It's Never Enough, Until You've Got All the Stuff *

A dear, dear friend of mine is getting married Saturday. This past weekend was her bachorlette party which had many blog worthy events, but as they say, what happens at the party, stays at the party. No, today I want to talk about shopping for a new dress for the wedding. I tried to go out a couple of weekends ago, but it was a bust. Nothing looked good. Just wasn't in the mood to shop. But yesterday I didn't go to work and made it my mission to find an outfit... or die trying.

I hit Macy's right at 10 AM. One quick turn around the store found a mannequin wearing the perfect dress. Ah Ha! I dig up a bored clerk who informs me if there's any left of that dress, they'd be over there, in clearance. Clearance!?! Yes! I felt the shopping gods smiling down on me. Was it there? Oh, yeah baby! There it was! Without a thought I'm in the dressing room and I was right, it's perfect. I've been in the store ten minutes and I'm already done.

But wait... What's this? Columbus Day Sale? Now Columbus Day is not the holiday it once was. Mostly it just confuses people. (Where's the mailman? Why is the bank closed?) Sure, I believe props should be given out to the most famous lost guy in history, but if the kids don't lose a day of school for it, then it's just not holiday that's getting much done! But stores will use any excuse for a sale-- Columbus Day, President's Day, Arbor Day. I guess that's Chris's final gift to us, here's the other half of the world and 20% shoes.

But I digress... The important thing is the sale and yeah, shoes were 20% off. So off I go with my bargain dress to find sale shoes. I'm walking around trying on shoes and holding up the dress, when it occurs to me that it would easier if I just put the dress back on. So I do. After a conference with the two clerks and all the old ladies in the shoe department, we all agree on a pair. Then the clerk says, "Now, you walk over to jewelry and pick out the earrings and a pin to go with that." So off I go in the dress and shoes to find the bling bling. Being on a bit of a shopping high at this point, I again got the whole department involved. A sweet woman named Ellen helped me find the brooch, which I took right out of the box and put on the dress. Another woman found the earrings, which I put on as well. Ellen seemed a bit shocked, "You mean, you haven't bought that dress yet?"

Back in the shoe department, where my street clothes were stowed, I got the approval of the crowd. They tried to get me to go pick up the nylons as well, but I had done enough damage for one day. I got back into my civis, signed up for a Macy's card and I'm out the door. I was home by 11:30. How's that for shopping?

* Line from "Shopping" by the Barenaked Ladies