Shopping, Shoes, and Me

I have never been a huge shopper.  I'm not one of those "girlie girls" who has to have a different pair of shoes for each outfit with a purse to match.  I don't feel the need to go shopping when I'm depressed.  In fact, I hated shopping growing up.  And that hatred extended into adulthood.

I'm sure my hatred for shopping started when our family's shopping trips for new clothes was an entire day of going from store to store in Des Moines which was an hour's drive away from home.  Oh the boredom!  Trying on shoes, trying on shirts, trying on jeans, etc.  And when I wasn't trying things on, somebody else was - which was even worse!  Long, slow, boring day ending with a late night arrival back home.  What made the trip a little worth it was that sometimes, my dad would decide to take us to Showbiz Pizza.  You know, what is now called Chuck E Cheese?

Even in high school, I dreaded shopping.  I didn't understand how other girls, including my sister, enjoyed going shopping.  I remember taking one of those trips to Des Moines while one of my sister's friends from college was visiting.  We arrived at a store and my mom told me to go pick out a pair of jeans to try on.  I walked into the jeans section and just stared.  I was completely lost!  I had no idea what to do, how to pick out jeans, what I liked, what would fit, how many to try on....too many decisions.  And I am just not great with making decisions and I often get overwhelmed when faced with decisions.  Thankfully, my sister's friend came to my rescue.  She helped me pick out jeans for me to try on.  I'm assuming the trip was a success, but I honestly don't remember what happened after that.

While in college, I still didn't enjoy shopping.  I never went out to get new clothes except once.  A few of us girls went out and picked out dresses for our banquets.  I bought a beautiful long black dress with a slit up the side.  But this didn't give me shopping fever.  My boyfriend at the time, now my husband, enjoyed shopping more than I did.  Oh the boredom!!  (Did I say that already?)  Yes, he dragged me shopping and I hated it.  I like to know what I want, go to one store, get what I need, and get out.  No window shopping, no looking around, no dilly dallying of any kind.  Ugh...just get me out of this store!

Would you believe my feelings started to change eventually?  And guess when that happened.  When I was pregnant with my first girl.  Funny how that works.  All of a sudden, I had this urge to shop.  Even though the doctor said it was likely a boy, I knew it had to be a girl because I wanted to shop.  This urge became stronger with my last pregnancy - also a girl.  And by this time, maternity clothes were pretty cute which made my desire to shop even stronger.  I started browsing maternity racks in every store...but still not enough to buy anything.  I was a newbie at this feeling and I really didn't know how to handle it.  This doesn't just apply to clothes.  I generally don't like to spend money on myself unless absolutely necessary.  It was while I was pregnant with my 2nd girl that I actually spent money on myself, on my own, with no one there to urge me to go ahead.  I stopped at a Wendy's and bought myself a Frosty.

Ok, stop laughing.

Yes, this was  a HUGE deal to me.  I would have never done this sort of thing before.  I was excited to tell my husband about it - my very first splurge on myself.  What did these girls do to me?!?!

Now that my youngest is 5, I still have that shopping urge in me.  Every year my sisters, mom, grandma, and I try to get together for a girls' weekend, which of course includes shopping!  And instead of dreading it or hating it, I'm excited for it.  I plan what I want to buy and where to buy it and I have fun when the others are shopping for what they want and I'm just watching - or giving advice.  I think that helps make it fun.  Because, well, being that I didn't start out a shopper, I'm not really keen on what's in and what's not.  My husband tells me what I look good in.  My sisters tell me what is in style and looks good on me.  I can't lose.

More and more, I am finding myself wanting to shop.  I stare at the clothes at Walmart when I'm there for groceries.  I even have a favorite store - Gordman's!  I LOVE that store!!  It actually takes effort not to try something on when I'm in that store.  I'm also realizing that I may be fascinated with shoes.  I want to try on more shoes and have more shoes!  Even bags and purses are becoming attractive.  Really, what is wrong with me?  And do you know what I spent my time doing this evening?  Designing clothes.  DESIGNING!  I think maybe watching Project Runway has something to do with that.  But, wow, that is fun!  And earrings.  Yep, I even designed some earrings.  I've had a couple of earring ideas in my head and I actually saw one pair of earrings at the Women's Fair that I was picturing in my head.  So, I didn't design them, but they were exactly what I was wanting - so of course I bought them!  I didn't even second guess it.  Can you believe that?  I don't even second guess some of my purchases any more.  Scary!  Ok, some I do second guess, but usually, I know what I want and what I like and if I have the money, I'll spend it.

Since I'm a fairly new shopping-for-fun convert, I hope I don't become one of those shoppaholics.  Yikes.  So, who's up for a trip to Gordman's with me?  I think I may need some new shoes.