I didn't even like bathing suit shopping when I was skinny, mostly because I didn't realize I was skinny. My self-flaw finding abilities have always been extraordinary.
Is that how you turn a negative into a positive? I feel like it's not.
But I thought it would be fun to find bathing suits for Ironflower, because not only is she actually skinny, she's not prone to insecurity. Plus, we actually like shopping together. I genuinely thought we would have as much fun bathing suit shopping as we do regular shopping.
Possibly related: I don't go to the mall very often.
The first problem was that not everywhere had bathing suits available yet. But I had faith that we could overcome that.
The second problem was that apparently they only sell tankinis to young girls and old women, because every time we found a teen-friendly bathing suit, it was a one piece or a bikini. Ironflower hates one pieces, so she accepted that it was bikini time.
I really do get her hatred of one pieces, why doesn't everyone who makes bathing suits?
But it grew tough to maintain our can-do attitude when almost every bikini we found showed more skin than Ironflower was comfortable showing and/or was meant for lounging poolside, not actually swimming.
On the rare occasions we did find a tankini (Hi Target! I love you!), Ironflower hated the pattern.
In fact, I had no idea how much Ironflower hated patterns until this shopping trip. I tend not to wear them because at my size I'm afraid I'll look like a couch, but this is definitely not Ironflower's issue. I'm not sure what her issue is, but I'm pretty sure I'll wear a pattern before she does.
The worst part was when Ironflower pointed to a tankini she liked. It was exactly what she wanted.
Except it was in the girls' section of Target.
I suggested hopefully that they might have it in a 16. But of course most of the reason we were looking for bathing suits is that Ironflower no longer fits into her kid sized 16 bathing suits. Dammit.
In the end, she found two bikinis - one she can swim in, and one that is probably more for lounging. She's not in love with either one of them, but as she put it, "At least I don't hate them!"
So I just dropped way too much money on stuff she doesn't hate. Great.
Fuck you, bathing suit makers.
Showing posts with label shopping. Show all posts
Showing posts with label shopping. Show all posts
10/02/2013
Wandering Wednesday: Woodbury Common
On Saturday I went shopping with one of my dearest friends from high school. The point of the trip wasn't so much the shopping as the talking. We probably could have walked along a dirt road somewhere and been almost as entertained, but since Woodbury Common is about halfway between us we meet there when we can (which is not often enough).
Actually, it's not halfway between us, it's totally closer to my house. But that's the kind of friend she is; she knows that just getting out of the house by myself is a challenge, let alone driving very far. She claims that it is easier for her because her children are older, but I think it has more to do with how organized and competent she is. Anyway, Woodbury Common is kind of a shopping mecca. Like, there are tour buses that go there not just from NYC, but from local airports. It's an outlet mall, but it has things like a Balenciaga store and a Dolce and Gabbana store.
We did not go into to those stores. We might have gone into the Tory Burch store, but there was a line.
Actually, it's not halfway between us, it's totally closer to my house. But that's the kind of friend she is; she knows that just getting out of the house by myself is a challenge, let alone driving very far. She claims that it is easier for her because her children are older, but I think it has more to do with how organized and competent she is. Anyway, Woodbury Common is kind of a shopping mecca. Like, there are tour buses that go there not just from NYC, but from local airports. It's an outlet mall, but it has things like a Balenciaga store and a Dolce and Gabbana store.
We did not go into to those stores. We might have gone into the Tory Burch store, but there was a line.
Look, it was bright and I was using an iPhone. But you can still see the rope and the door guy with a headset. When I first noticed it, I thought they'd put a club in or something.
Of course, since the only actual restaurant in the whole place is an Applebee's, a club requiring a door guy would presumably be out of the question. They should really work on the restaurant situation, though. There's a food court and a Starbucks and an Applebee's. I don't understand why all the people shopping at the actual designer (as opposed to when some outlets claim to have "designer" stuff, but it's really just stuff from Ann Taylor Loft) outlets haven't complained enough to at least get them to put in a Cheesecake Factory.
Hell, as someone whose only purchase was at the Aeropostale outlet (apparently this is where girls shop when they are over Justice, but I actually bought underwear for me and not anything for Ironflower just yet, as she still really likes Justice), I'd like to complain about the restaurant options.
Not that we ate anything, we were too busy walking and talking. But maybe we would have eaten, if there was a Cheesecake Factory there, that's all I'm saying. Okay, I'm also saying that if you plan to go there, don't plan on having a nice, leisurely lunch to break up the shopping.
Hot Guy says that I came back in such a happy mood that I should go more often. You know, I love all of my friends, but there's something so special about being with a friend who's known you more than half of your life. Hot Guy is totally right.
8/23/2013
Friday I'm in Love: On the Interwebs
Stuff I love on the internet:
I always thought Donors Choose was a great idea, and now a friend of mine is participating! I've known her since she was a student teacher - and I swear she's still got the same level of enthusiasm and devotion to her students. Can you help her out?
I don't like to (or have) a lot of money to spend on clothes and whatnot. But I've also discovered the perils of being too cheap when it comes to buying clothes and shoes (hello, Wal-Mart bra that actually fell apart while I was driving the kids to school. Like the strap broke off completely and stopped supporting the girls altogether. I had to hobble into the building to avoid bouncing.). Enter Zulily, where you can buy quality clothes, shoes and housewares for far less than retail. Some of the stuff is even so fancy and designery that I can't buy it even with the discount, but I've still found a ton of stuff on there. Like possibly too much. (Full disclosure: If you join and order something, I will get credit on Zulily. Darling readers, I really need credit on Zulily.)
One of the funniest blog posts I have read in weeks.
Best parenting advice I have read in months.
This is what a feminist looks like.
Funny, funny, funny - especially if you like The Real Housewives. Or Shakespeare.
Or maybe you're more of a Jane Austen fan?
I always thought Donors Choose was a great idea, and now a friend of mine is participating! I've known her since she was a student teacher - and I swear she's still got the same level of enthusiasm and devotion to her students. Can you help her out?
I don't like to (or have) a lot of money to spend on clothes and whatnot. But I've also discovered the perils of being too cheap when it comes to buying clothes and shoes (hello, Wal-Mart bra that actually fell apart while I was driving the kids to school. Like the strap broke off completely and stopped supporting the girls altogether. I had to hobble into the building to avoid bouncing.). Enter Zulily, where you can buy quality clothes, shoes and housewares for far less than retail. Some of the stuff is even so fancy and designery that I can't buy it even with the discount, but I've still found a ton of stuff on there. Like possibly too much. (Full disclosure: If you join and order something, I will get credit on Zulily. Darling readers, I really need credit on Zulily.)
One of the funniest blog posts I have read in weeks.
Best parenting advice I have read in months.
This is what a feminist looks like.
Funny, funny, funny - especially if you like The Real Housewives. Or Shakespeare.
Or maybe you're more of a Jane Austen fan?
7/22/2013
Mildly Embarrassing Monday: School Supplies
When Ironflower entered kindergarten, I discovered something that had eluded me as a teacher: buying supplies is a huge pain in the ass. When I was a teacher, I often bought extra supplies - many of my students came without. But I bought the supplies early, usually before anyone else was really thinking about school supplies. And since I usually just asked for whatever I found at my local Target, it didn't occur to me that my students' parents might have a hard time finding what was at my (on the other side of the city) Target in early July.
Also, I didn't know what the stores were like the weekend before school started.
But I quickly found out, that first kindergarten year. Every store was packed with obnoxious people. The teachers were VERY specific about brands and types of supplies. Instead of this being fun (I love office supplies in a way that might be a little disturbing), it was awful. We got everything on the list for the lowest prices; but I felt like we'd been through a war zone.
Also, I didn't know what the stores were like the weekend before school started.
But I quickly found out, that first kindergarten year. Every store was packed with obnoxious people. The teachers were VERY specific about brands and types of supplies. Instead of this being fun (I love office supplies in a way that might be a little disturbing), it was awful. We got everything on the list for the lowest prices; but I felt like we'd been through a war zone.
The following year, when Lovebug was entering kindergarten. I discovered that the PTA had a deal with School Toolbox*, where you paid a fee and they assembled the supplies for you, then shipped them to the school. I may have left lipstick kisses on the check, I was so grateful that I wouldn't have to go through the store thing again.
The next year, for reasons I can't remember, we had a different company. Which shipped the supplies to our homes. Which also was late with many of them, necessitating a trip to get folders anyway. There were so many (justified) complaints that I think the program is over.
And now we come to this year, with Ironflower entering third grade and needing things likeyellow lined post it notes
. But I'm not doing the store thing again. In fact, by the end of the week, I'll have all of my kids' supplies. . .even the 3x3 yellow lined post it notes. I don't know if I got the very best prices, but since I'll have everything approximately 6 weeks before school starts, I don't really care.
. But I'm not doing the store thing again. In fact, by the end of the week, I'll have all of my kids' supplies. . .even the 3x3 yellow lined post it notes. I don't know if I got the very best prices, but since I'll have everything approximately 6 weeks before school starts, I don't really care.
It started when the local grocery stores started putting out school supplies. Every school around here starts after Labor Day, but you wouldn't know it from our local stores. Anyway, I was looking at the supplies to find crayons and extra notebooks for their summer notebooks when I realized that the Crayola crayons (did I mention the teachers here are very brand specific?) were on sale. I knew crayons were on the supply lists, so I bought them. Then I noticed that the appropriate folders (plastic with pockets) were also there, so I bought those too. Two supplies down and I hadn't had to make an extra trip.
That's pretty much one of my personal philosophies; avoid extra trips. Especially when they involve duking it out with more ferocious moms in the aisles at Office Depot. But then I remembered that I spend all day on the interwebz. And that Office Depot, like Staples, Target, KMart, Walmart and Amazon, has a website. Problem solved. Especially with a lot of them offering free shipping right now.
The mildly embarrassing Monday part of this is that it took 4 years for me to figure this out. Oh, and I am really excited to get our school supplies box. Like, looking forward to organizing it all and stuff.
*This might not be the name of the company, but it was something like that.
8/16/2012
Aaron Sorkin, Chick-Fil-A and Shopping
About the only show* I've been consistently watching this summer is The Newsroom. Though I swear I'm going to catch up on Louie
and Bunheads after the Olympics are over. In its own way, I really feel like it's just as much of a fantasy as my beloved Game of Thrones
. I mean, the distinguished and filthy rich news anchor starts using his powers for good, with the full support of his boss and entire staff. They just share the facts, they don't sensationalize, they ignore the crazies, they call the liars out. . .
As if that would ever happen in a newsroom today. Plus, the vast majority of the people who work at the fictional network are good. And when the intern screws up, they forgive and promote her. Like that would ever happen at CNN.
So, in my view, it's a fantasy. One that I really, really, enjoy. Many critics hated it, finding it sanctimonious and sexist. I don't feel that way when I watch, caught up in the wordiness and liberal beliefs as I am each week. Plus I think all of the characters are pretty much idiots in their personal lives, not just the women. But I became uncomfortable when I found out that Sorkin himself is sanctimonious and sexist.
I don't understand how anyone who wrote The West Wing
(also a fantasy, IMHO) can possibly think that the last time our nation was great was in the forties, as he says in The Globe and Mail interview. In the forties we still had institutionalized sexism and racism and we locked up people with Down Syndrome. There were things about our nation that were great then, sure, probably more than there are today. But to write off the tremendous social progress of the 60's and 70's as not great shows a kind of white male establishment preference I thought was only true of Tea Party people.
I almost stopped watching the show.
And then I realized that for all I know, everyone who writes every other show I love is some kind of asshole as well. If I refuse to engage with any art created by assholes, I'm going to have remove some art posters from my house as well. And never reread The Old Man and The Sea.
So I'm still watching The Newsroom.
I find this fundamentally different than the whole Chick-Fil-A debacle. The world is filled with assholes who have views I find abhorrent. So the fact that the president of the company is homophobic? Not my concern. Especially since I never eat there.
But. When a company starts giving money to causes I find reprehensible, that's different. Sure, Aaron Sorkin may be a sexist, but is he giving money to the Taliban? The Westboro Baptist Church? The Quiverfull movement? The Republicans? Nope. And am I giving him money directly when I watch his show? Nope.
But when you buy a product, you are giving a company money directly. And while I do believe the company and/or its big salaried executives have the right to donate their money to whatever causes they choose, I don't have to help them make that contribution. I won't be eating at Chick-Fil-A and I won't be using products from the Koch Brothers**, because I disagree with them. I think we should all be doing more voting with our wallets, though I don't think we have to make a big production about it every time. It's like those people who talk about how they go to church all the time are never the people who also actually follow the Ten Commandments.
Anyway, if you are interested in voting with your wallet, Open Secrets is a good place to get started.
*The Real Housewives and Dance Moms are not shows. They are train wrecks, so they don't count.
**If you don't want to give money to the people that fund The Tea Party and lobby for billionaires, you can avoid buying these products. Please.
and Bunheads after the Olympics are over. In its own way, I really feel like it's just as much of a fantasy as my beloved Game of Thrones. I mean, the distinguished and filthy rich news anchor starts using his powers for good, with the full support of his boss and entire staff. They just share the facts, they don't sensationalize, they ignore the crazies, they call the liars out. . .As if that would ever happen in a newsroom today. Plus, the vast majority of the people who work at the fictional network are good. And when the intern screws up, they forgive and promote her. Like that would ever happen at CNN.
So, in my view, it's a fantasy. One that I really, really, enjoy. Many critics hated it, finding it sanctimonious and sexist. I don't feel that way when I watch, caught up in the wordiness and liberal beliefs as I am each week. Plus I think all of the characters are pretty much idiots in their personal lives, not just the women. But I became uncomfortable when I found out that Sorkin himself is sanctimonious and sexist.
I don't understand how anyone who wrote The West Wing
(also a fantasy, IMHO) can possibly think that the last time our nation was great was in the forties, as he says in The Globe and Mail interview. In the forties we still had institutionalized sexism and racism and we locked up people with Down Syndrome. There were things about our nation that were great then, sure, probably more than there are today. But to write off the tremendous social progress of the 60's and 70's as not great shows a kind of white male establishment preference I thought was only true of Tea Party people.I almost stopped watching the show.
And then I realized that for all I know, everyone who writes every other show I love is some kind of asshole as well. If I refuse to engage with any art created by assholes, I'm going to have remove some art posters from my house as well. And never reread The Old Man and The Sea.
So I'm still watching The Newsroom.
Unfortunately, not on this television.
I find this fundamentally different than the whole Chick-Fil-A debacle. The world is filled with assholes who have views I find abhorrent. So the fact that the president of the company is homophobic? Not my concern. Especially since I never eat there.
But. When a company starts giving money to causes I find reprehensible, that's different. Sure, Aaron Sorkin may be a sexist, but is he giving money to the Taliban? The Westboro Baptist Church? The Quiverfull movement? The Republicans? Nope. And am I giving him money directly when I watch his show? Nope.
But when you buy a product, you are giving a company money directly. And while I do believe the company and/or its big salaried executives have the right to donate their money to whatever causes they choose, I don't have to help them make that contribution. I won't be eating at Chick-Fil-A and I won't be using products from the Koch Brothers**, because I disagree with them. I think we should all be doing more voting with our wallets, though I don't think we have to make a big production about it every time. It's like those people who talk about how they go to church all the time are never the people who also actually follow the Ten Commandments.
Anyway, if you are interested in voting with your wallet, Open Secrets is a good place to get started.
*The Real Housewives and Dance Moms are not shows. They are train wrecks, so they don't count.
**If you don't want to give money to the people that fund The Tea Party and lobby for billionaires, you can avoid buying these products. Please.
10/01/2007
Black
I've always worn a lot of black. I think it's safe to say 90% of the time, if I was wearing a two piece outfit, the top or bottom were black. I think I own 10 black cocktail dresses. And trust me, I'm not exaggerating. If anything, I'm minimizing.
Why? Black is "slimming." All women know this, it's part of our genetic makeup.
Lately, and I don't know if it's due to a recent surge of self confidence or getting older, I'm getting more adventurous with my clothes. I wear a lot of red. I bought a Lily Pulitzer pink sundress. And just last week, I bought this dress. No black to be found.
Black may be slimming, but color gives me confidence. A little spring to my step. It brightens my day, and my complexion. I receive more compliments when I wear color. I feel less drab.
Maybe it's time to realize I'm not fat. And even if I was, it's not necessary to dress like I'm going to a funereal EVERY day. Just because your not model thin doesn't mean you can't enjoy fashion. It doesn't mean you shouldn't look your best.
It doesn't mean you shouldn't be happy.
This post brought to you as part of the Blog Exchange.
Jodi normally blogs at Jodifur about mommyhood, wifehood, attorneyhood, and of course dieting and shopping! Thanks to Jennifer for being such a gracious hostess and be sure to click over and see her post.
Why? Black is "slimming." All women know this, it's part of our genetic makeup.
Lately, and I don't know if it's due to a recent surge of self confidence or getting older, I'm getting more adventurous with my clothes. I wear a lot of red. I bought a Lily Pulitzer pink sundress. And just last week, I bought this dress. No black to be found.
Black may be slimming, but color gives me confidence. A little spring to my step. It brightens my day, and my complexion. I receive more compliments when I wear color. I feel less drab.
Maybe it's time to realize I'm not fat. And even if I was, it's not necessary to dress like I'm going to a funereal EVERY day. Just because your not model thin doesn't mean you can't enjoy fashion. It doesn't mean you shouldn't look your best.
It doesn't mean you shouldn't be happy.
This post brought to you as part of the Blog Exchange.
Jodi normally blogs at Jodifur about mommyhood, wifehood, attorneyhood, and of course dieting and shopping! Thanks to Jennifer for being such a gracious hostess and be sure to click over and see her post.
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