The Way We Shop --- Day 2/48

Walk: Union Square, Mindful Body
Distance: 2.5 miles and take yoga class

So, here's how I shop for clothes.  I try on (quite) a few things in the store, get a sense of what might be a possibility/eliminate what is out of the question, then use my credit card to buy all the possibilities.  When home I try on the possibilities (can be kind of exhausting), tear my hair out, get completely preoccupied, maybe order other possibilities on line.  Finally I narrow it all down to the chosen few/many items.  Then comes the returning.

It's a laborious process but one I've used since having my 10 cent (or whatever) allowance as a child and buying maybe one thing a year.  It feels creative and is fun  - or simply works for me as they say. 

Others do it completely differently. I know people who are completely mortified to return anything.  They just will not do it and seem to have returning filed in some shame category. (Whereas for me it just a way to do business).  Other people have somehow learned the art of selecting the perfect item in the store, buying it and c'est tout.  Wow!  Some buy as I do - ie, possibilities - but then don't return them because it is too much time and trouble.  It is for those people that retail operations  - particularly chains - live. It is for them that salespeople encourage customers to "Take it home; see how it goes..."

Finally, least interestingly and sadly/madly there are the shoplifters and those that wear the items to whatever function they need them for then try to return it.  Some succeed.

Oh, yeah, then there are the (lucky) few who just go to wherever they store the clothes they already own, and take out a different weight whatever for that season.  Ie, no shopping at.  No comment..

Anyway, in preparation for spring/summer, I'm in a huge buy, try on, return mode.  That's also when I often find things in my closet I haven't worn - and there are actually stores which will take the merchandise back after quite a while.  Athleta has a 'forever' return policy - any time, any reason.  So that adds another dimension to the quarterly wardrobe drill.

How about you?

OK, off to organize items for tomorrow's returns....