Little Devil On My Shoulder.

voltee ♦ January 21, 2011 ♦ 5 Comments

Item: Vest Color/Fabric: Black, cotton/lycra Designer: La Rok Where Purchased: Next Boutique Years Owned: 0.5

Tonight, something of a luxury. A vest. Vests are funny. They are more of an accessory than clothing, I feel, sometimes. One never needs to put on a vest, the way one might need to put on a sweater, or a jacket. Vests don’t really add much warmth. Really, they are for aesthetic purposes only.
I thought of this tonight, because we had a rockin’ Chamber Of Commerce Mixer at the gym tonight, and I saw two radically different displays of vest wearing. The first was the suede type, complete with bolo tie and plastic fork in front pocket. The second was of the sweater variety, worn over a turtleneck with candy canes. See! Someone else who just can’t let go of the holiday festiveness!
And I was reminded of this gem of a vest.
I do love it. It’s a little Rhythm Nation-ish and makes me feel like a rock star. I would like to wear it when I have a rock band. Or maybe just when I have time to play Rock Band again.
But the fact is that it makes me feel a little silly. It was purchased on a whim. La Rok makes kick-ass rock star clothes, for sure, but they just cost too much. Even at 75% off, it’s an investment thast I need to consider carefully.
I really didn’t consider this one carefully.
I have a condition. I don’t know exactly what to call it, except maybe Temporary Shopping Insanity. It is an honest to goodness condition, though. When I get to a big fashion sale of some sort, such as the Next Boutique Summer Sale, I get dizzy. My breath is short and shallow. I develop hot flashes. And then I start changing colors. This is no joke.
You should have seen me in the dressing room of Last Call last weekend- giant purple blotches on my check and neck. It’s very embarrassing.
The prospect of having to decide does me in, I believe. And so sometimes I don’t think things through.
Things that don’t help- voices in my ear, urging me on. Mostly Nate. Sometimes Tiffany from Next.
She has the most amazing and inimitable style I’ve ever witnessed a human being possessing. Sometimes she’ll pull something out, and say “Kerry, I’m surprised you’re not getting this.” And I’ll be all like, Oh! Yes! I forgot all about this and I need to have it! But really she could just hand me something, without a word, over her shoulder without even looking at me, and I would want to buy it. The woman has an amazing gift.
That’s what happened with this vest.
Don’t get me wrong- I do love it. And if we’re going to get into the Yes, but do you need it? game I would just stop writing and get rid of all of my clothes except yoga pants and MAC uniform tops. That’s all I really need.
But the fact is, I’ve only worn this once. And that was for the strike/cast party of Rocky Horror. I didn’t really wear it to the party, since I got into the hot tub pretty much instantly. So I guess…I just wore it to strike. This is ridiculous.
Utterly.
I need to rectify this situation, and give this vest something fun. I would have thought to wear it when we go see American Idiot for the third time next week, but I already have invented an outfit and it will rock. I don’t think that I can toss this until it’s really had a chance to shine. I mean rock.

**This has had a chance to shine! I was wearing it when I met Billy Joe Armstrong from Green Day. Soon, I’ll tell that story. For now, though, it stays!