The right kind of wrong

"For you every occasion is special," huffed my husband. He almost knocked down his laptop bag, while opening the door for me. (My hands were full with bags!)

On my defense, I haven't been shopping for months now so it just happened out of pent up hunger. And yes, like a million other women out there I love SHOPPING - be it window shopping or road-side shopping or luxury buying or simply checking out what's new in stores. I love all of it.

Cut back to the 'occasion' he was referring to. I had a few friends visiting over the weekend and I really wanted to shape up the house and a little bit of my wardrobe ahead of the weekend. We haven't really added big chunks of furniture in our Mumbai flat as it is a rented out space and we (both of us) didn't feel like spending money on it. But with friends visiting, I thought it would be nice to add a few basics to the room, like cushions, some candles and a rosewood side-table perhaps. Along with the house, I also wanted to upgrade a bit of my wardrobe too and throw in some new summer accessories.

In the end, I bought a couple of red & orange cushions, aromatic candles, some indulgent make-up things from Bobbi Brown store, a nice pair of Armani sunglasses (it's summers you see) and 2 bottles of Rose wine (to help me in cooling off the angry & buzzing hubby). But the ruckus that my husband stirred was as if I had emptied my bank account.

My passion for shopping began quite late actually. I was a 20-something gal, into my first job even as I studied for my graduation in computers, when I first headed out to buy something 'nice' to wear for an official get-together. It was one simple and smooth process for me.

I marched to a luxury boutique at Pune's MG Road (I studied in Pune), my pockets bulging with cash, and pacing back and forth in front of an array of shop windows for a "very long time" before plunging inside one of them. For a simple black Chanel dress, I counted out a stack of notes worth Rs 6999. And after this extravagant purchase, for months after I hardly dared use the dress for fear I'd wear it out.

Eventually, I got around to shopping with a sense of cool authority that I am secretly proud of. I zero down on the product I need to buy and swoop it up from the store (provided they have the right size, shape, colour and style) as quickly as it can be done.

Now, I can only imagine how fast my husband's hair would turn a shade grey if I go on a luxury shopping spree in these times. When my monthly shopping spree can make my hubby give me his best condescending look (Mind you, I spend my money, not his nor his credit cards), I can only laugh at the sight he would be if he ever comes to know that I blew off Rs 8000 a month back on a Tommy Hilfiger handbag and belt. It was on 'sale', you see.

I am not strictly a spendaholic. For instance, last weekend, I wanted to check out a new high-end restaurant in Mumbai's suburbs but he wanted to stick it out at a less expensive, clubbier spot. We ended up taking a McDonald's meal home! I didn't give a black eye to my hubby over McDo's meal.

But sometimes a little indulgence (on the sly) is okay. Isn't it?