Sunday, January 17, 2016

Day 17- Shopping Anxiety

Shopping. It is a word that inspires excitement in the hearts of many women. But for me, it incites instant anxiety. Don't get me wrong, I love having new things. But thinking about facing crowds of people, neon lights, and rows and rows of things I may or may not like, or may or may not fit is not my idea of a good time.
The worst place? Forever 21. I went there today when I was at the mall having lunch with my mother in law and the second I walk in, I feel like Alice in Wonderland after she drank the juice that made her little. Not only is it huge and brightly lit with techno music pumping... but there is ZERO organization. Is it by color? No. Is it by style? No. Can you find all of one item in one place? No. The racks are over filled so most of the times I try to look at something, other items fall on the floor. And a lot of the time, things are already on the floor, thrown down in a pile, or slung over a rack. Loose knits are tangled with nearby hangers. Spaghetti straps are all knotted together. And the mother of all causes for my anger is when I get a cute little number home, wash it once, and then have to give it to my kids infant daughter.
Not to say it is only Forever 21 that causes these feelings. Another one that does me in every time is Guess. I figure the ladies work on commission there because even if I am only there for 5 minutes, I get asked what I am looking for about 27 times. I appreciate a helpful salesperson, but I hate being attacked like I am roadkill. The worst is when you say you are just browsing and they start bringing things out to you and saying "This totally looks like "you"!" And I am so polite that even if it is a hideously bedazzled and stone washed pair of jeans, I am like "Oh yeah! So cute!" and then I somehow get talked into trying them on even though I know I would never ever buy them and then I have to Macgyver my way out of the store without being caught so the salesgirl can't ask me how they fit.
Then when I try to walk into a more upscale boutique, I instantly feel like I am in my own personal Pretty Woman hell. Only I know I won't be a millionaire next week so I can't go back in and show those bitches who is boss. So I just walk around uncomfortably, feeling eyes following me and staring at my tattoos. It is even worse when it is a day I am still in my gym clothes or "kick around the house" clothes and have just decided to stop off to browse. But sometimes I want to wear pretty things that won't fall apart!
Let's talk about department store dressing rooms. JC Penny and Sears are the worst. H&M isn't far behind. Things draped from every square inch that need to go back and not an attendant in sight. A cup of mystery liquid from In N Out with no lid in the corner. 18 screaming kids wanting nothing more than to not have to watch their moms try on high waisted jeans. And the lighting. Dear god, the lighting. And H&M decided at some point that we need to see ourselves all the way around so not only can I see the dimples on the fronts of my thighs, now I can see them in 360!
I could go on and on about the perils of shopping. But instead I will say that I have recently discovered online shopping (I know I am late to the party). I do have a weird body shape, so a lot of the time I will find a brand I like, find a store that carries them, go try things on to see how they fit, and then I can order online as I see things that strike my fancy. I 100% shop online for anything I buy at Sephora. That place is another that makes me want to claw my face off. And these days most online stores have excellent return policies.
There really is no point to my post today. I just had to endure about 20 minutes of shopping and it led me into a tailspin and I had to let it out.
Happy Sunday.

19 comments:

  1. Ugh, I used to work at JCP, and the disregard that gals have toward the workers and the fitting rooms. You don't even want to know what we would find in them and buried underneath all the clothes that they would just throw on the floor. People can be really awful!

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  2. I am not a fan of Forever 21 for that very reason. Its Chaos (and too loud), its sad when thrift stores are better organized than a department store.

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  4. Oh, Cherry! You are too funny! The more I read your blog, the more I feel I can relate to you. SO excited to meet you soon!!

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  5. I don't shop in department style stores much anymore. Mainly because most of them have moved out of the poor area I live. It seems to be all about Walmart or Family Dollar around here. I buy about 85-90% of my everyday clothes, online. It's a necessity! If I may make a couple of suggestions.... my favorite place for retro-y pinup-y style stuff is pinupgirlclothing.com I'm obsessed with them lol :p They can be pricey, but definitely worth it. Sourpussclothing.com is another good one. They have a bit of everything there. I've surprisingly found quite a few cute accessories on Amazon. Etsy as well,but I know you know about them, with your store and all. Anyway,hope you can find some online shops you like so you don't have to deal with the crowds and asshole employees, as much.

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  6. We must be shopping twins. I hate stores in general now, but like you, I have to try things on...have switched to custom and mail order, but always seem to have the fit be off, even custom...where is the clothing fairy God mother when we need her?

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  7. Hahahaha! I feel the same at forever 21-- it sends me to ADD overload.. Too many things!!!! I pretty much only shop at thrift stores, online, and at one small and quiet gem of a marshalls.. It's not fun for me either

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    1. I have a TJ Max and a Nordstrom Rack right next to each other that are ok on weekdays. Haha.

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  8. I started to work in the textile Branche last year (development) and since then I started to realise that F21, Primark, H&M and other 'pricier' retailers - mostly every big label produces on the the same Standards. So it doesnt thrill me anymore to shop there. We and my college class had a trip to Istanbul to see the Production places oft Zara, The North Face, H&M, etc. In Turkey. We had time to visit a big mall there. I mean it happend to ne a few times wäre I live, too. That I didnt feel welcome in more expensive stores. But it never happend that the salesperson didnt say anything when I walked in and sayed hello... He stopped talking to another customer / Freund / co- worker and then stepped up to me and stood behind me and my Freund with crossed arms and starred at us till we walked out... Creepy! I shop in thrift stores and online mostly now! I just find it more fun. :)

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  9. I started to work in the textile Branche last year (development) and since then I started to realise that F21, Primark, H&M and other 'pricier' retailers - mostly every big label produces on the the same Standards. So it doesnt thrill me anymore to shop there. We and my college class had a trip to Istanbul to see the Production places oft Zara, The North Face, H&M, etc. In Turkey. We had time to visit a big mall there. I mean it happend to ne a few times wäre I live, too. That I didnt feel welcome in more expensive stores. But it never happend that the salesperson didnt say anything when I walked in and sayed hello... He stopped talking to another customer / Freund / co- worker and then stepped up to me and stood behind me and my Freund with crossed arms and starred at us till we walked out... Creepy! I shop in thrift stores and online mostly now! I just find it more fun. :)

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  10. Here here!! I feel the same in the UK...doing more and more online x

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  11. I feel you. I love (new) clothes, but I also hate shopping in crowded places, which is...everywhere, let alone trying on outfits. It's a nightmare that involves too many people to begin with. it's like I entered a riot, which I did not plan on attending. I shop like a dude,but this means I always miss out on nice sales or it doesn't fit and I hate returning items even more.

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  12. Absolutely agree! I'm only "lucky" in that the plus size section of most of those stores either a) doesn't exist at all or b) doesn't have clothes I'd ever be likely to wear. So I do most of my online shopping with Old Navy and Lane Bryant - especially awesome since both now allow in store returns!

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  13. Target gives me the sweats and bubble guts. I leave empty handed often.

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    1. Hahaha I like that someone else says bubble guts. Excellent.

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  14. Ahhhh I feel you! The messy stores are the worst! You're looking for a fancy thing, and all you see are clothes on the floor, or piled up unfolded. It's disgusting! Some people have no respect D:

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  15. Haha, this made me laugh..I can soooo relate! I try to go shopping when they open in the morning, to beat anyone getting there! Online shopping is brilliant! You can spend hours sifting through stuff and add it to the basket without committing to anything or anyone breathing down your neck..

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    1. The only thing is that I like to try things on! :(

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