Manic Monday, Part 1 (Nordstrom)

“Have to catch an early train.

Got to be to work by nine.

And if I had an aeroplane.

I still couldn’t make it on time.

‘Cause it takes me so long.

(Oh, oh)Just to figure out what I’m gonna wear.

Blame it on the train.

But the boss is already there”

Manic Monday, The Bangles (song written by Prince)

I think we can all relate to the lament about taking so long to figure out what to wear. I know I have more clothes than opportunities to wear them out–yet I’m always on the lookout for something new to wear.

In mid-September I wanted/needed a day out after a busy week of golf, coaching tennis, helping with a neighborhood party, and a three hour triathlon. What better way to recover than walking around a mall in heels? My usual choice for a day out is a day of retail therapy, or at least trying stuff on and seeing if anything sticks.

While texting with my GG friend Michelle to see if she was available to meet (she is generally off work on Mondays), she texted back she was at a doctor’s appointment with her (now ex) boyfriend, but did I want to meet at a restaurant for lunch? I said sure. I stopped at Nordstrom Rack and tried a few things on, and then we met at a restaurant I had been to a couple of times before as Dee, and had a nice lunch. When the (now ex) boyfriend needed to get home. I offered to take Michelle home so we could stop (and shop) at the St. Louis Galleria, and she was happy to accept. 

****One aside before I finish the rest of the story. Before we departed, Michelle and I went to use the (ladies, of course) restroom (girls go in pairs). While in the stalls, Michelle tried to engage me in conversation. I usually go silent, and explain afterwards when we have left the restroom that I didn’t say anything because I don’t want other women in the loo hearing my guy voice.****

I wore my latest buy, button fly jeans, along with a top I like. I prefer dresses, but I do have a number of jeans and tops that I occasionally wear, to blend in a little better. Before we went into the store, Michelle put on a summer dress I had brought along in case it was too warm for jeans, because Michelle didn’t like the dress she had on. She changed in the mall parking garage; for once it wasn’t ME doing the car change thing. Trust me, it’s nice to know that someone who is freakin’ gorgeous both likes wearing and fits into your clothes.

We started at Nordstrom and selected things to try on. We are similar sizes–she might be slightly taller than me and is a little smaller than me–so we tried on different dresses, some for her, some for me, some for both of us. We would pop out of our adjoining change rooms and find a mirror and take pictures. In a previous lifetime, Michelle was a model, so she is a natural for the camera.

I always tease Michelle that she has two colors; black and black. I remind her if I can wear bolder colors, so can she. Funny how she makes the clothes look better than I do, though.
After about an hour of playing and posing, we returned our try-ons to the racks. I generally return everything I try on to the racks, so the SA’s don’t have to–that made me a popular customer in the olden days when Nordstrom actually had lots of SAs. We still had time, so we headed for Michelle’s choice, a Free People store, where we had more fun–and you will read about that next Sun-Dee.