Confession #17 -- I Don't Like Shopping for Clothes

I used to...before I had kids. But ever since the pregnancies, my body has changed shape, and not in a good way. I think what happens when you have kids is that clothing never fits right anymore. They don't make pants that fit your hips and your waist. If they fit up top, the legs are so baggy it looks like you are wearing a tent. Someone needs to invent a clothing store that has cute clothing tailored to the "post pregnancy" body.

But alas. I haven't purchased a brand new pair of jeans for almost 3 years and it was about time. I'm a used clothing shopper. Not only is it better for my wallet, but sometimes you can find really great things. But jeans are one of those things that you either get really lucky at the used clothing stores or you have to buy new. After looking for and not finding the perfect pair of jeans at the used clothing stores, I decided that I deserved a brand spankin' new pair after 3 years.

One of the reasons I don't like shopping for clothes (besides the fact that they never fit right) is because I have two little boys. I'm trying to teach them about modesty and therefore, it's inappropriate for them to go into the fitting rooms with me. That means that I have to go when Peter is home to watch the boys...usually on a weekend. Stores are BUSY on weekends and I don't like fighting the crowds.

Another reason I don't like shopping for clothes is that I'm between average and petite. Average pants are usually so long they are dragging on the floor by 4 inches or more. Petites are just too short and you can't do that. I can sometimes get by with a petite if I plan only wearing my beloved flip flops with it...and flip flops only. I suppose some would say the solution to that is to wear 4 inch heels all the time. But I DON'T THINK SO!

So, on Saturday, I braved the crowds at the mall and went shopping for jeans. There is one little store that I have lots of luck in so I started there. I encountered the same problem. The average ones were too long and the petites were too short. Then the sales girl told me that their jeans shrink a lot shorter, but that they stretch out as you wear them so to get a snug pair. I thought that maybe I could get an average. So, I looked for the size smaller in average. That's always nice, right? But without divulging my size (because what normal girl would...) I soon found that they didn't have any in the color I wanted and the size I wanted. Bummer for me. I hate shopping for clothes.

So, while at the mall, I decided to take a jaunt down to JC Penney because I would never have a chance to shop by myself again...at least in the forseeable future. I don't usually have the best of luck there, but it was worth a try, right? I searched the shelves and racks for the right color and the right size and the right length. I found some to try on and lo and behold! A pair that was perfect. Now, to look at the price. Originally it was $40. Pretty average for a pair of jeans. But lucky for me it was President's Day Weekend and that means SALE! The sale price was $18.99. Even better. But I looked closely at the tag and what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a pricetag with $3.97 written on it. This couldn't be real. Only one other pair of jeans on the entire rack had that same tag on it, so I thought for sure it was a mistake.

I took it to the counter and asked the gal at the register what the deal was with that. She looked it up for me and WOW! It really was only $3.97! SCORE! My shopping trip was a success after all!



But, after all that, I still don't like shopping for clothes.