Retail Therapy

I wrote about this in my "private" paper journal on Saturday night, but thought, after conversation with a couple friends, that I'd put some of it here, too. It's shallow, possibly facetious, slightly tongue-in-cheek, hopefully amusing, and somewhat truthful. Have fun!

I felt especially shallow all evening Saturday and all day on Sunday. Saturday night after work, I went shopping. I spent more money in one shot than normal for me, and purchased something like eight new tops, a scarf, and a couple of cool pieces of jewelry.

I went shopping because I needed some white tops for work - the dress code at my job is very waitress like - white on top, black on the bottom, black shoes. Then slap an ugly polyester vest over top with a store logo and a nametag, and you're good to go. UGLY! The problem with having to wear white tops for work is that they never stay white for very long - they always turn a sort of grayish color. Plus, if you're working five days a week, you can only wear the same two or three tops for so long before you want to kill something. So, I went out to buy white tops, and came home with three plus several other pieces as mentioned above.

None of this explains to you why I felt shallow. I spent something like $150, and bought not only clothes, but a temporary dose of self confidence. That's where the shallow comes in - $150 for a day of feeling better about myself?? I don't know who coined the term "retail therapy" but it did wonders for me on Saturday night. I put on the clothes that I knew made me look nice - nicer than normal that is, and I felt like a different person. I felt like I stood out. I felt like I would be noticed instead of blending into the background.

What is it about girls and clothes? Why is it that just the right outfit can make us feel so much better about ourselves - so much sexier and more attractive? And should a " good Christian girl" really be looking to be "sexier" anyway?! Do guys have this issue? Can just the right top, or that perfect pair of shoes make a guy feel better about who he is?

The truly funny part about all of this is that I really must have looked nicer, or different or something. I spent about half an hour getting ready for church last night - more than my usual ten minute run a brush through the hair, slap on some makeup and leave routine. I picked the right clothes, styled my new haircut (I cut something like 6-8 inches off my hair about two weeks ago), and headed out. No less than TWO guys who never normally compliment my appearance told me that they liked my outfit and noticed my hair looked different.

So, since it worked, I'm going shopping this afternoon with a friend! No, actually we are going for coffee, but then we are going to spend the afternoon at a number of different shops. She needs shoes for work. I have been on a summer long quest for the perfect sexy shoe - something to dress up a pair of jeans for dinner out, or look fantastic with a skirt or dress. We're going to hit a bookstore, and maybe a couple other places too. Today, though, is not so much about retail therapy as it is about sharing time with a new but quickly becoming deep/close friend. If we get the perfect pair of shoes out of the bargain, so much the better! As another friend would say "I feel like such a girl!"