LAST Saturday I went to my friend Ruth's wedding.
Ruth and I have been friends since we were three years old so as you can imagine choosing what to wear proved a big decision.
Such a special celebration warrants an extra special outfit and as the big day approached the urge to go out and buy a whole new ensemble -dress, shoes, bag the works - grew almost unbearable.
It pains me to admit it but I, like many of my peers, have fallen victim to today's throw away culture -a culture that demands a brand new outfit for every occasion.
I mean is there anything worse than being snapped in the same dress two nights out in a row and having the damning evidence plastered all over Facebook??
Yet, as I have been harping on about in past posts, I am trying to adopt a more thrifty and ethical approach to shopping.
My resolve was strengthened at a recent meeting of Knit and Natter, when my friend Vanessa told me the average wage of a Primark factory worker -I think it is about seven pence an hour!
"I can't understand the throw away attitude that exists today," she said."For me, when I find something I like, I wear it again and again. It becomes like an old friend."
I left the pub with renewed enthusiasm for the black dress I wore to The Westmorland Gazette Christmas party.
Unfortunately, this enthusiasm did not last long, as mulling over the merits of the LBD led me to label it as boring and dismiss it altogether.
Instead, I plumped for a high waisted skirt in cream lace, which has been hanging in my wardrobe with its tags on for about six months.
My plan was to wear it with a black blouse, pearls, patent leather heels and a black and cream fascinator made by my talented Aunty Shirley.
In my head, the outfit looked fantastic and so confident was I in my stylist skills that I didn't bother taking any other options with me.
Big mistake!
The outfit was a disaster.
The blouse looked too prim and proper for the skirt, which was too short and the wrong kind of cream, causing it to clash with the fascinator.
I suppose it didn't help that when I tried it on the day before the wedding, I was still wearing my biker boots.
I looked like a cross between Avril Lavigne and a overdressed librarian.
Naturally, tears, a fraught shopping trip and a last minute purchase followed.
So there we have it, I failed.
Despite my best intentions, I was drawn back to the high street and the guilty pleasure of the retail high.
However, all in all, I am pleased with my outfit choice.
Yes, I bought something new but that something was an LBD and every woman knows an LBD is an investment.
Plus, I can feel proud of the fact I helped boost the British economy during these difficult times.
Okay...perhaps TK Max has not felt the pinch of the credit crunch as greatly as smaller independent boutiques but desperate times call for desperate measures!
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