SHOPPING



I love to shop for clothes. When I do it has three distinct parts for me. The anticipation of the find, the browsing to narrow down, and the final decision from the articles gathered. Each of the parts holds its’ own special fun for me. I could not honestly say that one part is any more fun than the other.

Oh, the anticipation, when I know I am going to get a chance to walk through aisles and aisles of clothes searching for exactly the right thing. I needed a dress for a conference dinner. I could picture what I wanted. It had to be black, with some pink in it. I had many styles in mind, each needing accessories unique to style. This thought process consumes the whole trip to the stores. I imagine a black sheath style dress with small amount of pink abstract design throughout. Or maybe, I’ll get a black spaghetti strap dress, with a pink trimmed v-style neck. Possibly, I will go a little risqué and get a black strapless dress accented by a pink bodice. The possibilities are endless. Even better, no matter what style I buy, each will need its’ own set of accessories. A beaded black shawl will only work with one certain style; another will need silver earrings with 2 inches of dangle, and shoes, (a certain dress will only go with certain shoes). Oh, the anticipation!!

In my opinion, browsing is a unique experience that is only truly enjoyed by a serious shopper. It is truly an art form of its’ own kind. The excitement of being able to walk into a store and see all the possibilities it offers. Ahead of me there are rows and rows of clothes waiting to be explored. Is my black dress in one of the aisles? Off I go to find out, knowing there will be no disappointment if I don’t find it here. All it means is to another store I go. I walk through clothes, eyes pealed for that black dress. I find six dresses that may fit the bill, all the prerequisite black, with pink in them, and off I go to try them on. Now, part of the browsing experience, is dressing appropriately. Slip off shoes, shirts that have no buttons, and pants that I don’t have to fight with to get on and off are the attire of choice for browsing. Off come the street clothes and half a dozen dresses wait to get tried on. Out on front of the mirror I go, for a four sided view, back, front, right, and left. Most people don’t realize the body is a four sided object. Six times I do this, and not one is perfect by itself, but a two of them have possibilities. No panic though, this is serious business, I came into it knowing it would take time. I now have to start thinking of accessories for each of these dresses, just in cast one of them does end up being it. After all, accessories can make a so-so dress a great dress. I go through this process in three more stores. It is amazing how many black dresses with pink in them are available. To the serious shopper, few things can be compared to browsing.

The time has come to make the DECISION. Everything that has been looked at must be weighed for its’ appropriateness. Now, I will narrow it down to three possibilities. That is the rule that keeps me sane. I will not make a decision until there are only three choices. The decision making process has some similarities to browsing, but is really completely a different mind set. The dresses will be tried on again, but now accessories will be added to the outfit. All the while, the end picture is very vivid. The dress, the accessories, and the shoes must flow perfectly. Once all the dresses are tried on again, there is one that can definitely go. Now, I have two black and pink dresses in front of me. Will it be the black chiffon, with spaghetti straps, the pink bodice trim, and gathered v-neck, or will it be the black sleeveless dress, straight cut, and pink flowers on the body of it? After trying both of these dresses on again, with shoes, and all the other accessories, down to the jewelry, the decision is made. I now have the perfect black dress with pink in it to wear to my dinner.

Shopping is an art form to me that is not a complete experience, without all three parts. Having to run in to a store to pick up a shirt is not the same thing as shopping. Shopping involves anticipation that sweet thought process of what lies out there. Then there is the browsing, that chance to walk through all the clothes there are to offer, looking for just the right thing. Finally, the decision is made and out I walk with the perfect find. That is shopping.