THOUGHTS ON ACCUMULATION AND IDENTITY
If you want to understand someone, look at what they buy without overthinking it. The things that find their way to our shopping carts after a long day or during a late-night scroll say more than we may think. In a world all about buying and accumulating, our purchases add up quickly. But our shopping carts are windows into our individual worlds; they show who we are, what we need, what we value and who we aspire to be.
The things I’ve bought recently reflect what’s on my mind. From sweet treats to affordable beauty products, who I am is woven into what I choose to provide for myself. These are a few of my recent purchases and the deeper meanings they hold.
1. OLD NAVY LOUNGEWEAR SET
I put my Old Navy Super Cash to good use with my recent purchase of a yellow and blue loungewear set. It’s the kind of outfit that’s perfect for lazy mornings and long days of studying alike. Cozy enough to feel like pajamas but coordinated enough to feel composed. I bought it because I’ve been craving comfort lately. As winter draws to a close and midterms start in earnest, there’s something lovely about having clothes that make the day easier! Sometimes choosing to feel both comfortable and confident in your day-to-day is the best kind of self-care.
It’s also reassuring to buy from the same brand I’ve loved since I was a kid. Brand loyalty, though part habit, is also comforting for me as someone who dreads change. I know how the fabric will feel and how the clothing will fit, making the investment all the more worth it. Even something as simple as loungewear can provide stability.
2. Food from trader joe’s
A trip to Trader Joe’s could cure anything, I think. The curated shelves and rotating seasonal snacks give the whole store the cozy, effortless feel that I love. I always say I’m just going for the essentials, but end up leaving with bags of fresh vegetables, cookie butter ice cream, a bouquet of tulips….the list goes on. Butternut squash mac & cheese, vegan ramen, organic produce and their delicious dark chocolate are some of my staples. I fill my basket with a mix of everyday groceries and eye-catching sweet treats. No matter what you go for, Trader Joe’s somehow makes the mundane of grocery shopping feel effortless and aesthetic. Maybe that’s why I can’t stay away!
3. Not your mother’s hair products
Good luck prying my Curl Talk Cream out of my hands. As my collection slowly grows, I feel proud to be sticking with my tried and true products in a beauty culture that is always prescribing something new, something better, something more. It is expensive to be a woman and it is expensive to feel like your appearance isn’t enough, exactly how it is. I feel that pressure often, the moment before leaving for the day, when I wonder if I look okay, the fight with my natural hair to look exactly right. Sometimes, purchasing beauty products is a frantic effort to fix something that was never truly broken. I recognize that, yet I still add new products to my cart.
Maybe the point isn’t to buy these products, but to buy with intention and choose the ones that make you feel good about yourself. I’m grateful to have such a consistent, affordable brand that enhances my curls and adds to my confidence rather than tearing it down.
4. Brunch
My debit card never gets hit quite as hard as it does when I decide to go for Saturday morning brunch. Whether it’s Ancora or Michelangelo’s or a new place we’re exploring, a simple coffee with a friend brings me a sense of pure, gentle joy. I appreciate the sacral quality of muffins and lattes, unhurried, nowhere to be, and everything to talk about. My brunch receipt is a paper trail of the peaceful life I want to live. The money I spend isn’t just for the food, but for the joy and connection.
My loungewear represents my desire for comfort and my hair products a desire for confidence. The food I buy is chosen to nourish both my body and my heart. These purchases represent who I am and who I wish to be: someone who meets every day with intention and every interaction with a desire for connection. So sure, you could say I spend too much money on sweatpants and coffee. But I’m not just accumulating stuff, I’m investing in a life that feels joyful, peaceful and entirely authentic to me.