I am the Designer of My Own Downfall

 
Why do I do this to myself? Why do I sign up for emails from stores/designers/shopping sites when I know I won’t buy anything even when I haven’t made a promise to not shop. I seriously don’t think I have ever clicked on an email from a retailer, opened the link, and bought the item they were trying to sell. 

I get emails from stores I purchased one item at, stores I’ve used multiple times, and stores I’ve never used once. How did I end up here? Let’s start with the first group.

Where I’ve Actually Shopped

I get emails from Sofft Shoes, a company that specializes in making shoes that are comfortable and not ugly. They make wide shoes (which, after years of fighting it, I realize I need if I don’t want my toes to go completely numb every time I take a step) that don’t look like they were made for a giant with no style. In the war of comfort vs. style, Sofft has walked away from the battlefield with the best generals from both sides. I look forward to their emails and have never unsubscribed.

Here me out on this one: Abercrombie and Fitch. I realize that I’m a twenty-five year old woman with a real job and I should therefore have no desire to shop at the most popular store from my early-2000s middle school. But I do. Because they’ve changed. Now that their nightmare CEO is gone, so are the graphic tees and naked billboards. I read an article about Abercrombie jumping on the fast-fashion train (albeit a bit late) and selling trendy clothes at a more reasonable price. When I saw on Twitter that they were having a 50% off clearance sale (thanks sponsored tweets! – said not my wallet) I let my curiosity get the better of me. I bought a cute mini skirt, a velvet dress, two crop tops, and a graphic t-shirt with SLANTIE written across it. In total I spent around $60 and got free shipping. I still get the emails but I’m less inclined to buy. Perhaps when the email reads 50% OFF CLEARANCE I’ll open it before I send it to email hell.

Places I Haven’t Shopped but Ended Up on Their Mailing List

Daily Look is a subscription service similar to Birchbox (or Barkbox if you’re kanine inclined). A friend recommended it to me after she signed up and got a box full of one of my favorite designers. I wanted to click around and see what they had to offer because you can shop their site without signing up for a box. The benefit of the box is the fact that you get a discount for your first X months (it changes when they are running a special). In order to view their stock you have to input your email, so now I get updates more than once per day. Why haven’t I unsubscribed? Because ONE EMAIL out of the hundreds I have received had an outfit I thought was cute. I saved that email, went into my very own closet, and recreated it. Don’t knock the power of inspiration.

Like to Know It is an Instagram account with a twist. They regram posts from different fashion bloggers and once you click “like” you get sent an email that tells you where you can buy the items you see. I love this idea for so many reasons. First is the fact that not every blogger puts their outfit details on their gram, and it’s nice to be able to click and see not only who makes it, but where you can buy it. The second reason is that now I don’t have to follow fifty different girls to see one or two things I might like. I can follow one account and get the best of the bunch.

For Love and Lemons is a designer I long for, but have only bought once. They don’t send a million emails a day – in fact it’s more like once a week. When I’m ready to spend a pretty penny on some seriously sexy skivvies, I’ll be glad for the inbox invasion.

I added the Nasty Gal app to my iPad and of course had to add my email. I have yet to buy anything (and obviously won’t until my self-imposed sentence is over) but I like the department-store-esque feel, and of course the whole #GirlBoss movement. It’s like if you and your best friends took over Macy’s in high school and made it cool. I have yet to unsubscribe.

Paige Denim can be placed on the List of Places I Wish I Could Afford. They had this beautiful leather jacket last year that I lusted over for months. I never pulled the trigger because I couldn’t justify $1200 on one item, no matter how soft the leather. I signed up for emails to be notified when they had a big sale, but sadly the jacket sold out before that could happen. I kept the emails coming in the hopes that it makes a triumphant return.

Places I’ve Clicked Unsubscribe and Yet am Still Subscribed

How the hell did I end up on Blue Fly‘s mailing list? I’m pretty sure I can trace it back to a contest I entered for free airfare or something. But seriously, this group needs to stop. I hit unsubscribe once, and still got emails. I did it again, still got emails. On my third try I was told that they did not have my email in their system and if I was still receiving emails I should call their helpdesk. My reaction? Oh hell no. Isn’t the whole point of that handy little “unsubscribe” link to keep me from having to speak with people? Why should I take time out of my day to call a number that will send me to a recording that will get me to a person that will put me on hold? Rather than do any of that I rerouted the emails to their own special folder. I called it “Leave Me Alone”.

My mother signed up for an Express credit card when I was in high school and gave my email address for her account. I stopped getting the dailies, but continue to get account updates. Update: No one shops there in my family. 

So really I have no one to blame but myself for when I get my credit card bill. I can honestly say that I have never spent more than I could handle, but is it any wonder that I can’t seem to stay away? I am inundated with correspondence from a enabling friend. She tells me that there are sales everywhere and that if I keep my eyes out, that jacket will miraculously be $10. Yes, retailers are relentless with their email campaigns, but I shop therefore I receive. I browse, therefore I receive. The root of the problem is not the marketing team, it’s the buyer. As long as I have a wandering eye for fabulous skirts I will continue to see them in my inbox when I wake up.

Time fore a quick status update!

I still have yet to spend a dime of my $100 birthday cash. 

I found and purchased a wedding dress! 

My credit card bill was $200 less than last month, and $300 less than the month before!