10 things I learned when my friend Irene stopped wanting stuff

Recently my friend Irene wrote something here that blew my mind. Just slippin’ it into her regular outfit posts. But I was like — WAIT, ATTENTION MUST BE PAID.

This is Irene Kim! She of La Closette. Of the detailed, expertly culled roundups of preloved shops across Tokyo and Paris. That Irene. And Irene said: “for the last, say, six months, I’ve had very little desire, and have even been averse to buying anything for myself.”

Stop the presses. Exqueeze me, baking powder? As the great poet DJ Kool once said: “Let me clear my throat.”

My mind raced. First thought: I wish this would happen to me! My fingers flew … “Um, can I ask you a few questions?” Lucky for me, she said yes.