Psst...I think I have an addiction.

Lately it's dawned on me that I have a soft-addiction.

Some people have hard-addictions, like gambling, crack, or porn. Soft-addictions are more "harmless" but still produce the same kind of unhealthy obsession and chemical firings that their more dangerous counterparts effect.

Soft-addictions can be anything from overeating to nail-biting. Mine is obsessively looking at clothes and accessories.

Everytime I'm on the computer (usually during work) I catch myself mindlessly surfing clothing sites. And when I come home, I unconsciously start flipping through reams of clothing catalogues piled up on my coffee table.

And it's not because I want to buy the clothes.

A lot of the clothes are just too expensive. The catalogues are from Saks or Bloomingdales. Heck, I can't even buy things out of the J.Crew catalogues. But nevertheless I flip page after page.

And a lot of the clothes are just plain ugly. I flip through catalogues for all kinds of target audiences: plus-size women, women over 50, women who look like they homeschool, women who like "classic" styles and prefer to stay in the fashion of the early 90's perpetually, etc.

And yet I continue to thumb the pages. Page after page. Season after season. Everything from Coach to LLBean. I'm there. Anytime I have a free moment I find my body unconsciously gravitating toward a catalogue or clicking on my "Favorites" folder marked "Shopping."

I exalt in the changing of seasons because that means new outfits, new styles! During the summer, bermuda shorts were all the rage. Things are getting "longer" in general. T's and tank-tops became "tunic-length" and belts appeared on everything from cardigans to sundresses.

Now, as Fall fast approaches, there begins the reign of the "skinny jean". Yes, those tapered abominations we all wore back in the late 80's and early 90's (some even come complete with zippers!). And as if that was not offensive enough, leggings are making a comeback. (But truth be told, they had emerged in early Spring of this year already.) The latest trends are not for the faint of heart, or the wide of girth.

Yes, no one is as "up" on her fashion as I am.

But I don't just "read" catalogues for the latest in fashion. I relish every detail about clothes. I read the description carefully; I find out what material it is made out of; I get a special kick out of things that are bias-cut; and for all shoes I carefully scrutinize the heel height, as I do the inseam for all pants.

I've learned quite a few words of the trade too, like: grossgrain, pique, surplice, and d'orsay. I know when lacey things are battenburg, Queen Anne, or just plain crocheted.

And don't get me started on jewelry! Please don't judge me, oh what the heck, go ahead, I know I'm pathetic...but I've started watching the home shoppping network! They have a program called JewelryVision and it sells baubles 24/7. I find myself flipping through those channels more often than I would like to admit.

So what is wrong with me?! What's with all this consumer-lust?!

I don't know...but sometimes I seriously foresee a possible future career in the fashion industry...or maybe this is the beginning of a long, downward-winding road toward shop-aholism and living out of my car full of bias-cut surplice tunics and d'orsay pumps!