Some Things I Learned While Shopping
I don't know about shopping in Miami. I mean, I got some sweet stuff last weekend - but shopping in the citay is a little different than, say, the Englewood Goodwill Superstore. My bumpkinitude comes out when I find myself next to a display of Manolo Blahniks or thousand-dollar jackets. Looking is fine, but then, the salespeople appear. Pushy, hyper-attentive salespeople. This is when I make my uncomfortable exit.
There are two types of shoppers in the world: those who like to be helped, and those who very decidedly do not. I do not. You know, it's thrill of the chase and all, slinging my prize finds over one arm like so many spoils of victory, guarding my laden buggy (you realize what it means when you are shopping at a clothing store with buggies) with a watchful eye. No assistance needed.
I made the mistake of stepping over to the Benefit makeup counter, 'cause I swear by their lip tint and was curious as to what else they had. Next thing I knew, I was plunked down on a black stool with a talkative Cuban lady applying a myriad of unidentified products to my face. In response to my tentative questions about the various products, she gave me one reply: Oh, I LOVE it! When she was done, she handed me a mirror, and, well, it looked good! She shrewdly realized that I was an au natural kinda girl and did me up as such. Of course, then she assumed that I was going to buy all 6 products. Ladies, that would probably have emptied my bank account.
So I opted for 2 items (the most inexpensive, useful, not-makeup-y, and decidedly lacking-from-my-cosmetics-bag items, that is). And it was still rather expensive. But hey. When in Miami...
The rest of this entry will probably be of very little interest to most of you.
But.
I made some FINE purchases in Miami. and I want to recount them.
My new dress:
It only cost $12 and it was the only one in the store and it happened to be my size. SO SWEET. It's very much vintage Florida coast with the bright floral print and halter top. I've been living in it around the house. The best thing is that I saw a dress just like this one in Anthropologie (well, actually it was an Anthropologie dress on eBay) a few months ago and nearly bought it. But I didn't. Clearly fate had a hand in this.
The rest of my purchases (sans photographs, alas, I didn't have the patience to put everything on, and you probably didn't really want to see that anyway) are behind the cut.
The good stuff:
Slim brown Italian wool sweater that looks AMAZING: Regularly $130+, bought for $40.
Brand new raw dark denim Paper Denims, my size, exact fit as my old falling-apart holes-everywhere pair: Regularly $180+, bought for $30.
Grey-blue stretchy lace Maxstudio dress: Regularly $200+, bought for $30.
Beige-brown wool Banana Republic dress pants: Regularly $100, bought for $30.
Black perfect-fitting comfortable snug Free People hoodie: Regularly $60, bought for $20.
I bought some other items too, but they aren't as thrilling, so I'll spare you the guts. This trip to Miami confirmed what I have felt to be true for a while: Loehmann's is pretty much the best place ever to shop. It is essentially a more upscale version of TJ Maxx, with reallyreallyreally good quality stuff at cut-rate prices. If you're a quality over quantity girl like me, it's perfect. I still have stuff that I bought at Loehmann's in high school that still looks good. (The online equivalent is Bluefly. But Loehmann's has better prices by far.)
The other exciting thing about going shopping was realizing that I can wear a whole size smaller in jeans! I guess that's what happens when I 1) have time to get good exercise and 2) am cut off from my daily addiction to baked goods.
I've dropped at least 10 lbs since graduation. Maybe more, but I don't really keep careful track. All I know is that everything fits better, and I look better too. I'm pretty much where I like to be right now - relatively in shape, able to wear what I want and eat what I want. Though honestly, I'd love to be 5 lbs heavier if it would all go to my hips and butt and boobs. I have some friends who, when they put on weight, just get more fantastically curvy - but me, I just put it on right through the middle and in my face, like a slow thickening. Ugh.