Shopaholic and Sister-in-Law
On Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving), I had the intense pleasure of going shopping with my sister-in-law and my niece. Oh, the joy! Surfer Guy doesn’t shop. Son 1 and Son 2 think shopping means Mom has puts new clothes in your room and you try them on and tell your personal shopper (Mom) what works and what doesn’t. Not a one of them wants to browse, to feel, to sniff new perfumes. And it’s hard to coordinate shopping trips with my girlfriends—many of whom have daughters to shop with and so don’t need me to get their mall fix.
But with my favorite family girls in town, and with the guys occupied playing with the Wii and putting up the Christmas lights, I hit the stores with my female posse and happiness in my heart. I never stop at perfume counters, but my 21-year-old niece wanted to, and so we did. Because my sister-in-law had a yen, we went into a cool stationery store where I would never have shopped on my own. I walked out with several gifts.
We tried on jeans together in a tiny dressing room (niece is a size 2, sister-in-law a size 4, but I didn’t think about that) so we could get on to more shopping quicker and also be right there to critique style and fit. We all bought a pair of pants. Together, we agonized in the Nordstrom shoe department about which pair of Ugg boots my niece should get for Christmas. She had her heart set on a particular style until another caught my eye…and then hers. Now why did I feel so happy when she went with my favorite pair?
Finally, we even browsed the kiosks. I never do that, but my sister-in-law and niece are more adventurous. I ended up with a great hat for my mother-in-law (a straw-like sunhat that folds into a convenient shape, perfect for storing in the boat) and then…
My sister-in-law and I both bought these scarf-covered headbands. There was a big picture of Lindsay Lohan wearing one and it looked so hip! We tried several on and kept telling each other we also looked hip in them and could think of dozens of places they’d be convenient to wear. And they were on sale, the final trigger. Two for $7.
That night, when we got home, we told the (mostly) uninterested males about our shopping success. My brother, more used to the shopping talk, nodded his head a few times. Surfer Guy made martinis. The sons and nephew kept playing with the Wii. And then, after dinner, we all sat around our coffee table to play Texas Hold ‘Em. There was nothing at stake (except pride) and Son 1 and my nephew put on their shades and lowered their ballcaps in order to hide their poker tells. My sister-in-law and I decided to put on our new matching headbands, because, well, Texas Hold ‘Em is hip and so were we. Right?
Right. Until my brother looked over. Rubbed his chin as he surveyed our Lindsay Lohan coolness. And said…
“Why are you two dressed up like Rhoda Morgenstern?”*
So DD Shopaholic Tip #2 (#1 was the Target T-shirt, remember?): Those scarf-covered headbands look cooler in the kiosk than they do on your head.
So tell me, who is your favorite shopping companion? Do you have someone you enjoy shopping with or do you like to browse by yourself?
* Remember her from the old Mary Tyler Moore show and her own spinoff sitcom? I tried to upload an image of her and Blogger would not cooperate.
posted by Christie Ridgway @ 7:23 AM
7 Comments:
Christie - I feel your pain, my best shopping buddy - my sister lives 6 hours away. Here, I usually end up shopping alone or with a friend from work, but they don't go at it quite the same. Luckily, my sister and I meet every year in Chicago for a two day shopathon. We hit all the stores on Michigan Avenue, have drinks somewhere fun, shop somemore and then head back off to our respective homes.
So you never did say who won at Texas Hold em.
Cady
Okay, I'm so sad. I have no one to shop with. I'll have to go by myself. Somehow, I'll survive. Hey. If you can't go with fave shopping pal, you just have to do the best you can.
And yeah, Cady's right. Who won???
Son 1 ultimately won Texas Hold 'Em and he was smug about it.
Cady, your trip with your sister sounds like so much fun. I shop really well with my mom, too, but she lives 10 hours away.
I'm a lonely shopper.
My favorite shopping buddy is my sister-in-law Jane. We have similar tastes in clothes and champagne so we always have a fabulous time! Fave shopping area is Fourth Street in Berkeley -- lots of great shops for clothes and cool furnishings and goodies, plus restaurants and bars and the wonderful bookstore, Cody's.
Okay, Kate. Now that's just not fair. I'm so jealous! Especially about the champagne.
I want some.
Now.
Christie, well, they generally are smug when they win. We played with neighbors last year and Jess played. He had no qualm about taking all my chips. The neighbors were appalled. *g*
Oh Christie...great story!! You had laughing out loud and the hubby looking at me like I was nuts!
I must admit I first thought the headbands in the pics were a bit...strange...but then I read your story and bought into the whole LL mystic too...until the Rhoda comment!! Too funny!!
My favorite shopping buddy is my sister but she's in CA now (married to Air Force) and I miss her so much...they are hoping to move back next year and we are already planning a weekend shopping trip to Boston's Newbury Street...eight blocks of shopping heaven! We can't afford much there, but its so fun to try the stuff on!!
I dont like to go shopping with anyone. Prefer to go by myself so I can go at my own speed.
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