We Really Must Shop, It's Our Duty.

Just came back from a little bit of shopping therapy. Took my daughter, Ally, to the mall to buy a pair of running shoes for her. Well, one thing led to another.. picked up a few things in addition to the running shoes at that store and it just seemed to early to go home. We turned away from the doors and ventured deeper into the mall.

Shopping is different nowadays. The malls are not very full, at least not in Rochester. It helps you navigate all the stores more quickly but I worry if this trend continues.  If all the malls are gone and we have to shop exclusively on-line, I am in big trouble. Wouldn't most women care that there is no way to try things on before purchasing?

I shopped last week for a dress for a wedding. I brought easily 20 dresses into the dressing room to try. I did end up buying 4 (will return one) but I would have had a much harder time managing that all on-line. Imagine the ordeal of returning/shipping back everything that didn't fit?

I tried to explain this to my husband the other day. We are hoping to help out his little sister with clothing purchases this summer. I told him that on the day I shopped I tried on dresses in 3 different sizes and depending on the style all three sizes fit. He stared and me as if I was speaking in a different language. He offered to take his sister shopping but would need to know her size. Not so easy, I assured him. She has to try things on. Once you find a style that works then we can purchase several of the same size in different colors but she is not a typical size. She is very short, (less than 5 ft) and not a typical petite frame. Recently she borrowed a pair of my dress capris. They were actually the correct length for her and looked like full length pants.

I think I totally discouraged him from shopping solo without me to help. This is a complicated process. Even today shopping with my Allygirl, we discovered that she needed a different size in something quite simple to purchase.

 But it just proves we need to be able to try things on. I hope the malls can survive the internet era. "Going Shopping" but just sitting at the computer is just not the same. I will do my part this summer to keep the malls happy. Perhaps we all should!