shopping story - a bit long

[Shenica]

Subtitled - I was so dumb when I thought I was being so smart.

This is a recent shopping experience, from just before I joined this board. It tells a bit about me, and I can't very will put in the 'what I bought today' area.

I often used to scan through the various sales flyers that arrive here, to see if I found anything I would like to be wearing. I stopped for quite a while, on the basis that I wasn't about to buy anything more anyways, but recently I got more interested, so I started again. One Monday, I saw the ad which I scanned in to my gallery. It is rare for me to see something which I really like, so this really caught my attention. I had wanted a red plaid skirt for a long time, and what I saw was a red plaid skirt and red sweater. Thought "I have to get that outfit". I have never had that kind of desire before. All of my purchases had been odd items, and usually from clearance racks.

This company's stores are small, like a very junior target or wal-mart, and they serve the smaller communities. Fortunately, there was a store close by. I saw the promotion - styles were right, but colours were wrong, and I wanted that exact outfit. (yes I tend to be obsessive/compulsive) There was another store a few miles further, so I stopped in there as well, Same problem - the skirts were pink or 'something not exactly red'. I was annoyed at the store for not having stock in the colour I wanted.

I went through my usual 'got to have it' 'don't need it' 'can't afford to spend on this kind of stuff' ritual, but this time decided to get the outfit.

Next day I went into the store. They didn't have my size in the red sweater, so I got a cream coloured one. Pondered the pink skirt, but decided on the other one, and found a size 14 (might fit, if it is designed to fit at the hips like most styles)
I went to the mens wear, found a pair of jeans, piled everything up, found a sales clerk & asked 'may I try on these jeans' She said 'of course' without any hesitation & unlocked the change rooms. If she had asked to count the items I was ready to say 'I'ld like to keep everything together'. If she had asked to 'hold onto' the things, I would have said 'sure'. Then it would be back to the 'buy it -try it at home- return if it doesn't fit' routine. The key there is to be prepared, so you don't get flustered.

Sweater is a bit snug, skirt is a bit short, but I was in 'buy' mode, even if it was not what I had come in for. When I was paying for it, the sales clerk was much more concerned about getting the right price on the measuring cups I was also buying.

When I got home and calmed down a bit, I took another look at the ad. The skirt was not red. It had a lot of black, and some other colour not quite red. A few hours later, I took another look at the skirt - it was the same one as the ad. So I did get the 'right' skirt. When I scanned in the ad, I took a closer (and more relaxed) look. The sweater was not red either. Well, that kind of figures, doesn't it?

How could I been that dumb, and that blind? I was seeing what I wanted to see, not what was there. Too much caught up in the moment.

So, back to the store, compared the sweater to the skirt - they match, so I got the 'not quite red' sweater. I think it is called fuscia.

So, through a series of blunders I got the outfit from the ad. I thought I was a logical, careful shopper. Guess not.

Photo time. I wanted to duplicate the pose as well. I would say close but not quite. About that time, I joined here and needed a photo, so this one seemed to be symbolic of my state of confusion. I learned how to extract the subject from the background, blur, crop, & shrink with a new photo edting program. That was a good technical challenge.
I still feel a need to get the pose correct - I don't have any idea why.

I am pleased with the outfit, but it was quite an awakening to realize how poorly I was functioning when I dropped into 'obsessive' mode.

shenica

[Virginia]

Shenica,
Down here we have these Goodwill Stores where people take their "gently" worn clothes and donate them, then some of us go in and try and find the nicer stuff. Skirts and blouses are $3.00 and coats run $5.00 and shoes are $2.50. The neat thing is that sometimes stores donate stuff that has gotten spotted on the rack or just did not sell and you can get it for the same price. I picked up a creme colored blouse with the tags but the name tag cut out for $3.00 the sale tag had $200.00 marked down to $150.00 then it had gotten a spot on the sleeve (which my dry cleaner easily removed for $5.00) so I invested $8.00 in a $200.00 silk blouse and I have had somewhat the same luck with some really beautiful skirts. Some times these women will purchase a very expensive item (on sale) take it home hang it in the closet and later decide it is not their style or color or whatever and then it is too late to take it back so off it goes to Goodwill and a healthy tax write off ensues!!!
As for clothing selection, for our sisters who choose not to go out - it really makes no difference what you choose to wear in the comfort of your own home, but for those of us who do venture out, it is a totally different story.
Glad you are getting a taste of what GG's go through and evidently enjoying it!
Shop on girl!
Virginia