Think back. What’s the first article of clothing or pair of shoes that you can remember wearing? Once you’ve got it, the memory quickly becomes more and more vivid. For me it was a white rabbit fur coat. I remember the outfit I wore it with. It was Easter morning. Every other Easter, with the exception of two, what I remember is the Easter egg hunt and what was in my basket. I have no idea what I got the year of the coat, but I know what I wore to church that day. I had on a navy blue sailor dress, white tights, shiny black patent leather Mary Janes, and that wonderful coat.

While most kids were lamenting the freak snow storm that year, I was loving it! I can still feel the satin lining – it was pink. I knew everyone was looking at me and thinking how beautiful I was. I was 3, and I felt like a princess. Everything about that day was perfect – at least to my recollection.

That’s what clothes can do. Clothes and shoes. I also remember how stiff my new shoes were. I loved it because the stiffness made me walk slower and straighter. I remember looking past the fluffy white of my coat to see the shiny black tops of my shoes. My mom laughs when I tell her this because she can also remember how I looked and, even better, how I strutted around the church not wanting to take off my coat.

When you stop to think about the enormity of the fashion industry: designers, seamstresses, tailors, artists, photographers, models, department stores, brand names, boutiques, all the way across the gamut to second-hand stores and garage sales, it’s amazing the scope of something as simple as a dress or a pair of patent leather shoes.

Why do we obsess so over clothes? Because even as adults we still feel like a princess when we put on something that fits perfectly, not just to our body but to our soul. We still want to admire our new shoes as we walk. And because we can be totally sure that everyone notices how beautiful we are when we’ve found the right piece of clothing.

You don’t have to be a clothes junkie to get a buzz from the perfect dress. Once it happens, you’re hooked. Even the most practical shopper must admit that there is shear bliss when you put on something that makes you look and feel a size smaller, a bit bronzer, an inch taller and all around glamorous.

Clothes and shoes have a power all their own. That’s why a bad day can be cured with a good shopping spree. It’s how we define lazy days and power lunches. It’s how we subtly, or not so much, say, “I’m ready to commit” or “I’m outta here.” We can say it all without saying a word simply by choosing the right outfit. And no mater how cranky, wacky or dramatic we are, our clothes stick with us. That’s why we’ve pledged our undying love to our clothes.

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