Retail Amnesia

                                                                                                  Post No 136

 A Fun Guide to Retail Amnesia

Last week I was in a local gift shop looking for my birthday present. Yes! I have sons & they love it when I choose my own present. All they have to do is repay me and I get what I want. One son even tried to get me to buy my own birthday card. That was a step too far. Now that we are all adults, money changes hands as we all buy what we like within financial limits.

When I told the cashier why I was buying that gift (Extroverts do this), he commented that I would have to practise ‘retail amnesia’ until the big day. It got me thinking how valuable retail amnesia is as a wardrobe tool.

Here’s my fun guide to retail amnesia for the modern Baby Boomer woman’s wardrobe.

It’s the Same One I’ve Always Had!

This one works Well on men who generally don’t seem to notice fine design details. You’ve replaced old black pants, black skirt, white shirt, red jacket etc with a new one. It is similar in colour but the style and details are different. With a straight face, you can claim they’re mistaken because it’s the same old one. This is ‘replacement retail amnesia’.

 

 

Oh! This Old Thing!

Come on! We‘ve all used this one. You buy something. You let it sit in your wardrobe for at least a month. Then when your husband, partner, mother or children notice you wearing it, you say – ‘This old thing! No, it’s not new! I’ve had it for ages.’ This is ‘calculated retail amnesia’.

Got it for Free!

It’s your birthday month or you’ve reached a certain spending amount and the store sends you a voucher. For some strange reason it is never enough to cover the full cost of what you choose to buy there. We all love a loyalty bonus and it is great marketing. It’s also great for retail amnesia as you can claim to your loved one that it was free or close to it. This is ‘reward retail amnesia’.

 

I Only Bought One Thing!

You’re shopping and carrying new wardrobe items in a couple of bags. The next purchase comes in an oversize bag. Great! All the smaller items can fit inside and not be seen. You walk in the door at home and your loved family member thinks you’ve only bought one item. You say nothing. This is ‘conspiratorial retail amnesia’.

I Don’t Remember Buying Two!

You’ve been internet browsing and shopping. Unfortunately the parcel arrives when your husband/partner is home. Damn! Suddenly a second pair of shoes or necklace or top has appeared in the package. ‘I thought I only bought one’ you say.  This is ‘selective retail amnesia’.

 

 

Last Words

Our wardrobes are full of emotions – guilt, pleasure, love and hate. Retail amnesia (or the more serious six-letter word) plays its part in all of these emotions.

As for me, I’m off to spend that Birthday Voucher from Myers. I’m sure it won’t cover anything I want to buy but the purchase will still be a bargain in my mind.

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