Damsel Underdressed

Am I the only one out there that hates to shop? Why do I do this? Why do I wait until the last minute to shop for clothing that I need? Maybe it's because I am a single mom that sometimes struggles to find five minutes to myself. Maybe its because I have two boys, currently eight and five, that would rather be outside playing basketball or riding bikes than shopping with their mom. Maybe its because after a long hard day at work the last thing I want to do is take my clothes off in a store and try on clothes that other people have been trying on all day. Whatever the reason, I have got to learn to get over this hatred of mine for shopping.

I guess I wouldn't really say that I HATE to shop. I do have thirty-seven, yes you heard me correctly, thirty-seven pairs of jeans hanging in my closet. If I didn't like to shop would I really have thirty-seven pairs of jeans? Now, ask me how many pairs I wear regularly? Probably about 10 of them. I love jeans! I love wearing them after the first wash, but never seem to like them as much after the second wash. I don't know why this is because I wash them the same way every time. There is just something about the fit after the second wash.

Anyway, back to my original point...shopping. The reason I bring this subject up is because my 20 year High School reunion is this weekend. Because of this, I set out on an adventure to purchase the perfect dress and shoes for the event. I went to the mall, which I hate doing, and shopped for three hours before I got frustrated and tired. In that time I went to ten different stores, tried on fifteen dresses and only found one that would work, but I wasn't in love with it. And because I wasn't in love with it I couldn't justify spending $154 on it. I can't believe I actually tried on dresses. For those of you that know me, you know that I normally don't do this. I like to purchase things and then take them home and try them on. Why, you might ask? Well, I believe that the mirrors in stores are fixed to make you look great no matter what you are wearing just so you will make a purchase before leaving the store. I have found more times than not, if I like the way that something looks on me in the store, I won't like the way it looks on me when I get home. I think most stores purchase their mirrors from the circus. You know the mirrors I am talking about, the ones that make you look six inches taller and thirty pounds lighter. Now if I could just find a mirror that made me look like I had six pack abs, I would buy stock in that mirror company!

I'm mad at myself for procrastinating so long. I didn't have the focus to shop any longer. So here I am at the bookstore writing this silly article. Still no shoes, still no dress. I'm debating on whether or not to just throw in the towel and buy the dress that I am OK with or try again tomorrow. After another latte, I think I will wait and shop again tomorrow.

By the way, did I mention that I didn't have a problem finding (and buying) this cute little top to wear out tonight when I go out with my friends? Why was that purchase a walk in the park? Probably because I wasn't pressured to find something. I didn't need the top, I just thought it was cute when I saw it. Maybe it's the pressure I put on myself to find the perfect thing in such a short amount of time...I never work well under pressure! And if I never work well under pressure then why do I procrastinate and wait to the last minute? It's a vicious cycle and I can't seem to get a leg out. Mental note to self....NO MORE PROCRASTINATING!

My goal is to go to my reunion looking like the last twenty years have been good to me, but my hatred of shopping has somehow gotten in the way. Maybe I should just break out my puffy peach prom dress and 80's hair. At least that way I would be recognized by everyone!

I decided not to be so dramatic and sleep on it. I wake up in the morning refreshed, with a slight hangover, ready to conquer the day. Today, I have a game plan. And that game plan is VON MAUR! This store is a girls best friend! It is my go to for events like my reunion. It has never let me down in the past. I kid you not, when I walk in I am like a kid in a candy store. Within five minutes I have found eight dresses that could possibly work. I try them all on and to my disappointment I only find one that would work. It is a little dressy, but I decided it is worth the purchase. One hour after entering Von Maur I am out the door, dress in hand. Ahhh, my kind of shopping.

I walk to my car and immediately start to wonder if the dress I just purchased is to dressy for my reunion. I let this thought consume me my entire drive home. I am now grumpy when I pull into my garage. I go upstairs, hang the dress in my closet, take the plastic garment bag off of it and stare at it for a good five minutes. I run through every possible scenario in my head. I decided to keep the dress...screw the reunion...I probably won't ever see these people again, so who cares if I am a little overdressed. Whew, what a relief!

I decided to relax a little and check my email. Oh shit! I so wished I wouldn't have checked my email. Low and behold there was a message telling me that because so many people had RSVP'd to the reunion we had to move it outside. Uggh, 90 degree temperatures in July in Indiana. Now I definitely had to get a different dress, something a little less dressy and a little cooler. DAMN, back to square one again!

So it is now Monday and I have taken the dress back to Von Maur. I decided to ignore the cloud over my head reminding me every minute that I need a dress! I secretly hope this is all a dream and move on with my day. It wasn't until I couldn't sleep Monday and Tuesday night that I decided to buck it up and try one more time. After all, third time is a charm, right?

I suck it up on my lunch hour on Wednesday and hit White House Black Market. JACKPOT! The sales girl helps me pick out about 8 different dresses and I actually find two that I really love. I don't know if she was lying and just wanted to sell something, but she made me feel so good about every dress I put on that day. I felt like a supermodel every time she made a comment about how I looked. It is my opinion that they don't pay that girl enough money! It's because of her that I, for once, walked out of that store excited about what I just purchased! That sales girl made me excited about shopping again! And I never thought that would happen.

So it looks like I may look half way decent at my 20 year High School Reunion. I'm just thankful that I won't have to show up in my puffy peach prom dress and 80's hair. And I think my classmates will be thankful as well! Here's to never ever procrastinating on shopping again! Cheers!