Sunday, February 05, 2012

How 'bout this?

Going shopping with "the girls" has never ever in my life been something that I associated with a fun and relaxing activity. For Aunt of Sophanne, it's been a way of life. In the past few years she's tried to induct me into the "going shopping" club as gently as possible. From what I have gleaned, it means looking at the offerings, walking slowly, stopping for a relaxing drink somewhere in the middle, maybe some lunch, not necessarily buying something. About the third time I went with her I noticed that my heart stopped racing with anxiety and that I could saunter if I tried really hard.

Fast forward. Yesterday MountainMama and I met for lunch. I had to pick up my resized ring at the mall and said "we could go shopping." After my errand was complete we were heading toward the shoe store (MM maybe needed some black shoes) when she said "You know how in high school girls sometimes just went shopping? Well, I was never really one of those girls." Relieved I confessed that I wasn't either but that we should try it and see how it goes. In my favor was the fact that while I don't like to shop for clothes per se, I always need a new pair of shoes.

What a relief to find that we shared similar shopping styles. My favorite part of shopping is finding the most absolutely opposite thing for myself or whoever I'm with, holding it up, and saying "How 'bout this?" I don't do this when shopping with Aunt because with 30+ years of fashion (or in my case lack thereof) between us, she might just like my opposite.

Yesterday Mountain Mama picked up a pair of shoes not unlike these (I link because I lifted the photo from this site and maybe you like them.)



I own two pairs of shoes in a given season. A brown pair and a black pair. Though this year, because of constant foot pain I mostly only wear the black pair-even with brown- so sue me. The idea that a person might have a pair of shoes to only match one outfit is foreign to me- and while I'm not judging others- slightly ridiculous.

Oh the joy when I realized I had a friend who shopped the way I did- focusing on the absurd rather than the practical. The first crack me up was the style and the color on my barrel-shaped body. The second crack me up came when I considered what kind of life I might lead if I did indeed dress only in red gingham.

Shopping with friends CAN be fun!

5 comments:

Becky said...

It's true! Shopping with friends can be fun! But it's also true that it's not fun shopping with all friends. Some people, no matter how much you love them, are just not good to shop with.

roxie said...

Those shoes hurt to look at. And you would always have to wear red nail polish with them, so it's a whole pedicure's worth of planning to wear those red gingham ankle-breakers. I think quite highly of two pairs of shoes per season -black and navy for me.

I am not a 'Let's go shopping" sort of girl either. Unless it's at a yarn or fabric store.

roxie said...

Those shoes hurt to look at. And you would always have to wear red nail polish with them, so it's a whole pedicure's worth of planning to wear those red gingham ankle-breakers. I think quite highly of two pairs of shoes per season -black and navy for me.

I am not a 'Let's go shopping" sort of girl either. Unless it's at a yarn or fabric store.

Anonymous said...

I'm also of the hold-up-something-hideous and ask "how 'bout this?" school of shopping. My 17 year old foster daughter was not, and she really didn't understand it. I didn't understand her not understanding--I thought everyone shops that way!

kmkat said...

I once emailed a link to a ridiculous knitted garment to my older son's then-girlfriend as a joke. She did not realize and replied very carefully and politely, something to the effect of "that's not quite my style but it is very nice" etc. I felt badly that I had put her in such an uncomfortable position.

Ankle breakers, those shoes are. My shoe style is far more adventurous than yours -- I have 1 pair of navy, 2 pairs of black, and 2 pairs of brown shoes. Every one of them is ultra-comfortable... and totally non-fashionable.