Shopaholics Anonymous

I've never been able to understand why shopping gives me a high. This is true for almost all the women I know. Blowing away our hard-earned money leaves us with a feeling that's almost intoxicating for most of us. I mean, there is science behind the way dark chocolate makes us feel, and the way beer makes men feel, but what really is the deal with going out and buying yourself clothes when you already have an overcrowded wardrobe full of so much stuff that you actually tend to forget about some of the stuff you own? Or in my case, finding at least two sets of accessories to go with every outfit, or even finding a pair of earrings that doesn't go with anything that I have, and then finding something to wear them with!!! Looking for and trying on clothes that make us look good is more appealing to our aesthetic sense (and some other senses as well, I suspect) than going for a tour to, say, the Mughal Gardens. I've never been there, by the way. Never found enough motivation to do that. It's also a better way of spending time with friends than going out to eat, because you save on some extra calories :P. It's also more effective at bringing me out of a bad mood than the most sinful, chocolatey dessert. I'm a huge chocoholic too, by the way.

And it's not necessarily true only for women. After hearing Rahul Bose's tips on getting over a breakup in Pyaar Ke Side Effects, and after a recent shopping trip and related discussions with an old friend of mine, I've started thinking that it's also true for at least some men.

I know I am not going anywhere with this. I said it was going to be random. Just looking out to see if someone out there has a logical explanation on why it is so much fun and so uplifting to go out, lighten your wallet, and find stuff for a wardrobe that has no more room in it anyway. Maybe I need a larger wardrobe. On my next shopping trip I should probably head for a furniture store.