I hate shopping.
I have two sisters-in-law, Emily and Jessica, who LOVE to shop. (I'm not sure if Jenny and Lindsay are big into shopping or not--you guys feel free to fill me in).
When we go shopping it's out of necessity (read: Kids saying, "Mommy, look at my feet. Are those red spots blisters from my shoes being too small?"). We're not negligent parents. We're really pretty good parents. But, I don't like shopping.
And I'm so not a fashion plate (I'm pretty much a jeans, T-shirt, and cardigan kind of girl) and I don't pay much attention to that stuff. When we actually HAVE to go shopping (to get the kids new shoes that fit), I see things and think, "Oh! So is this what kids are wearing these days?" and then I hold them up to myself and think, "Yeah, I can't pull this off." My husband's look confirms it. I think I'm getting old.
We went shopping yesterday and it was long and tedious and none of us enjoyed it. Thing 2 enjoys it most because he's an advertiser's dream--he totally buys into marketing ploys and loves anything with a character on it. And if it "glows up" or has a button that plays a song? Well, that's even better! Me? I'd rather be home. Eating. Or reading. Or blogging.
And trying on clothes? YUCK! Emily likes it so much that she actually took her camera into her dressing room and blogged about it! Every moment I spend in a dressing room feels like it's sapping my will to breathe. Maybe it's because very little fits me--it's either too long or way too long. Maybe it's because I really can't pull off some of these looks today. Maybe it's because, wait, what was that again? Oh yeah, I hate shopping.
I try to understand what's fun about it, I really do. In fact, at one point yesterday, I said, "Emily and Jessica like this. What is wrong with me?" I wonder if I'd like it more if they came and took me shopping and showed me how fun it can be. Would that help, girls?
I don't like spending money either, so I guess that's a problem. It stresses me out. Saving money is euphoric to me, but spending is anathema to me. I like when I get a good deal but only if it's something I need in the first place. I still own shoes that I wore in high school. And I still wear them from time to time, yes. I even fit in clothes from high school seeing as I've not grown much since about 4th grade or so. Maybe that's an exaggeration. It might be 5th grade.
So, help! Someone please explain to me how it can be fun. I'd like to know. Maybe I haven't ever learned properly? I tend to put it off and put if off and when we go, it's a "let's get it over with" kind of affair. And seriously, clothes shopping is the worst. This is why my awesome husband shops for me and orders from catalogs and things like that now and then. Every so often, he buys me clothes when my old ones wear thin and he full well knows I'll likely wear them, holes and all, before I go to a store and, BLECH, enter a dressing room. Plus, he has better taste than I do and does a better job shopping for me than I do.
Anyway, really, I hate shopping. Please help me. Go ahead. Give me tips.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
9 comments:
I hate shopping too! Hate it! Although... sometimes it can be fun if we go to a store I love like the toy store, the book store or the Hello Kitty store :)
I think the best way to make it fun is to go when you have very little to do, have time for lunch and take time to ride the escalators with the kids :)
I love pretty things. I love dressing up and looking pretty, and I like really nice, quality clothes. I VERY rarely buy anything because my taste is too expensive, but I like to go and try things on, and put it together, and see how it looks. It's always been fun for me, but I'm also the youngest with three older sisters who all love it too, so it could be that I've been shopping with them so much it's just second nature? Or genetics? Who knows. I just know it's GREAT fun for me.
Oh, good point, April. I do love book stores. Great suggestions!
Emily, is that depressing, though? To try stuff on, love it, and not get it? (Of course, I have difficulty even getting things to FIT in the first place). I shop in the Junior's section sometimes! So, maybe it's having sisters? That could be it?
I have three sisters and can either take or leave a shopping trip. I LOVE to shop for my kids (espically Lucy) and I adore shoe shopping for me, but the rest not so much. I HATE dress shopping. You can never find anything that fits right. But I don't mind jean shopping. It is kinda fun to find the perfect pair of jeans. Who knows? It does make a big difference on who you are with. I will not shop with my kids. They are NO FUN. What you need is a free day, no kids, a friend who isn't afraid to get her hands dirty looking for the perfect whatever, and a Mrs. Fields cookie stop halfway through. You can't go wrong there!
Stacy, Stacy, Stacy...what will we ever do with you? (Insert a large, loving sigh here)
I do understand your arguments against shopping, but yes, I think that it would help if you went with someone who actually enjoys it and can show you the simple pleasure that it can be. Now, shopping is more often than not an experience or an outing. Sometimes I'll have one or two things that I'm specifically looking for to give some direction, but the joy is in the browsing, (and the sudden surprise when your mom offers to buy you something that you never would have bought yourself). It's always the best when you can make a day of it; take your time, eat lunch, etc. Greg doesn't really get it either. He's a needs only shopper, but he's starting to understand and I think that he is one of the more stylish of the brothers...now. (It took a few years to get there!) Anywho, I could talk much more but I will give you two priceless gems of wisdom before I go:
1-SHOP IN PETITES!!!! It's easier to find great things on sale when you are NOT an average size, (8-10). I bet I could tell you some store that would be perfect for your size and classic style.
2-CALL ME!!! When you're shopping, getting ready to shop, or thinking about shopping. I'm sure I can help! :)
Give you tips? Maybe you should be giving the rest of the nation some tips. Part of the reason we are in such a mess is because people love to buy! I feel your pain on the thing 2, advertisers dream, thing. Julianne is the same way. We've been looking for a house for over a year now and she has, almost without fail, asked if we could buy almost every one we've looked at. If she had her way, she'd buy everything she sees. The question for you is... how does one learn to love saving money? Seems to me that you are lucky that it comes naturally.
I hate shopping and not finding anything. It just feels like such a waste of time.
yeah, it's a love hate relationship with me. I am six feet tall, so most things are TOO short or REALLY too short.
But I LOVE shopping for shoes. They always fit, no matter what.
So do accessories.
But jeans, don't get me started!!
Wow, you guys can shop! It sounds like you know how to make a day of it! Does spending money stress you out? Lunch out and Mrs. Fields . . . those suggestions caught my attention. I love to eat.
Jessica, I do shop in Petites, too. It's hit or miss. Sometimes the styles are so "stuffy" and other times they're too trendy. UGH, I wish you guys lived closer!!
Kristen, good question. I'm not sure what it is. I grew up with parents who immigrated to this country and had so little growing up and have worked so hard for everything they have. They've saved and saved and saved. They've driven the same used cars for years, they haven't spent a lot on big, fancy things, they've been very careful with their money--they're not such penny pinchers that they don't enjoy themselves, but one could make the argument that they could enjoy themselves more, too.
Have you ever read "The Millionaire Next Door?" That profile fits my parents. To look at them, you wouldn't assume they're as well off as they are. They don't "live it up." And they've always taught us these things, too. They've talked to us about never putting more on your credit card than you can pay. They got me a checkbook at 12 years old and taught me to balance it. That taught me a lot. I don't know. I'm kind of talking out loud here trying to think of the answer. I think of our student loan debts and mortgages as "challenges" and I really do think it's fun to think of ways to save and pay them down. But I don't know why I think that. Maybe I'm crazy?
I want to add that all of this needs to be balanced with fun and treating ourselves now and then. My Mom and Dad worked SO hard and saved so much for retirement and to pass on to kids and grandkids. And by the time they could start to enjoy it themselves, my Dad was suffering from really bad Parkinson's Disease. So, they've since often said they could've/would've/should've enjoyed themselves more. So, balance is good, if tricky.
lbs, yes, that's no fun. And annoying.
And jeans and shoes, eh? Hmmm, interesting to hear what kinds of shopping people DO enjoy. Ooooh, oooh, I just thought of one! I like Trader Joe's!!
Post a Comment