love the double

So I have a quick story-

During my all-out shopping trip, and I hit a sale in one of my favorite stores, H&M. On a shopping high, I raced around the store, trying on every fabulous item of clothing I laid eyes on.

Now, I've more than expressed my alledged shoe fetish to my audience, but I haven't even begun to touch on my nearly equally large obsession with hats. While not as expensive or seeminly unobtainable, almost every complete outfit I own includes one of my (thousands of!) hats. I'll throw on anything from my faded Red Sox baseball cap to my corduroy bucket hat, pairing them oddly with whatever I happen to be wearing.

Back to today's shopping trip.

Naturally, after spending far too much time and money, I left the store with three new hats in check, all on the cutting edge of today's styles. Excited about my new purchases, but feeling a twinge of guilt from the amount charged on my credit card, I decided to wait on the fashion show for my shopping buddy until I got home.

Once comfortably in the reflection of my own full length mirror, I felt the need every woman has after purchasing new clothes- to become the next Heidi Klum, strutting their stuff around their house/apartment in their new outfits. Pairing one of my hats with the outfit I was already wearing, I nearly took a double take in the mirror. Something about that hat seemed oddly familiar, and I suddenly regretted not trying it on in the store. Much to my dismay, I had just purchased the exact same hat I already owned, just in a speckled tan rather than blue.

While I hate to admit how common a mistake this is for me, I don't completely blame myself for it. Obviously I'm a big fan of this trendy piece- perhaps too big a fan. In my defense, I at least hadn't purchased the two items from the same store.

The blue wool cabbie, already a signature piece in my collection, had been purchased back in May of 2005, in the Mexico Pavilion of Epcot (Walt Disney World). At the time, I had been unable to turn down such a great deal (only $8!) and had no idea how much I would grow to love it. It had been thrown amongst a collection of knitted wool ponchos and tissue paper umbrellas, all handiwork of the native Mexicans working the cart. I thought what I had purchased was a one-of-a-kind item, a conversation piece, something to tell my friends stories about. I never would have guessed that I would have see the exact same item sitting on the shelf of trendy H&M only a little over six months later.

Now, most people would suggest I admit my own mistake and return the new hat. I, however, am not like most people. Judging on the amount of usage my blue hat gets in an average week, I've decided to double its productivity by adding this second hat to my collection. The fact that I already own one unquestionably similar does not discourage me from loving it and flaunting it every bit as much as the first. After all, it performs every bit as well, and truth be told, I like it every bit as much.

The point to today's story? When it comes to shopping, women (including myself) are often set in their ways and stubborn. Even when not aware, we gravitate towards what is familiar. If we liked it once, we will probably like it when we see it the second time around. While I am contradicting my blog's theme of "go out and try new things," one shouldn't be afraid to stick with what works. Afterall, isn't that the basis of style? Take a trend and make it yours, no matter how different or "un-Gap-like" it may seem. If it works for you, just stay with it.

As for me, this signature piece of clothing is now doing doubletime in my wardrobe, and doing twice as well as before.

(above: look- the exact same hat!!!)