Fashion Intervention

OK, for those of you who know me well, brace yourself.  Today I took a day off from work along with my two good friends, Christi and Jessica to go shopping! 

I hate to shop.  Period, end of story.  I don't have a flare for fashion and apparently my body just isn't proportional according to garment manufacturers.  The end result is that I don't buy new clothes until it is an absolute necessity, which basically means that I have an upcoming event for which I have no appropriate attire.  At that point, I usually begrudgingly head off to a mall and walk through several stores and walk right out because I don't see anything I'd actually wear.  On the rare occasion that something catches my eye, I may try it on only to be disgusted with the fact that whomever designers have in mind when they make women's clothes, it's obviously not a woman with a build or taste like me.

After rummaging through my closet in an attempt to get ready for dinner with friends or to pack for a trip unsuccessfully one too many times lately, I emailed Christi and Jess a week or so ago and requested some shopping assistance.  What I got was a fashion intervention! 

My only previous experience with requesting shopping assistance was not a pleasant one.   The week before defending a thesis years ago during college, I set out to a local mall in search of a business suit.  There I stood in the middle of an upscale women's clothing store in Teva sandals, Gramicchi climbing shorts and battered tank top sporting a buzz-cut hairdo, broken and chipped finger and toenails from a recent rock climbing trip and looking a bit uncomfortable.  A well dressed sales woman walked up to me and politely, yet reluctantly, asked me if she could be of assistance.  I surely looked out of place in that store and I'm sure she figured I'd be a huge waste of her time.  I kind of let out a sigh, opened my arms to my sides to reveal my disheveled appearance and asked helplessly "Can you make me a girl?"  At this point, the sales woman's face lit up and she exclaimed "I've been waiting for this day!  Come with me!!"  I can only describe what happened next as painful yet successful.  I tried on endless outfits that obviously did not suit my body type or personality, but I did finally manage to leave the store quite some time later with a professional-looking business suit in which to defend my thesis and present my results at a national conference. 

So when the phone call came last night establishing the time and place that this shopping adventure was to start, I started to get a little nervous.  Both of these friends are quite fashionable.  Christi is off the chart when it comes to girlishness and shoe collections.  Jess isn't quite as far down the fashionista spectrum as Christi, but she is usually put together very well, especially when the occasion calls for it.  And then there's me.  I had visions of that sales woman all those years ago torturing me with changes of misguided outfits.  But man was I in for a surprise today!

Full combat shopping!  No other way to describe it.  Three women spread out between 1 or 2 dressing rooms all in various stages of undress and dress trying on clothes, exchanging clothes and critiquing as we went (they were both shopping for themselves as well as me).  Christi and Jess know me well enough to identify my style (or lack of actually) and only presented me with items they knew fit with my personality and body type.  I'd get handed a garment, get it half way on and be told, "take it off, it's not right".  Another item would come flying my way, I'd put it on, get scrutinized for a couple of seconds and then one of them would be out heading for a different size or color.  Now this is the way to shop!  These two women knew exactly what I wanted, even when I didn't!  They took me just far enough outside my comfort zone to help me see that I don't always have to leave the house in a dri-fit shirt, jeans and running shoes.  After almost 6 hours at the mall and a significant dent in my banking account, I have a whole new wardrobe.  Both Jess and Christi emerged from the adventure with some pretty sweet outfits also!  It was a fun day spent with two great friends, and I won't have to shop for clothes again for many years!!  Thank you ladies, I had a blast :-)