I didn't feel guilty when I clicked the "Place order" button. I didn't feel guilty 10 minutes later nor half an hour later nor even three hours later. At that point, I was still feeling good about the purchase, thinking about the playful mixed studs & how these would be my first pair of shoes with a zip down the back. I thought the sandals might be for work or play since I could hide the studs if I wanted to with pants or expose the studs with a skirt.
I convinced myself they might be "transitional" sandals since they're brown (for fall). And the heel is sturdy & exactly right height for me. Although they were an impulse buy, my after-research also discovered I'd gotten them for the lowest possible price.
But, still, some eight hours later, I began thinking about how I don't need these sandals, not one bit. I have sandals, even some new ones, & some reviewers say the leather on this pair is stiff & that their foot slides down making the sandal uncomfortable. While one person said she'd never gotten more compliments on any pair of shoes she'd ever bought, another said they were clunky & loud.
I found images of the sandal on a few bloggers, which really neither assuaged nor heightened my guilt.
Final sale is so final. I almost never order Final Sale items, do you? I don't blame companies for not allowing returns on some items, but I have to remember to try not to buy Final Sale things since I change my mind so much.
I guess the best I can do now is some penance. I can resist the next frivolous purchase or resist a few smaller purchases until I've made up for it. I can always sell the sandals on ebay if need be.
My friend Rachel also helped me enormously, saying I'll love the studs & wear them into the ground! She pointed out that sometimes it's the unexpected purchase--the one that you didn't think was quite "you"--that turns out to be your favorite.
The guilt is still with me, but maybe it's a good lesson. This getting & spending is rough business--it's hard on our psyche & on our wallet. I do believe we should buy only what we truly need & keep only what we truly love.
Have you felt shopper's guilt?