So I went shopping for the first time in a long time. Like real shopping. I've actually never gone real shopping in downtown Seattle; at least not until now. I've gone shopping in the mall near the UW campus, but I've never gone down to the center of the city to shop. I was... just like San Francisco... I think maybe all cities are set up similarly in terms of shopping. There is about a 10 block radius in which all the regular stores exist. There are mecca-esque versions of all the stores you are used to; American Apparel, Urban Outfitters, Sephora, Victoria Secret, H&M, and Forever 21. The latter two are the stores I went to yesterday with my two friends.
It was exactly what I needed. Don't kid yourself, ladies, retail therapy works. I new outfit and a little (or a lot) less cash in your bank account really can make you feel better. It might not be a permanent fix, but hey, neither is seeing a therapist. If you're going to spend 100 bucks a week making yourself feel better, wouldn't you rather look simply fabulous? Kidding, kidding. But not really. In a world where therapists and prescriptions come in 12-packs on the same isle as the soap in the grocery store, maybe it's not so bad to relieve stress with a new spring outfit (that's not such a crazy idea either, given the marvelous weather we've been having in Seattle lately).
I know there is criticism about our culture's materialism. Madonna said it simply enough, "We are living in a material world, and I am a material girl", but I think Lily Allen said it more eloquently, "I am a weapon of massive consumption and its not my fault it’s how I’m programmed to function". Madonna, Lily Allen, and I all recognize this materialism. And we all embrace it. We aren't niave, but we also embrace it.
I think we could benefit from thinking about things in those terms more often. If you know something exists, does that still make it bad? If I know that drinking soda is horrible for me, but still drink it, does that still make it bad that I drink it? Yeah, it's still bad for my health but you can't really lump me with the other people struggling with America's obesity epidemic, can you? It's the same with this "disease" of materialism. I know I have this inclination, so does it still make me a bad person to embrace it, not fight it.
I spend too much time fighting things because I know they exist as a stigmatized behavior. I tried to deny drinking coffee because everyone is recognizing that caffeine is bad for you. I've stopped doing that. Don't deny yourself things that make you happy. The last week or so I have had coffee any time I've felt the urge and not only have I been more energetic, I've also just felt better about myself because I didn't feel guilty about having it or even wanting it. But actually, I want to return to shopping before I get too off topic because I want to save this for another discussion.
I like shopping. I feel good spoiling myself. I have a job and I work hard saving money. I don't have many expenses with food and housing and school paid for by my parents. So why not feel good about yourself? Shopping isn't only about that instant feeling during the shopping. You have this final product, these new pieces of clothes that you can cherish for months (or years, as in my case, I hate throwing away clothes. I still have clothes from middle school...)
Shopping is a whole experience, and I know I've already talked a lot about it, but I had so many funny observations yesterday that that's really what I wanted to talk about.
First are the women who go into the dressing room with their friends and spend the whole time monologue about what their friends should wear/try on. There was this one woman who went on and on about her friend's body type and what that meant for the clothes she should wear. Things like, "Well you are tall so you would look good in skinny jeans" or "Given this or that feature, the peasant top style doesn't really work on you". After a while I couldn't help but feel like this woman didn't have a clue what she was saying. It was like she was quoting Cosmo, but... like, misquoting it. She was just throwing out random criticism and commentary. I think this is a common phenomenon and I hope to God if I ever sounded like that with a friend, they would bitch slap that right out of me.
Second are the moms who think it's okay to bring their little kids shopping with them. There was one mom who not only had her infant and toddler with her, but had belted them into a double wide stroller and forced her husband to push them around the crowded store. She wedged through clothing displays saying "Momma needs to shop". Oh hell no, you did not just bring your family into a store. Where's your mom? How about your dad? Or your uncle or sister or cousin or nephew. Just bring 'em all. And dad, what are you thinking? Take the kids, the stroller, and the shamed face and go to a park or playground while momma shops.
Which brings me too third: women who bring their husbands or boyfriends with them. "Honey, do you like thiiiiis?" Is not something I like to hear being whined as a boy slouches around with his phone out, playing angry birds. "Huh? Oh yeah, yeah, that's good." Girls, what was the thought process here? "I need to go shopping; who would hate this the most?" Don't you have girl friends who will A) want to go with you, B) will care, and C) will be able to actually give you proper advice. Do you think by inviting you boyfriend/husband along, you'll be able to tailor your wardrobe to his liking? Because A) If he thinks your hot, he think that no matter what you wear, B) if he doesn't think that no matter what, he's not the right guy, and C) WTF, dress yourself in whatever you want, betch. Boys, what was the thought process? Why did you say yes to this? Did she bribe you? Because otherwise, GTFO this store, you are standing in front of the sale rack. My boyfriend will be comforted in the fact that I will never make him go shopping with me. In fact, I don't want him to go with me. Sorry, dude.
Fourth, are the young women who flock to stores in groups of ten, twenty, thirty. At one point I think an entire middle school was in H&M. They are so funny and I TOTALLY used to be like them. Parents having just let you off the leash, you've got $100 in babysitting money, more money than you've ever had in your life, and all you want is a new shirt or belt from, like, the best store, like, ever. Hell, I'm still like that. They arrive in flocks, spreading across the store like some sort of awkward, yet adorable, mob. They are all size 2, and if they aren't they desperately want to be. They talk about everything we talk about, fashion, boys, school, movies, music... but everything you over hear is like an audio-photograph. It's so familiar, but so distance. I can remember what it was like, it was only a few years ago, but it still feels two dimensional.
Fifth, there are the women who work at these stores. They are so funny, they know spot on what look they are repping, usually a bastardized version of the stores look. Honestly, I am more than a little jealous of them. I don't have a "look". I've already kind of talked about projected identity, and when it comes to fashion I get a little lost. But they have this made into an art form.
So those are some observations I had while shopping. I have some more superficial ones, like when did stripes and lace get so popular? Or fucking CROP TOPS that I think are so ridiculous. But those are about fashion trends that don't last. Social currents that will pass. These observations are social facts, they are here to stay, even if they are a little ridiculous, and a lot materialistic.
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