HuffPost UK Lifestyle are of the Independent Women generation. The shoes on our feet? Yep, we bought them. And the same can be said of our clothes, handbags, make-up and jewellery (excl. wedding rings, natch).
But we're first to admit that it's nice to be treated from time to time. Especially when said gift comes from someone you love - not only does the thought count, but the item hasn't left a great, big, stinking hole in your purse. Win/win.
Imagine being the wife of Paul Brockmann, devoted husband and father, who bought a total of 55 thousand dresses for "the love of his life" during their 56 -year marriage.
For years they kept the dresses a secret from everyone but each other, but recently their daughter Louise stumbled across the colossal collection. And with storage costing thousands per month and Paul having ill-health, the family decided to sell the dresses.
Born and raised in Germany in the 1930s, Paul fell in love with ballroom dancing aged 13. He met his wife, Margot, at a dance and the rest is history.
He followed his love and her family to the US, being disowned by his mother in the process, and the couple quickly got married and now have two children. One of their favourite past-times is dancing.
"Through our love for each other and the love of dancing we collected over fifty five thousand dresses," he says on his website.
"I loved seeing her dance and began collecting dresses for her. I would envision Margot dancing in the dress, the look of it, the sound of it, and buy dress after dress for her to wear when we danced."
55 Thousand Dresses
"I do have some of my favourites that aren't for sale," he tells HuffPost UK Lifestyle. "From the very first one I bought my wife to the one that makes the perfect 'swoosh' sound."
"Each dress has a story - I pretty much remember where and when I purchased the dress, how much it cost and what was happening in my life at the time. My clients are amazed that I remember but there is just so much sentimental value."
He added: "At the time of purchasing the dresses I really had no idea about designer names, but I am discovering dresses that date back to the 1940s from designers such as Oscar de La Renta and Vera Wang."