Shopping Experiences

My outfit-posts always come with stories.  I wonder why that is.  Perhaps it's because I'm so eager to do this that I pay close attention to details and then can't resist sharing them with you.  Thank you for indulging me.

The outfit below is a Frankenstein creation.  Its base is the third dress I bought at Soho Girl last week.  I knew when I selected the dress that it needed help.  The ruffles in the skirt are irresistible to me but the top is troublesome -- it is spare except for two tiny spaghetti straps.  A top like that makes me appear to be the starting linebacker for the New York Jets.  Not the feminine impression I want to create. 

So I need to cover the top up -- and I found a perfect item.  There's the story.

I walk around my neighborhood a lot.  There's a small boutique on my regular path that sells trendy clothes to tweens.  Not teens but tweens.  Of course, their sizes run from small to very small.  I always walk past the store and never go in.  I figure, first, they won't have anything for me and, second, I'll look odd surrounded by tween girl clothes.

Last Saturday,  as I walked past, I thought to myself I want to see what they have.  Even if the clothes are too small, even if I get cold stares, I want to see what the store carries.  I thought that'd be fun.  So I went in. 

The store is lovely.  Full of pretty bright colors and lovely girl clothes.  Yes, most things are too small for me but they have a few loose tops I can fit into.  Like the one shown below.  I found it on the discount rack for $5.  When I touched it, I knew I could find some use for it.  Plus it's airy and cool in Summer.

Even better, the salesgirls were nice.  Friendly.  That may sound ordinary to you but it's not for me.  Entering a women's clothing store looking like a 55-year old man is always anxiety-producing for me.  I used to worry about reactions to my shopping in female domains but experience has taught me that 99% of the time the sales-staff is too bored to care.  I get indifference, which is what I've come to expect.  I've never gotten friendliness -- until this time.  The two girls at the counter were friendly and chatted with me.  They didn't go too far with their conversation but it was a welcome relief from the stony silence I usually get.  I went back there Sunday and bought more stuff.  They greeted me again with friendliness.

Anyway, to the outfit -- what do you think?