SHOPPING

This morning I had the rare opportunity to go out to clothes shop, by myself, for an unspecified amount of time. If I look back over the past year, I can count my clothing purchases on one hand, and most of them have been made at a big box store where I eye ball something I think might fit and throw it into the cart, trying to keep a certain toddler’s sticky little paws off of it. Either that, or I would be at Kohl’s, trying on things from the super clearance rack, get frustrated and wander off….and instead of coming home with a sweater to wear for Easter, I came home with clothes for the aforementioned toddler and hand towels for the bathroom. And a candle. And some $5 plush toy that they always sell at the register.

So today, armed with my birthday checks, birthday gift card to Starbucks (thanks, SIL), 30% off coupon to NY & Co. and a morning stretched out in front of me, I headed to swankiest mall in Central Indiana. Friends, I was there, in NY & Co. for TWO HOURS. The sales were so good, the music so peppy, the clerks soooo nice, time flew by. I tried on every style of pants they make to see which ones fit best. I tried on shirt after shirt after shirt. I tried on colors I usually don’t, styles I usually don’t and plotted and planned how to get the most bang for my buck.

Just as one of the salespeople were getting ready to see if I’d like to order in lunch and forward my mail, I was ready to check out. And check out I did. I checked out what was on sale, what I need to buy more of for which promotion, etc. I was prepared to resist signing up for the store credit card, citing the vicious cycle I get myself into, but they gave the most brilliant rebuttal–why not open the charge account, but then write a check to pay off the balance today (I was going to pay with my debit card). That I couldn’t argue with, because opening the card would save me another $24. So, when it was all said and done, I bought 4 shirts (including the style shown above, but in pink, and also blue stripes) and 3 pairs of pants (one of the khaki example, 2 of the navy)….for an average of $13 each! And I did write a check and pay off my minutes old balance before I left the store.

When I arrived home, I was reminded of the fashion rule–for every new thing in, you must take something out. I knew that it was time to face my closet. Now when I busted out my spring wardrobe, I went ahead and organized my closet like one of the guru’s on Oprah suggested to see what you really wear, and what you really don’t. What you do is turn all of your hangers around, and as you wear items and then put them back in your closet, turn the hanger around the right way. This is an easy way to see what you wear and what you don’t. It worked great for spring/summer, and sure enough today as I prepared my closet for winter, there were some hangers hanging the wrong way–from the Spring!! I bagged up clothes for goodwill–clothes that I’m not crazy about, tire of wearing, etc.

Then I busted out the winter clothes (in storage under my bed) and put them in the closet (folded items I just placed them on the shelf differently than I usually do–as I wear and wash them, I’ll put them back normally, in a new stack. I tried on EVERY PAIR OF PANTS in my closet, and the verdict is that 10 pairs fit (including today’s purchases), 5 were too tight, 2 were too big (last winter’s fat pants).

So now the spring/summer clothes are tucked away under the bed until around Easter, the winter sweaters I love so much are in my closet, along with my new purchases. It’s been a good clothes day.