“Let’s go shopping!” that’s what I heard over the phone last weekend from my best friend. Well, not being one to turn that offer down, I pick her up and we’re off to Kohl’s, her favorite store. I wander around the store with her, not seeing anything I necessarily wanted to buy, but watched as she picked up one item after the other, listening as she told me where she was going to wear it and how great it would look with such and such items. She’s going through so fast that I failed to notice how she wasn’t trying these items on.
Finally we have an entire cart of clothing for her, and I mention, “Hey, are you going try all this on?” Nope. She was certain that the items fit her. After all, she knew the brand, she knew her size. I smile, nod and decide that some people just need to learn the lessons the hard way, and that I had no right to impede upon that education. We checkout, spending too much money on items that she was sure fit, but that I was less than thrilled about returning later, when they didn’t fit.
We talk a lot during the week. A LOT! Monday came, and she was telling me about how one shift didn’t fit right. Tuesday was a pair of jeans, Wendsday she didn’t wear her new clothes, Thursday was a pair of shoes, Friday she tried everything on and garnered a pile that she has to return. This weekend was spent returning the items and exchanging them for different sizes that she actually tried on. Lesson learned.
What can you take from this story? Well, hopefully the same lesson my friend took home, which was to try everything on. You may think you are saving time buy buying items without trying them on, you may even think you “know” your size. However, with all the different materials, cuts and styles out there, what is a size 8 and fit perfectly in one outfit can be a size 8 and way too small in other style. Take the minute, try on the outfit. After all, isn’t that half the fun of shopping with your best friend? Getting out of the dressing room and looking all goofy? I know that’s my favorite part.