No, not inexpensive, frugal. I recently took stock of my
stock of clothes, and found underwear that is older than me! I was reading the
newspapers and there was an ad about men’s clothes that made me realize that I
hadn’t bought myself any clothes in many years! I actually don’t spend much
money on me and never have. Coming from a poor home as a child, I am used to
making do, not being fashion conscious, except once in the early 70’s when I
started to work professionally and was still single.
Once I got married, TLW (The Little Woman) bought my clothes
and I never threw anything out. I saved all my ties and shirts and suits, pants
and sweaters, socks and sneakers along with shoes. Ties you can get away with
if you don’t have a conscience.
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| Reddish orange is hopefully the new black! |
Then one morning I had to go to a meeting that required a
shirt and tie along with a sports jacket. I tried on a pair of trousers and
thought TLW had hung up my son’s clothes in my closet, because it didn’t fit.
So I took out another pair and sure enough, same thing. I got the message and
so tried on a shirt, with the same results. Then I notice some familiar old
stains and realized I had seen this ensemble before, many years ago! I figured
I’d put on a sports jacket, my favorite blue blazer and oops! It didn’t fit! I
hadn’t put on my “Favorite” blue blazer in so long I grew out of it.
I get new clothes for birthdays and Christmas, but I don‘t
buy them. In fact, I am very good with shoes, wearing them to death and then
storing them until I think I will need them again. TLW will ask why I still have them
and I tell her, in case I need to paint the house, I don’t ruin a good pair of
shoes. (Actually I should be painting in them: too!) This logic goes for old
ripped jeans as well and while we are at it, shirts.
I’ve been actually thinking of buying a pair of new shoes
for myself, nothing fussy, just an ordinary plain pair of black shoes that can
trade off days with my plain ordinary brown shoes that are nothing fussy. Then
I got to thinking: do I really need them? Do I want to have to get in the car
and drive to a shoe store to buy shoes when I really don’ t need them? Besides,
the black shoes I have on now are a part of me, having been there when I
probably graduated college or got married. To be honest, I don’t really know
how far back they go, but I think the US Dollar was on the gold standard still.
My wife seems to think I’m cheap on myself and I am, but I
do save money for gifts for things like her birthdays, Valentine’s Day and
Christmas, and don’t forget anniversaries.
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