Saturday, May 14, 2011

To Shop or Not
You know those women whose hobby is shopping? The kind with the "I'd rather be at Nordstrom" bumper stickers? Yeah, that's not me.

I hate to shop. With two exceptions. I cannot get out of a book or a record store empty handed. In fact I'm lucky if I get out for under $50.

But for everything else, I hate it. I hate trying on clothes and think that the whole process is like some sort of medieval torture. The act of looking at yourself in your underwear under flourescent light is just plan evil. I hate getting dressed and undressed and tying an d untying my shoes just because women's clothing designers can't agree on exactly what size a 10 is. Or whether a large is actually and extra large and the medium is large.

Men have it easy. You want a shirt? You go by neck and arm size. For women you have to try everything on because nothing is the same. I have three different sizes of jeans in my closet, from three different makers, and all of them fit. Why is it so bloody difficult to buy clothes? Maybe most women do enjoy the process of shopping but for me it's hell. I tend to buy everything at one time just to get it over with, but then everything wears out at the same time. At the moment I think I have three pairs of socks because in the past month I keep getting holes. So I'll have to eventually break down and hit the store and stock up.

I've always been like that. I was never one of those teenagers who hung out at the mall. (Except for Mrs. Field's cookies.) I've never shopped for fun, only because I get cold when I'm naked. (And the neighbors object.) And my regular "uniform" is jeans, t-shirts, and sweaters.

What amuses me is that Husband is totally dapper. He wears bow ties to work every day. And hats. Not baseball caps, but actual hats. He's stylish and cool and there I am, the slob in the jeans. Luckily he loves me anyway.

But to anyone who shops for fun I have to ask....why? What is it about it that you enjoy? Is it some kind of imprinted hunter-gathering thing? Instead of berries and mastodons you look for shoes and designer knock-offs?

5 comments:

Duke said...

Greed isn't limited to money. Wanting ever more material items is also a form of greed. People who shop constantly also tend to buy things they don't really need. They just "want" them and we've been told it's ok to want everything and buy it if we can.

When people tell me they love to shop they're really telling me they want to aquire ever more goods and lust after the ones they can't afford. Shopping to them is a way to wallow in greed.

The Calico Quilter said...

Hate to shop - hate it. Did not get the "girly" gene. My solution is to wear the same brand of pants, tees (long or short sleeve) and flat loafer type shoes every day. You have to look hard to see that yes, indeed, I did change my clothes from yesterday. The pants are always khaki, so if not for the changing color of my shirts, who could tell. Boring to look at? Certainly, but I know everything will fit and I can mail order them. I go for comfort over style every time, so this "uniform" is perfect. And no mall visits required. Occasionally this system is torpedoed when a brand discontinues something I like, but it generally works well.

Kittie Howard said...

Oh, God, but I hate - totally hate - trying on clothes. Friends have to drrrrrag me to the mall. You so described the whys of it all. Somehow, I look decent. Friends even say I'm stylish. I rather think it's because I buy Whatever to get out of there.

Hey, I want to tag you tomorrow. this means you answer eight silly questions. Wanna play along?

Kittie Howard said...

Hey, you've been tagged. Hope you have fun with the questions!

FinnyKnits said...

I'm going to be the outlier here and say I actually DO like to shop - for certain things and ONLINE ONLY.

Like, I would much rather get a Brazilian wax than step one foot into a mall.

The people, the screaming kids, the annoying clerks, the the the I HATE IT IN THERE.

Meanwhile, give me Modcloth.com or Etsy or Threadless any day and I'm a happy little shopper wallowing in greed, I suppose.