9:16 p.m.

I read a fantastic piece in British Vogue by designer Bella Freud, who instead of shopping for trends, looks "for something I can wear effortlessly but that recasts my identity." This proves a practical and still fashion-forward mantra by which to live. The best garments for you should enhance without overpowering, and they should look effortless because they are a part of your personality. And what is attractive about a personality that's faking it? If you are choosing things based on self and not a trend forecast, you will always be in style. After all, Freud says, "It is people who are interesting. Without that, their clothes are just other people's ideas."

I am coming to terms with the hard fact that as long as one wears seasonally appropriate ensembles in colors and fits that flatter, one will forever and always be en vogue. As much as I love fashion magazines, blogs and Jess Cartner-Morley, 10-12 different trends per season makes it possible for one to never really need to go shopping; as long as you are semi-remotely-kind-of-sort-of interested in fashion, you are most likely already in possession of something lovely that falls into one of the many, many ever-changing-but-not-really trend categories.

All of this and still, I could not talk myself out of recently buying the prettiest painterly prints, linen slouchy pants, blush-colored pumps and bubble gum colored lipstick. Guh!