The New York Times recently asked readers to describe some "financial decisions, or purchases, that they wish they could reverse." Commenters wrote things like:
"No joke. … I would never have gotten a master’s degree. … What a waste."
"Dumping my best boyfriend, at 27, and graduate school debt. … The split for those two events shows in the lines of my palms, forever."
"Naïve in my 20s, I cashed out $12,000 in retirement savings to pay deposits and move-in fees for a new apartment. Had I left it there, it would have been worth about $200,000 at retirement. Oops!
I have my share of financial regrets too, but my most recent one in the fashion category is buying the Chanel cap-toe ballet flats I had coveted for so long. I treated myself to a pair last Christmas and I think I have worn them,oh, maybe five times since then. Maybe six.
The first time I wore them I took them off to find a tiny slit in the leather, by my left baby toe. No idea how it got there. Have my cheap shoes ever gotten a slit in them? Noooo. When I brought my wounded Chanel to the shoe repair man, he took one look at it and launched into a tirade about how the more expensive the shoes, the worse they are constructed. Then he ranted on in Italian, probably about what an idiot I was and how he has a timeshare in Boca he'd like to sell me.
And can I tell you how uncomfortable these ballet flats are? The toe box is attractively shaped, but only a woman with an abnormally small big toe can wear these shoes without wincing. There is no cushioning in the sole, which may be fine if you glide on lush carpets all day or are in a wheelchair. My office floor is concrete (supposed to look industrial chic) and the streets of Manhattan are concrete; a pair of rubber flip-flops offers your feet more comfort and protection than these shoes do. If you tell me you have Chanel ballet flats and they are the most comfortable shoes you own, I will not believe you. In the least. Maybe if you have artificial legs.
What about you, dear readers? Does a pair of shoes fall on your financial fashion regrets list like it does mine? Maybe it's a handbag? Piece of jewelry? Do tell!
45 comments:
How about a coat? And not even a very expensive one just one bought that was sorely needed. I bought a black wool coat last year. It attracts every piece of lint on the planet AND the buttons come to just 6" below my waist. So the cold air just breezes through the coat! You would think I could just add buttons and buttonholes right, nope the original buttons are enclosed and the wool at the bottom of the coat is 2x as thick. I have it hanging on the closet door but am seriously thinking of giving it to the annual coat drive at my job this year!
I had coveted a pair of Christian Louboutin shoes for ages. Something about those red soles! They KILL my feet and leave me bedridden with a backache the day after wearing! My DH has little sympathy, saying "just don't wear them!". Unfortunately, I keep trying to justify the stupid splurge. And then there is the vanity issue! I'll learn.
One of my biggest financial regrets isn't clothing related, it's a $12K embroidery digitizing package (and that was 13 years ago) that I bought because I thought I needed it for my business. As it turns out, I HATE digitizing so I ended up sending everything out. What a waste.
Thank you for sharing your Chanel regret with us. I too have been coveting these shoes so you just saved me a bunch of money! My son bought me a pair of Chanel slingbacks about 4 years ago and I have to say they aren't very comfortable either.
And, ouch!, those Hunters are pricey for a rubber boot.
I've been coveting those huge, lush leather signature big name purses. You know the Marc Jacobs with the huge silver buckles, the Chanel bag, the LV logo one in black and gray. But, as I have no hope of affording them right now, I have not been able to cave into the urge. Lol
I love this thread! My financial regret is the Eileen Fisher clothes I bought after coveting the gorgeous fabrics they use. I bought a few sweaters and they look so dumpy on me ...yes the fabrics are beautiful but every time I wear an EF sweater etc. I look like I've gained 20lbs. ... Wish I could just find the fabrics....
How about a cashmere sweater that gets cashmere fuzz over all of my clothes? It's like having an expensive cashmere pet goat in my closet. It also makes me hot when I wear it, so I have worn it twice in two years. That comes out to $80 a wearing. Ouch!
My $350 Ferragamo track shoes.
It was a very big birthday, I wasn't doing anything special, and I wanted to buy something nice for myself. But I am fairly practical. So I thought the Ferragamos would be a nice substitute for the beat-up running shoes or moccasins I often wear with work clothes. I've had generally good experience with Ferragamo in the past and I've bought a number of their classic style, the Vara, in part because their Fifth Avenue store always has 4 1/2s.
They felt fine in the store. The next day, I laced them up and after a few steps the pain in my right foot across the arch was searing. I keep meaning to see if they can be stretched, but the idea of having to spend money on $350 casual shoes is more than I can stomach.
I also have a pair of Yves Saint Laurent wedge-heels that I bought 20 years ago when I needed dress shoes for a special event and was shopping at Barney's. It was so rare to find a size 5 I had to buy them. They are numbingly painful and I never wear them. But I can't bring myself to toss $275 shoes.
I am not shoe-mad; I own maybe 10 pairs of shoes tops, including the duds.
My biggest regret is a couch & loveseat set that I bought about 10 years ago. At the time it was a plurge for my husband & I. The day we got them home, we knew it was a mistake. They are too big for the room, they aren't comfortable and the beige colour is gross (last time I ever listen to the advice that neutral furniture is the best investment). We thought they would grow on us with time, but I have hated those two pieces of furniture for a decade now. I can't wait to move into our new house in the spring, because we are going to be trashing them then. Actually I would like to put them on the front lawn, douse them in kerosene and light 'em up. Might be a nice way to exit the neighbourhood with a bang, eh?
A membership to Direct Buy. At the time, my husband and I had grand plans to gut the kitchen, and it would have been totally worth it to purchase cabinets...tile...appliances. Then, in a fit of pique, my husband quit his job (he said it was "soul sucking." I wanted to suck the soul right out of him. If he wants to see soul sucking, he should spend a day at work with me). Needless to say, we have renovated NOTHING. Purchased a grand total of about three things from Direct Buy. Just before the membership expires, I'm going to buy a wood chipper. Because I will need to dispose of a body. I keed, I keed!! But yeah, worst financial decision ever.
No regrets that come to my mind, but speaking of shoe splurges...
I have to testify for my Cole Haans with the Nike Air insoles. There has been an amazing love affair between them and my feet ever since i slipped them on as whim one lunch. Even with 3 1/2" heels I can walk for blocks.
I'm done bragging now, but thanks for reminding me how important comfort is.
What size feet does she have? I have a pair of Hunter Wellies in size 7 that I can send you. Green. email me if you want them.
Oh, and about shoes. I have several pairs of wildly impractical, devastingly expensive shoes that were worth every penny.
I bought a beautiful designer handbag on my last trip to New York (not in the league of Chanel) but extravagant. It was bought for everyday use, but after about three weeks of constant use it began to fall apart. I was back home by then, and wrote to the store. They never replied. I'd try taking your slippers back to the store. Take a copy of your blog page with you. They'll get the idea.
This may sound ridiculous... but I regret buying my industrial embroidery machine. I thought it would bring in more cash, but it doesn't, and when I do have orders, I'd much rather be sewing up lovely garments instead of stupid t-shirt or hat logos.
I love this thread. I regret my film SLR from several years ago. I couldn't afford a digital SLR so I bought film. I used it on one trip to Australia and then never again. It was a good $400 wasted :(
I would like to comment on the hunter boots. Here in Tokyo, rain boots comes in very handy and I have to have one. But, Hunter or not, they are all just as pricey, even for kids. I bought an approximately USD8 pair of rain boots for my 3 yo and while she was happy and proud when leaving the house, she came back home a bit shivered because her boots were not water-proof. This can be my financial regret, although it's on the other end of the spectrum for being too cheap. Now I am still wondering how much I should spend on rain boots.
Have you tried Me Too ballet flats? I swear by them- very comfy and not too expensive. :-)
Yes I too have done the shoe thing but not for a long time . I now buy shoes and work my wardrobe around them which is why being able to sew is so useful. Feet are soo hard working and good shoes are hard to find . I am sure that I look happeir, more confident etc when my feet are comfy hence my way of working.
I think that I regret agreeing to use a friend of my husbands to put in our sprinkler system and not talking to anyone else. It's been 25 years and it still annoys me, especially since he put the clock in perfectly for his height and way to high for me to actually set it.
A fun topic.
A few years ago, I paid a local dressmaker to sew a coat for me. It was very expensive. (I could have bought a Burberry trench)
I wore it twice. I still feel terrible about the waste of money.
So sorry about your Chanel flats! I hope reading these comments helps you feel better :)
Many years ago, when I was between jobs, I fell in love with a dress that I wanted to wear to a friend's wedding. It was an amazing dress and I literally had to lose 20 pounds to get into it. It ate up all my unemployment for several weeks. I wore it to the wedding. I loaned it out a couple of times to others and it still sits in its dry cleaner bag in the back of my closet to remind me NOT to fall in love with things that will only get worn once.
Did you buy the Chanel flats from a Chanel boutique or a high end department store? If so, I would take them back and tell them you wore them once & they started to fall apart. If you didn't buy them from one of those places then they're probably fakes & that's probably the problem.
I regret having bought the sewing machine that I have now. I was desperate. My old machine had konked out. I had orders to fill. The price was right. Problem was - I got one still in the box, not the one on the floor. It just has too many quirks that several technicians have not been able to fix. So I keep on sewing, keep on getting frustrated and keep my sights on the future when I will hopefully be able to replace it.
Sorry to hear about the shoe woes - they are lovely to look at though! Shoes are one of those things where aesthetics override comfort - and we all know it - yet when we're in the shop trying them on - something happens to our brains - and we are mesmerised by how wonderful they look in the mirror... the irony is that I'm sitting here writing this with an ice pack wrapped around my ankle ... I danced all night in a pair of high heels - oh the discomfort! But man! did I think I looked fantastic in the process!!!!!!
We have a stainless steel Jenn-Air dishwasher that looks stunning but is just a piece of crap. It's only 5 years old and we've had more service calls on it than I can even remember. Now my best fashion buy has been my 2 pairs of John Fluevog's, they are made as well as shoes that cost 3 times as much and both pairs of super comfortable.
Costco had those Hunter boots and they were flying off the shelf last weekend, I think they were under $20 at the westbury, Costco! I have a feeling these hunter boots will be like the channel shoes after wearing these non breathing boots your feet will be screaming to get out. Wait..... these are for your daughter,at that age they suffer for the look. I remember those days maybe that's why my toes are not beauties today :O)
check out DSW - they have one in Westchester now, near Trader Joes and I swear they have the Hunter boots deep discount!
Tara, my Chanels are the real thing. I know I could try to return them, but I prefer to keep them in my closet to remind me not to lust after expensive and uncomfortable designer shoes.
Meg - I was lusting after those floats myself and tried them in the store. I immediately knew it was not for me so I was lucky enough not to splurge. I do have a pair of Christian Loubotin heels here that I consider "limo" shoes ... to be worn only in a car definitely not for walking. Ugh .. my closet has many other financial regrets. Great thread!
7 or 8 years ago I went to an awards ceremony and I was so excited to attend I commissioned a dress to be sewn for me -- I didn't sew at all at the time and I went to a friend of a friend who charged $500 for this dress -- I realize now that not only was this way overpriced but that she maybe wasn't the most skilled seamstress, she had a lot of trouble with fitting. I never wore it again! I already started regretting it before the dress was even finished but it was too late!
It was a fit of madness but c'est la vie. Now I'm finally learning how to sew, which I always wanted to do. Anyway, it won't happen again...
Thanks for letting me confess this regret! I'm very sorry to hear about yours, though!
Bummer about the shoes. :( So sorry to hear they are not comfortable. I always wondered if those designer shoes could possibly be comfortable--mainly the super high heels. My dowdy Danskos (though now that it's winter it's Born boots) and I will keep walking our 4 miles a day in comfort.
I am much more likely to regret purchases that I cheaped out on than splurges. I grew up learning that it is a "waste" the buy the nice thing that you want because you can always get an approximation of it for cheaper. But then your cheap approximation is terrible quality and not what you wanted, so you either live with it and hate it *or* you buy the nice thing you wanted in the first place, completely wasting the money on the cheap thing. In the past five years or so I have really been working on buying the expensive thing that I really want instead of wasting money on the cheap approximation. It is rarely the wrong decision!
Although now I can think of one thing: my grocery cart! When I got rid of my car I bought one of those folding granny carts. Because I didn't want to buy the cheap thing and then need the expensive thing, I bought the nicest grocery cart in the store for $50. Turns out, it is huge and unwieldy and I should have gotten a smaller, cheaper cart! I use a rolling backpack ($12 at Ross) unless I'm doing a huge dinner party buy. I've used the cart maybe 7 times in 2 years.
Hmm I definitely have plenty of spending regrets, although not many were so expensive that they haunt me constantly. If I added up all the little ones it would probably be pretty significant, though. Sometimes I wish I hadn't bought a combo sewing/embroidery machine. I didn't overpay for it, but I've had to spend a decent amount on software and all the other stuff you need. I'm happy with the stuff I make, and it's great for gifts, but I'm really a garment sewer and if I didn't have an embroidery unit that I felt I should use I'm not sure I'd miss it.
As for Hunter boots... yes, they are pricey, and yes they are trendy right now. But, they are actually really well made, comfortable shoes. I have a pair and they are great rain boots. I bought mine after hearing about people who had owned their previous pairs for over 20 years. I traipsed all around Brooklyn (in Dumbo, so walking on cobblestones) and Manhattan one night in them and my feet were perfectly happy after hours of walking. Give them to Annie for Christmas, and buy them from Zappos or Endless in case she wants a different color or size. And know that I am jealous because I have to wear the silly looking short version because my calves will not fit in the tall ones (even the mens - sigh).
I just remembered the pair of heels that have really pointed toe area, when I put them on they did wonders for the legs and they were comfortable. I had to have them... they are still in my closet. I occasionally put them on to see how nice they look but I realized that the herring bone black and camel fabric on the shoe limited where I could where them and the height of the heel was waiting for an accident to happen. If I find an occasion to wear them I'll do it ,I'll probably be in traction after that ,small price to pay for vanity.:O)
In 8th grade, I coveted Charlie Browns—beige and brown suede saddle shoes with removable tasseled flaps. I told my mom that the shoes were the only thing I wanted for Christmas, and I got them. Oh, how I loved them. That year, I also coveted regular Levis. It was the early 70s and girls weren't allowed to wear pants at my public school. But after school, I wanted to have jeans with that little red tag on the pocket rather than wearing my more affordably priced Wranglers—I saved up my babysitting money and eventually bought a pair. Once I had them, well, the pants weren't as great as I had hoped.
Now that I am an adult, I'm afraid I often indulge in those items I covet. Bad girl. Most of these items are shoes, because I can make the clothing I desire. I have been lusting after Chanel flats for years, and I had been upset that I would never be able to buy a pair. Well, I could buy a pair but I wouldn't be able to wear them since they don't come in 11N. So, thank you, for sharing your disappointment in them. I've crossed them off my list!
Timely subject for me, for the first time in ages I went shoe splurging last week. Three pair, nice, not pricey because I will not wear them much. I moaned and groaned to myself for two days before I decided not to return them. I decided I deserved them. (I have lots of shoes, I deserved every pair by the way.) My conclusion is that I needed to do my part to support the growth of the economy. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!
My Stuart Weitzman dalmation slides fall in the same category. They are UNwearable!! And I paid full price. I've gotten much wiser about buying Luxury brands... I still buy them, but I make sure they fit perfectly or if it's a bag that I will use it for a LONG time.
I recently bought a $315 dress. I debated about taking it back, but the colour was perfect and I needed a dress to wear to the races. It is a bit too fancy to wear to anywhere else. So works out expensive!
Glad to know I'm not the only one that finds Christian Louboutins to be torture chambers! I splurged on a very wicked pair earlier this year . . . I can only wear them on days when I'm not going to be walking around a whole lot, because they are truly the most uncomfortable shoes I own (they look damn good, however).
Who hasn't made a mistake with expensive shoes once or twice, or ad infinitum!
I am a little more sympathetic about the Hunters, though. My Hunter's have lasted over 10 years now, and they are just the right thing for walking through muddy lanes or fields full of cow-patties. Sporting around a college campus in them sounds daft, but that's fashion!
They are not very warm inside either unless you buy the new fangled lined ones. (We let Great Nanny knit us wellie socks instead.) They aren't so expensive, if you stick with the originals. They get pretty pricey though as you move onto the more fashion-y souped-up versions. I bought my pair at Homebase (sort of like Homedepot) in hunter green. My husband would have been mortified, if I had bought pink spotty ones or something. He is from rural Worcestershire, he thinks you look like a confused townie in anything other than green or navy blue, if you are a girl!
Oh, that's sad to hear that the shoes aren't comfy. They sure are adorable, though. No real financial regrets come to mind, at least not fashionwise. I've actually been incredibly happy with my several pairs of Ferragamo shoes (most from the outlets), which is surprising to me.
For a less expensive and comfy ballet flat, I pretty much adore Talbots. I know, it's an odd choice. I have a AA width foot and they're the only place I've had luck for flats. The ballet slipper they have in right now is super comfy and comes in some great colors. And they're on sale. :)
My fashion regrets are usually when I am too practical for my own good. When I lived in Spain, and walked absolutely everywhere, I bought 2 pairs of Ecologic walking shoes; they are sort of dressy oxfords with multiple liners. I have not worn them once! I also bought a pair of expensive, pigskin lined loafers, which don't really fit right. I have at least 10 pairs of good shoes to sell on ebay, because I never wear them! I wish I had bought more of the dressy stylish shoes I saw when I lived there. Oddly enough, these are the shoes that have seen good use.
The other "practical" garment I have misappropriated funds towards, twice, is a quilted down-filled dress coat. I just don't ever choose to wear that type of coat. So onto Ebay or off to the Salvation army!
I had to have the Hunter boots about 1.5 yrs ago. They still have the tags. You must have a SMALL calf to wear them. Tell Annie to try them on before she has Mom to buy.
Teresa
I bought a pair of very stylish peep-toe brown booties last year, fairly expensive and gorgeous looking... Except that they are so uncomfortable (it's not the heel height, it's their shape, I guess) that I don't dare leaving the house with them on... By the time I finally gave in and decided to return them, it was too late...
I just stumbled on this blog as I too have been thinking how much I like the Chanel Ballet Flats. But thank god for the candid feedback. So true, we suffer for vanity. I've done both, made purchases that I'm happy with and also annoyed about. I have a pair of Blahnik slingbacks that I love, go with everything and are actually pretty comfortable. Most notably, they are timeless not trendy so they will last throughout my career. I've also bought shoes that sit in the closet. Ladies, if you have shoes that you don't wear as much but hate to throw out because there's a small facet you don't like about them, heel height, color, etc., consider taking them to a competent cobbler. They can give your shoes new heels (not just replacing but different heel style), dye the leather thereby giving an updated look. Same with clothes, change the length, sleeve length, collar area, get it taken in....I've revived some clothes that way and spending $20-40 is cheaper than shopping for a new wardrobe.
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