There are two types of people in this world: those that shop for fun, and those that shop for necessity. If you’re the first, you may well be inclined to argue that window shopping is a joy; a leisurely activity that requires no expenditure, provides all the inspiration you need for a new wardrobe, and undoubtedly earns you the right to an excessively long coffee break. Sure, sounds pretty appealing. But in reality, it’s easier said than done.

Let’s be honest, how many of us genuinely return from a ‘window shopping spree’ empty handed? I, for one, have yet to master this skill. Setting off in a relaxed manner, I’m far more likely to spend twice what’s left of my student loan, merrily purchasing funky new pieces I certainly didn’t need. A simple solution, or so I thought, was to go without my credit card. But, fate’s twisted hand would come in to play, and I’d stumble across a once-in-a-lifetime garment at an astonishingly low price. Which, naturally, I couldn’t buy. If you ask me, this just goes to show how ridiculous it is to suggest that going shopping with no intention of making a purchase really is.

Let’s get this straight, once and for all. Window shopping is torture. It’s like going to a restaurant and watching everyone else get served, all the while sat with a rumbling stomach safe in the knowledge that no food is coming your way. I’m all for shopping with no agenda, and stumbling across little bargains here and there. But window shopping, in it’s true sense, is clearly a sick hobby for people with large amounts of self-restraint, and too much time to kill.

Lydia Varney

Image: Alexandra Studios