Guest Post: The Chelsea Chronicles on Retail Therapy

A while back, in anticipation of an actual vacation, I asked a few online friends if they would be so kind as to "pen" a guest post for me while I'm away. I realized after the fact that the women I've asked all have voices that have become important to me - all for different reasons. So I'd like to share them with you.

We met over shoes. Specicially, lillybees. I won't say much else other than what started as an exceptionally vapid (but practical, honestly, lillybees are literally some of the best shoes I've ever owned) connection is now a full-blown, supportive friendship. I also happen to love Chelsea's writing on The Chelseas Chronicles. So here's what she has to say.
 
When the going gets tough, the tough go shopping.

Well, I do anyway.

I use retail therapy during times of distress to justify purchases that weren’t in my immediate budget or to allow indulgences that should have waited another day or were entirely unnecessary.

A perfect storm of mental and physical stress drove me to the emotional ledge recently, and as I sit here in the aftermath, a slew of purchase confirmation emails fill my inbox. But the difference this time is rather than the purchases being shoes (my most common go-to pick-me-up) or jewelry (whose mood doesn’t improve with something sparkly) I have the following emails in this order:

Amazon.com Order Confirmation: The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. I had meant to read this book when it first was released, but got overtaken by the 50 other books on my to read list. Now seems like the perfect time to be inspired to practice the art of being happy.

Vichyusa.com Order Confirmation: Aqualia Thermal Cream Fortfying and Soothing 24-hr Hydrating Care. If you are a Birchbox subscriber, you received the Vichy box full of wonderful samples from this skincare line. I have grown to love their daily moisturizer, which is priced reasonably under $30.00.

Perricone MD Order Confirmation: No Concealer Concealer. To mask the fine purple line that permanently rings my lower eyelids, I heeded the advice of the editors at Daily Candy and bought this product, which from the description serves as both eye treatment and make up in one.

Kiehls.com Order Confirmation: Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado. At the advice of my hostess blogger, the lovely DC Celine, I bought this eye cream, which will hopefully help with eyes fatigued from too much crying and wicked insomnia. And if not, maybe I can slater it on a piece of wheat toast.

Polyvore set here

Okay, I admit, there are also email confirmations from Banana Republic for a dress that I hope solves my summer clothes woes and a new Great Red Dress from DVF I had been eyeing for months and which finally went on sale. But those purchases were needs that I had identified before crisis struck me down, so I don’t count them as therapeutic.

Often, I feel a little dirty inside when the boxes arrive for purchases made in times of distress, but looking at this list, I’m proud of myself for choosing items meant to set me on a better path, both physically and mentally.

The shoes I crave I will uncharacteristically save for a celebratory occasion.