In 2007 I snaked around the second floor of Saks Fifth Avenue. While beelining past the cocktail dresses, my little sister Dione pointed to a gorgeous group of frilly frocks.

“Look Ariel, cocktail dresses.”

We stopped briefly, and I sighed heavily, and said in a tone much like an addict:

“You know, I’ve really got to stop it with the cocktail dresses.”

I hoped that this was the first step: admitting I have a problem. Of course, I didn’t stick to my goals. Later that year I bought about three more cocktail dresses with no where to wear them, besides Mobile Symphony concerts and Mobile Opera performances.

In July I broke my cardinal rule: “Don’t try it on!” and slipped on a Cynthia Steffe dress (seen above) at Saks thinking that I’d only “see how it looks.” I dropped cash for it in record time, and let that “I-just-made-a-purchase-from-Saks” euphoria carry me home.

Not a month later and I was already falling back into a trap. I ordered a custom made Roland Mouret Galaxy dress in navy blue and for both dresses, a pair of paten leather peep toe 3 inch heels. The problem is that I keep buying and not wearing. My aqua blue Chloe is unworn, as is the gauzy tea length number I bought for the Itzhak Perlman concert. I planned on donning the Mouret to my birthday celebration, but it might be too over the top.