PamelaTX]

There is hope... leave your credit card at home and go shopping anyway!! Nothing more fun that spending an afternoon trying on dresses at the mall and not paying one penny!! FREE!!! Like going to Disney World for free... And what's really cool... is you can go back the next day and do it all over again!! FREE!!! What could be better than that??

Now, there's a thought!

"Oh dear, I left my wallet in my other purse!" Do girls say that?

[DonnaT]

Some have luck at thrift shops like Goodwill. To avoid bankruptcy ;)

But I know what you mean about having the urge to buy something. However, I made a vow to myself not to buy anything until I've lost a significant amount of weight. No specific number decided on though ;)

Down 25.5 lbs from August. But that's not enough. So no clothes shopping still.

An it's doubly hard, since I park at the mall every day when going to work.

[JoAnne Wheeler]

I admit it - I'm addicted to buying womens clothing - I cannot get enough - its causing me to become BROKE - and when I think I can go awhile w?o buying anything else - BAMM ! - I see something else that I just have to have - What's a girl to do about this ????
JoAnne Wheeler

[simonestrt]

I am having the same trouble with avon every time the new book comes through the door i have to place an order.

[Cary]

I admit it - I'm addicted to buying womens clothing - I cannot get enough - its causing me to become BROKE - and when I think I can go awhile w?o buying anything else - BAMM ! - I see something else that I just have to have - What's a girl to do about this ????
JoAnne Wheeler

I was in the same place. I have at one time or another spent my last dime on something femm. I am developing more self control now and don't spend my last anymore. I shop at Thrift stores and buy on sale now.

[CD Susan]

I do most of my shopping at the local thrift stores to save money. I am always finding fantastic bargains! A few days ago I found a brand new bra from VS that still had the tags on it. It was my size and was pink with some lace and has a front closure. It was priced at $0.50! Many times these store have sales where everything in the store is priced at $0.25 or bag sales where you fill a paper shopping bag for $2.00. These clothes are clean and have been repaired if needed. Since I got my ears pierced three months ago I have bought several dozen pairs of earrings for $0.25 to $1.00 each. My shopping budget goes a long ways if I stay away from stores like VS.

[Jilmac]

Pam I can empathize with your plight, I have been in the pink fog so many years that I had to equip myself with a foghorn. You can practice all toe self control you want but when the pink fog hits like a ton of bricks, you'll be back to your buying spree and never regretting it.

I think there should be a 12 step program especially for those of us addicted to the pink fog. Perhaps we could call it Pink Foggers Anonymous.

[FanciJewel]

Yesterday, I went to Wal Mart.

And bought...

A Stanley 7 oz. claw hammer.

It is beautiful.

Polished steel head.

Yellow fiberglass handle.

And a black rubber grip.

I'm in the tool fog.


"A Stanley 7 oz. claw hammer"?

Gurl, you are in a pink fog, tool fog. That is clearly a lady's hammer.:)

Fanci

[Carly D.]

It's like a drug of sorts.. I can go weeks without the urge to buy anything and then WHAM!! it's buy this or buy that.. hmmmm feels like it's coming on again....

[Lisa Catherine]

I've been there a lot of times, katadreamboutique.com has been one of my weaknesses, as well as Chadwick's. I came out of the closet at SCC 2008, and I've been flying high ever since. Discipline and moderation have been key since.
When I first fully indulged in my femme side, I could hardly pass up a pair of shoes, heels, a dress or skirt online or in a catalog that didn't scream "BUY MEEE NOOOWWW!!!". But now, I've been able to discipline myself, and limit my purchases. My advice? Look today, and look again in a few more days, Prices on femme clothing fall fast, and the retailers want to move inventory NOW!! Prices will always fall much faster for Women's clothing than they will for Men's. We MTF crossdressers indeed have the best of both worlds!!:hugs::D:drink::2c::love:

OOOOOPS!!:o:doh: That should've been katsdreamboutique.com!!! *smacks self in forehead*:doh::o

[MissConstrued]

"A Stanley 7 oz. claw hammer"?

Gurl, you are in a pink fog, tool fog. That is clearly a lady's hammer.:)

Fanci


lol... I was going to say something about Fisher-Price and Baby's First Carpentry Tools.... :D

[emmicd]

The one common theme with crossdressers is the compulsion to buy womens clothes and wear them. You are doing what most crossdressers do. I believe most crossdressers are a bit OCD.

emmi

[charlene_d]

Leave the credit cards home and only pay cash. (On the other hand, Macy's will let you charge with only a photo ID.)

Charlene D.

[Sihaya]

The pink fog is horrible, it strikes all the time because my fiance' loves to shop. So hard being out there with her shopping, and me wanting everything

[Corsetted Nikki]

I've been there a lot of times, katadreamboutique.com has been one of my weaknesses,

Yep. Lisa.

I'm waiting for my outfits to arrive from KatsDreamBoutique. I did take advantage of combined shipping on my 5 outfits though.

:)

[sweetcheeksbev]

the pink fog sort of i love to shop i'm only dressing at home but wear panties 24/7 and a bra when ever not at work i got to the point were walking through the womensdepartment is so great

[beenherelongtime]

i wish i could tell of all the clothes i bought and never needed or used. you must discipline yourself.. good luck

[Magickman]

I wuz pulling your leg, with a one ton, ratchet-operated, compound pulley, cable winch.

For those of us in the tool fog, a full spectrum tool set will include devices from the miniature to the outsize. A seven ounce hammer can be just as useful as a 24" pipe wrench.

My claw hammer set has sizes from 7 oz. to a 24 oz. framer.

But that's nothing compared to my collection of over 200 pairs of shoes.

[Lisa Catherine]

Shoes and the clearance section, my two biggest weaknesses! My latest were a pair of brown 3" wedges wit a bickle on the toes from Payless, they were the last ones on the shelf in my size, and I bought them, thinking I'd scored, alas, the next time I wandered in there, they had another pair!!:eek: Oh well, life goes on!!

[gennee]

I love to window shop, enivisioning wearing some of the styles that I see.


Gennee

:daydreaming:

[celeste26]

One advantage I have is the fact that there really are only a very few places I can buy things in my sizes. Shoes are the worst only a couple places on the web forget the stores.

With the tax return coming it is difficult, I'm expecting nearly $5000!