I don’t get buyer’s remorse. Over the course of my whole life, I’ve returned something I bought maybe 2-3 times, and that was because what I bought just didn’t work (a cheap-ass Ipod dock from Marshalls), or it just wasn’t all that it was cracked up to be (Eddie Huang‘s vastly overrated book Fresh Off The Boat: A Memoir).
But I’m not going to lie, I’ve thought about it a lot. Where am I going with this, you might ask? Well as anyone who knows me will tell you, I’ve got a lot of sneakers in my collection. The last pair I bought though…I kind of wish I hadn’t.
It was Black Friday, and with a bonus on top of my regular paycheck I was ready to cop. The Black Infrared VI’s were made available to me, and I scooped them without a moment’s hesitation. Why not, right? It’s the newest version of a classic sneaker, and can find a place in anyone’s rotation.
I went home thrilled with box in hand, and mulled over when I should break them out. Should I wear them over the weekend? Should I wait until summer? Soon after I decided I’d sit on them till summer, I opened up my computer and couldn’t believe what I saw.
I hadn’t been keeping up to date with releases, and was shocked to see that a pair of black and gum Air Jordan I’s (my favorite Jordan silhouette) would be dropping next weekend. All of a sudden the VI’s didn’t seem so great.
Normally it would be a no-brainer, but with Christmas gifts needing to be purchased and my VI’s sitting on the shelf, I didn’t have any more money for kicks. I rushed into buying a solid pair instead of waiting, not holding my cards (or cash in this instance) close to my chest like I should have been.
Here’s the lesson: Don’t go out and cop kicks just to “keep up”. That’s the easiest way to fall behind. Have enough money for one pair this month? Make sure you peep the release calendar and find out what you like the best instead of rushing into a purchase…or even just hold the money and save up for a grail. Nothing beats copping a new pair of kicks, but make sure it’s the right pair.
What did I do with my VI’s you may ask? I’m keeping them. I’m still stoked to break them out this summer, and holding on to them will remind me that I should be more patient sometimes. Shoes and the pursuit of them have a funny way of teaching you life lessons sometimes.
-RDwyer
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