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Shopping
July 11, 2006
I hate shopping. I’ve never liked trying on clothes. My favorite jeans are well over four years old now, and there are several pairs which have rarely seen the light of day.
Yesterday though, I shopped like I never shopped (or wanted to shop) before. For me, that doesn’t mean spending an absurd amount of money on clothes that I will probably never wear more than once, but rather driving to several stores and carrying around multiple hangers and answering “yes, please” when being asked if I’d like a fitting room. Normally, after an hour of browsing, I would have sprinted away from the outlet center, frustrated with boredom and the realization that I just don’t need clothes.
But I needed clothes.
When I accepted this job, I didn’t think I’d be traveling on the weekends with groups of beautiful people from other countries who know more about the American metropolitan areas than I do. They always look perfect. When I packed to come here, the only thing remotely (and hardly) acceptable to wear outside of the camp was a khaki skirt and several very unexciting tank tops. I am ashamed to say that’s all I had to wear in New York. It was fashion murder.
So yesterday, I’m standing in a fitting room, my hair a tangled mess from the constant contact with fabric, surrounded by dresses and skirts and tops that are black and bright blue and dark green and silk and covered in straps and cascading with material. Thoughts are running through my head as I pull and lift and straighten everything over me. How the hell do I tie this thing? Am I supposed to buy shoes to go with this? Is this size small dress seriously too big for me? NICE!
I don’t know why, but I never thought I’d have the opportunity to wear the kind of bright, beautiful, flowy things that I’ve seen on Sex in the City. I’ve never gone to clubs and bistros with people who spend their time traveling the world and going to clubs and bistros.
For what it’s worth, I bought an amazing little black dress from Calvin Klein that I would have never dreamt of buying unless I knew I was going back to New York or dreamt of wearing if I hadn’t lost ten pounds since I got here. And I also bought the shoes, and the makeup, and the earrings to go with it. For the daytime, I bought a brown vintage babydoll dress.
Seeing the word “vintage” still kind of freaks me out.
Although I didn’t have the most fantastic time running around yesterday, clueless about something that people devote their lives to, it felt amazing not buying jeans and graphic tees from Old Navy.
This weekend: Washington, D.C.
July 11th, 2006 at 4:47 pm
Ahhh shopping. A personal “pet peeve” of mine as well. Unfortunately, it’s one of those “musts” that we are faced with at one point to satisfy our needs. Nevertheless, I’m sure your shopping trip was fruitful and exciting =)
July 11th, 2006 at 11:15 pm
I’m an Old Navy junkie, I’ll admit. I’m a classic sucker for tees and jeans. And although I haven’t really been in a situation like yours where I could wear vintage dresses without feeling utterly self-conscious and out of place, I do understand the whole “hmm, maybe it’s time to actually buy something /pretty/.”
What camp is this?
July 13th, 2006 at 5:24 am
i’m still in the jeans & t-shirt “phase.” i don’t think it will ever pass. :( my sister is the more fashion-forward one. however, just once in my life, i would like to buy a few “designer” things in a city like new york or los angeles or miami… just to say i have before.
July 13th, 2006 at 11:22 am
Holy shit girl, I am so jealous!!!! lol… What kind of job IS THIS???!! lol… See, I love shopping (when I have money), just because its nice to have something new to wear, instead of the same old same old, yanno? But I also dont like shopping for hours at a time lol, that makes me wanna run away lol. But damn, people from other countries, dressin like Gucci and fabulous?! Duhammm! lol… U have one hell of a job, a new yorker job lol. Im jealous >=( lol lucky girl, I wanna k now more! take care.. l8er doll
July 17th, 2006 at 4:30 pm
You hate shopping? Ha! I like shopping, but like you, I HATE trying on clothes. It’s such a hassle. I like tees, but I don’t like jeans. My friends all like to dress up so when I go out with them, I always look very plain cuz I’m so bad at dressing up. I’m too lazy. I can’t believe you lost 10 pounds! That’s alot! I wish I could lose 10 pounds! You really should wear the black dress, the shoes, the earrings, put on make up, and take a picture. Because I really really REALLY want to see you in that outfit! Oh and the vintage babydoll dress too! Because I like vintage. ;D