I have to go to a wedding tomorrow, so I decided to bite the bullet and go and buy some new clothes to wear to it this morning. For anyone who doesn't know me... I love trackpants. I love to wear the same clothes day after day and don't care if anyone notices. I have no interest in fashion and am somewhat happy that the standard dress code to anything here is black...But today I was determined to be brave and go and buy something a little more appropriate than trackpants for the wedding. My first mistake was to get to the shopping center at 9:55am. Of course... still closed! So I lined up with the other 20 or so people waiting and made my second mistake of the day... going in to the shopping center at 10am as the doors opened for the day. I have to be in the right mood for shopping and entering a mall at 10am to be greeted by every shop assistant standing outside their shop bowing at you and saying "welcome" just doesn't put me in the right mood. In fact it makes me self conscious and I tend to avoid going into the shops until the shop assistants have gone back safely behind their counters and have stopped bowing.
Mistake number three - trying to find a skirt. I don't know about other countries, but Japan seems to be overrun with tops, dresses and a few pairs of trousers thrown in for good luck, but very few skirts - and even fewer skirts which go below the knee! So I gave up on the skirt and tried to find a top that would go with one of my skirts..... found one that looked really great in the shop... brought it home and I think they must have had one of those trick mirrors in the changing room! It is absolutely disgusting and will probably be used as a cleaning rag!
Mistake number ... I've already lost count...... trying yet again to buy a pair of shoes. I finally found the "big shoe" section where they had a total of 4 pairs of shoes that would have fit me - just. In the end I bought a pair that had no backs on them so I could fit them.... only to get them home and realise that they are absolutely disgusting! Unfortunately they are also very uncomfortable so I can't even use them as gardening shoes.
All in all a terrible day at the shops! I came home, tried on the clothes I already have and figured they will be perfect - wouldn't want to take the spotlight away from the bride! My only successful shopping item of the day was my new sparkly reversible bag - which I think will be claimed by my bag-crazy daughter before I get to take it out the door tomorrow!
I think you are my twin shopping sister. I know how you feel about getting dressed up-I like jeans and have two pair that Masaaki has threatened to hide. I have had them for about eight years and they are worn to threads. And shopping in Japan....I get stressed out thinking about how I am going to buy clothes for my "average sized middle aged white woman in perimenopause" body once we move there. I've contemplated losing 25-30 lbs before we move- but so far the bulge is winning the battle. I really empathized with your post.
ReplyDeleteP.S.- nice bag though....
ReplyDeleteLove the bag.
ReplyDeleteBut can't you just return those other two items?
Joanne, in a word EZIBUY!!
ReplyDeleteAt least you know the stuff will fit. And you can return it. And there are loads of skirts. And the seasons are reversed so everything's always on sale. They have shoes too.
I'm lovin' the bag tho-awesome!
ReplyDeleteDawn
Sounds like the perfect excuse for a trip home to NZ - not only will there not be people welcoming you, you will also be able to fit the clothes, and the shoes and you can be all done by 10am!!
ReplyDeleteI'll second the Ezibuy suggestion. I do all my shopping there, and since I can find lots of bargins as the seasons are opposite I buy more then don't worry about the stuff that isn't quite what I expected. It's worth a look
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice bag. And I hear ya on dressing for comfort. I wear sweatpants, yoga pants. Similiar to track pants type style. They're my "momly uniform" at home. ; ) And that's how I drop off Branden every morning, of course I just stay in the car. I do switch to jeans for the yochien drop off but not a stitch of makeup or anything. I think for formal/fancy days, when I actually have to do makeup and wear something a bit nicer, they probably don't recognize me. ; )
ReplyDeleteAnd I have big feet too. 25cm feet. Normal in western countries but I seem to have enormous feet to Japanese people. : (