I was listening to NPR the other day, and Shankar Vedantam was talking about his new book. In this book preview, he was talking about useful delusions to help people cope with trauma (amongst other things). This got me thinking, and I realized that I had been coping with COVID in an interesting way. Anthony has been coping with COVID by learning to cook. He has been so proud of all the new recipes he has tried over the last year, and even commented that I don't cook much anymore. "I don't need to. You're doing all the cooking," I replied, and patted my fat belly. It is true, since Anthony started working from home last March, we have been eating and drinking like kings. It certainly shows in our waistlines.....(COVID 50 anyone?). Instead of becoming active in a hobby, I became active in creating my Dream Life wardrobe.
My mom and I discussed dream lives and what we do to perpetuate these wishful existences. Many people, like myself, buy things they will rarely use. The thought is "if I have _____, I will do ____ more often". In the past, many people bought picnic baskets or exercise equipment (remember the pre-Peloton? the Bowflex?) around Christmas/New Years only. Now during COVID, the dream life shopping is real, baby. With the inability to go to brick and mortar stores, Amazon thrived! Not just stuff, but produce from Whole Foods (I WILL GO ORGANIC delusion). Do you think Peloton and Whole Foods will become reality versus dream life? Only time and Craig's List can tell.
For me, I had a delusion of my dream life by online clothes shopping. I decided that since I was no longer going to the bars, I could purchase dresses and re-invent my vintage wardrobe. Hence, The COVID Collection:
These outfits have not been styled. I actually joined a Dress of the Month club, and started taking pictures of the dresses. Some of them are hits. Some of them are misses. Some of them are my coats (I love fake furs, although my mother-in-law gave me her real fur this winter). I have many more to try on, and many of these will end up on Poshmark.
That being said, I wanted to post these collages before I forgot about my dream life clothes collection I created in 2020. I have told myself, "NO MORE DRESSES", but it's so hard when you start accruing points and they send you so many darn coupons! Someday, I will hope to wear them. I will take my picnic basket, new roller skates, air pods, vintage heels, Keurig, Ninja Foodi, earrings, bracelets, and reversible picnic blanket to an outdoor festival, and finally live my dream life.
