So, the older I get, the more I realize how much I really don't like shopping. I remember when I was a teenager, I used to love going shopping. Now, the though of trying on clothes makes me cringe. So many times I've gone shopping and walked out with nothing and felt like it was just a waste of time. More often than not, I'll end up just buying clothes for my kids while I still wear the same stuff; after all, they need clothes since they are still growing.
My other issue with shopping is that it seems like clothes these days are for the young. I have a hard time finding clothes that I feel like I can wear. I'm not old--only 30--but I am a mom. I don't want to dress too young-- I'm grown up, my wardrobe should be too. But I don't want to dress too old either. I'm not fashion-challenged, but I do depend on mannequins at the store that show how you should wear certain things. And maybe I'm being hypercritical, but my waist is naturally pretty high (I have long legs), so I feel that many things that may technically fit me, don't look good on me.
All that being said, I'm really working on it. I'm working on shopping more for my body type and wearing what makes me feel good. My husband and I went shopping at the Camarillo Outlets this past weekend and it was a goal from the beginning that this was a shopping trip for us. No kids stuff (even though we did get JJ a couple pairs of jeans. He really needed them and they were only $7.99 at the Carter's outlet store, so I would be dumb to not get them!). We gave ourselves a budget and just went for it.
We started off at Tommy Hilfiger. First of all, this store takes me back because I remember wearing a lot of Tommy stuff when I was in high school. They even had Tommy Girl perfume out and that is what I used to wear. These days I'm a pretty tried-and-true Old Navy girl, and I do have Old Navy jeans, but I have to be honest: they are pretty terrible. They don't fit right. They lose their shape after about 10 minutes of wearing them and they are just not figure flattering at all. I don't mind the fit of their skinny jeans or Rock Star jeans, but the regular ones aren't doing anyone any favors. My mom gave me a pair of Tommy Hilfiger jeans a few months ago and I fell in love with them. Gary also had a pair of Tommy Hilfiger jeans, but they got a big hole in the knee, so that left him with one pair of jeans. Total. He was in dire straits. We both ended up getting a few pairs of jeans (bonus! mine were 40% off because of a Mother's Day sale they were having!).
Next we went to the Levi store. Gary got a couple more pairs of jeans. I tried on a super cute dress, but once I got it on, it looked horrible, so back on the hanger it went. Here is also where I learned that apparently overalls for those over the age of 5 are back in. I have to admit that while I wouldn't wear them now, overalls were a huge staple of my wardrobe in high school. Everyone wore them and then all of a sudden, they were gone. Apparently, they've found their way back.
Last time we went to the outlets was the day before I was due with Kathryn, so I couldn't get anything because I was roughly the size of a house, but I remember seeing a lot of stuff I liked at Banana Republic, so that was our next stop. I have to say, I was loving it! They were also having a 50% off all women's clothes sale for Mother's Day, so score! I started pulling things off the shelves and racks like crazy. I don't know if it was the Old Navy connection that I was drawn to since they are owned by the same company, but this was what I was looking for. Cute styles, not too old, not too young. And the quality is great. There were a couple misses in the dressing room, but most stuff was exactly what I was looking for. Gary got a few t-shirts (which is what he needed), but they didn't really have anything else he needed right now.
We went to a few more stores and thanks to some unexpected HUGE Mother's Day sales, we ended up only spending half of our budget.
This is probably one of the most successful shopping trips I've had in years. We ended up going out to dinner and a movie afterwards and it was a great day. Even for my husband who dreads shopping! It is more encouraging when you have a different outlook on clothes. Maybe it's a bummer when something that's cute on the rack isn't so cute on you, but it isn't the end of the world. Not everything looks good on everyone, but everyone can find something that looks good on them.
Can't wait to wear my new clothes!
*End note: None of the above applies to bathing suit shopping. Terrifying.
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