Do you ever get those urges to buy something, anything, simply because everything you already own seems entirely unexciting, useless and soooo last season? No? Oh, well. But in case you do, you know these are dangerous moods that in most cases have nothing to do with the actual situation in your wardrobe. These moods can also result in unfortunate financial and sartorial consequences.

Reasonable people who are in control of their lives of course never surrender to childish impulses like these, even if such unfortunate impulses should occasionally occur. As I’m way too excitable and live too close to shops (and my iPad), I need a different strategy instead of outright abstinence. So when that craving for the new hits, I’ll try to come up with the cheapest and most ingenious way of satisfying it.

Often, beauty products can help – a bottle of golden bronze Essie nail polish is not terribly expensive and will very likely get worn. A Chanel lipstick is already a bigger investment, but still better than buying the whole autumn wardrobe on a whim. Cheap jewelry might do the trick – I once bought a little Alice in Wonderland charm bracelet from Accessorize that banished the urge for several weeks!

This season, I found the perfect solution to my issues in a skinny scarf. Although it doesn’t really work as a scarf, as it’s so skinny and doesn’t offer any warmth whatsoever. But nevermind. It’s very trendy, it’s seventies (trendy!), it’s nineties (trendy!), it’s cheap (you can get one from Zara or Asos or Topshop) and it can be worn with things I/you already own. It will instantly update your look, as they say, and even if won’t, you’ll not be bankrupt.

(I might still need a brown lipstick for perfect happiness, though.)