In the old days when I was a greedy rich bitch with everything money could buy, I had not qualms about dropping thousands of pounds on a pair of fabulous new heels, especially when I lived in Hollywood. A place where people are now having cosmetic foot surgery to make their feet smaller in order to make sure the designer slipper fits, go figure!
I have wasted so much money on shoe shopping, I still feel ashamed sometimes, especially when I think about what my life was like living on just £60 per week. The truth is no matter how cured you are of this terrible compulsive need to buy more shoes, including ones that will never fit, the urge to shop will sadly never go away and will always follow us with waves of guilt. Do you recognise this feeling? Its like a kind of frenzy!
Now I am able to recognise keeping up with others because that's what we do, is pointless. When things begin to calm down, you start to think more about what to buy and why. If you find yourself wanting to buy something you just know you cannot afford, you must focus, like I did, on what you need to spend your money on, like food, rent, household bills, putting your frenzy behaviour into perspective. Like most addictions, its all about getting to know yourself by looking at what you spend each month, working out what you can really afford and setting yourself a budget.
In poverty I had to go cold turkey on my shopping addiction which was brutal and took me a long time to recover from. I would go to Chanel my favourite store and try on suits like in the old days knowing full well I could not even afford a button, always leaving the store depressed with just another lipstick as the consolation prize.
It was not long before my shopping addiction got better as I learnt to control my emotions and needs. I still wanted to dress to impress in the best because that was what I was used to but I no longer had the money to do so and that is when I discovered the secret to recycling and swapping clothes. It was one cold November day in Saffron Walden when I was visiting a friend I came across a street packed with charity shops, filled to the brim with unique cast offs. One Mans trash is another Mans treasure, it seemed. I picked up a Chanel suit for only £20, admittedly it was over 20 years old and a little frumpy but never the less it was the real deal. I took it home and began removing the beautiful gold buttons and fabulous label, then took an old black jacket I already had in my closet and transformed it by adding the Chanel buttons and replacing the label. No one could ever tell because its all about having the confidence to pull it off.
Charity shopping has now become my new addiction, even though I can afford to designer shop once again because as I always say, buy new and the joke is one you! Of course it takes time and you will not always be successful in your search but the blue Christian Louboutin shoes in the shot above are brand new with box and bags from Dr Bernardo's in Shirley Birmingham cost just £50.
I have worn them once or twice for a photshoot but in reality, they are too high and too bright for me so I swapped them with a friend for a Louis Vuitton handbag which is perfect and what I now call new age smart shopping.
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