Dieting, shopping, being a bad friend, drinking alcohol and craving sugar – is there anything we don’t feel guilty about? The ELLE team reveals their guilty pleasures.
Sheena Bagshawe, ELLE fashion assistant.
‘I’m guilty of catching up on the Keeping Up With The Kardashians omnibus. My family gets irritated when I put the show on but laugh just as hard as I do at all the antics. I also feel bad about putting on my fluffy dressing gown and slippers as soon as I get home in the evenings- I’d rather spend an evening dressed like that with a cat at my feet, and on Pinterest or reading my Kindle than be out on the town. It feels wrong for someone my age.’
Tidi Benbenisti, ELLE managing editor
Guilty pleasures, where do I begin…?
Red has always been my indulgent hue – for lips. And it shows in my collection of red lipsticks and gloss. I update my collection regularly, and as frivolous as this might sound, I feel very empowered when I purchase a new one, but at the same time guilty for splurging on a hue within the same palette every three months. I know every lipstick has its lifespan, and even though some are yet to be worn, I just can’t resist that rouge hue when I walk past a beauty counter… I see red and I buy it.
Every Friday I add to my collection of chocolate bars – but not for consumption. If anything it’s a test of willpower, of good over bad… These brightly wrapped bars are on display in my fridge and serve as a reminder that I can eat them if I choose to, but that I don’t need to because my thighs don’t miss them. I eat one a week and the rest I give to my neighbours’ kids… but not without wishing that I could eat as many as I wanted to and not suffer the not-so-sweet consequences of having to increase my cardio routine.
I have too many basic tees; from round to V-neck, I have them in all colours of the rainbow. I stock up on tees on a monthly basis, as I do on chocolate, but end up wearing the basics – blue and black – for Pilates. I feel guilty for buying more every month, and they gather dust because when I wake up at 6am and get ready for Pilates, I’m too tired to pick something other than those darker neutrals.’
Maybe Corpaci, ELLE editorial assistant
‘Catching up on social platforms while sipping on red wine in a bubble bath – that’s my ultimate guilty pleasure. I don’t really feel bad about the social platform or the wine part, but the fact that both actions take place in a hot bubble bath! I usually end up using triple the water to maintain a cosy-warm temperature, and end up feeling bad for “wasting” a good hour and a half of my precious spare time.
Substituting lunch with cake. Yes, I’ve done it more than once and I will do it again. I have a terrible sweet tooth and a particular weakness for cheesecake – I just can’t refrain!
Snoozing for about an hour almost every morning- I love it. The intention to wake up is there, I just don’t have the actual physical strength to get up early enough to hit the gym before work. Lately I tent to justify my snoozing habit on this rainy Cape Town weather, and it works.’
Nicole Newman, ELLE fashion assistant
I’ve always loved buying international magazines, which I picture myself reading in bed after a long day, in the bath or on the beach – whether it’s Harpers Bazaar, Tatler or Vogue I just can’t stop myself. This wouldn’t be an issue if I actually got round to reading them properly but, sadly, I am never able to take the time to give them to full attention they deserve.
Despite all the amazing things to do in Cape Town, every weekend I seem to find myself at Constantia Glen wine farm for lunch. This is a great pleasure that I look forward to all week but I know I should break out of my comfort zone and try something new, even if I know I’ll struggle to beat it!
What’s your guilty pleasure? Tweet us @ELLEMagazineSA #GuiltyPleasure