The Facebook Effect

It happens to even those with the largest closets- standing, staring at all the options, unable to pick anything to wear. One fairly basic black and white silk Calvin Klein Collection top seems good enough, so I throw it on, pick a pair of gold hoops, and feel satisfied. Then I think: when did I wear this last? And more importantly, were pictures taken and posted on Facebook? Answering this in the affirmative, I head back into the closet abyss for another 15 minutes until something else, equally as basic, but not recently tagged on the Internet, suffices.

The old technique of dividing the purchase price by number of wears to help ease the sticker shock goes out the window when you fear being seen in the same thing at numerous events, forever memorialized on the Internet (along with those shots from college you didn't even know existed until an email notification alerts you to their resurrection when a friend discovers some old candids). But since I used this formula to justify buying many items that now, with a baby, I'd never be able to talk myself into, I can't stomach not wearing them again simply because everyone knows the last time I did so. What's a girl to do? Balance confidence against insecurity and wear what makes you happy? Probably. Or delete Facebook account? Not likely.