Shopping has always been therapy for me. "Retail Therapy" was something I said long before it became a popular statement. I love the labels and colors and patterns that are everywhere and of course, I love seeing that red tag that every professional shopper lives for.. SALE!! Speaking of sales, I adore the challenge that comes with adding coupons, both store and manufacturer, and promo codes so you get the bottom line! My friends laugh and joke with me about my "Promo Codes", but secretly text me when they are looking for specific items (yet another challenge of shopping I love!).
So this leads me to our current situation. Since my spinal cord injury, we have become a one income household. That means, no shopping for this girl. Being the creative soul that I am, I have found ways to still have my "therapy" and spend no money. Some will find what I do odd and perhaps even border line crazy, but to me, and for me, it works. Daily I play a game on my iPhone called "Covet Fashion". It uses the latest designer collections, which you have to purchase with your fake money you have to earn, and gives scenarios for you to dress your girl for. With this game I am able to shop, design and present for others to vote on. I adore it and it passes time.
The other thing that I enjoy doing is shopping online. So this is my process, and yes this happens usually daily as well. I check my email a couple times a day. Typically I get emails from my favorite sites and click on the latest deals. This leads me to a favorite store site, where I shop my little heart out. I find things I like, I add them to the bag or cart and continue this process until I am done going through whatever it is I am into that day. I then go to my "cart" and add promo codes that I have found. I enjoy seeing the total dollar amount drop and see the deals I have just gotten. So how do I save money you ask? I just never "checkout". This can take up a couple hours a day for me and it is my therapy! Laugh if you will, but you get creative when you have this much time on your hands!
So this leads me to yesterday. I was doing my typical "online shopping", looking for summer dresses for myself on Macy's site, and that is when it happened. I found myself saying the following statement: "Oh that is not age appropriate!" As soon as I said it my hand went over my mouth. And that is when I began thinking. I have never looked at any item of clothing as an age thing for myself. I have always just looked, thought that's cute or sexy or a must-have, and went on with my business. Even last year when my oldest daughter and I were shopping at Aeropostale together and she made me agree that, even though we have different tastes and styles, if we bought the same item at any point, we just wouldn't wear them on the same day. In that moment, age never even came into play, I was just happy that we could shop at the same store due to my new and healthy figure that I had worked so hard on to achieve.
So what is "age appropriate" exactly? According to the Oxford Dictionary, "age appropriate" is "Suitable for a particular age or age group." So now I wonder, at what age does this happen to people? Has it happened to you? Is this a society driven thought, or a personal thought. Fashion is suppose to be fun and individual. "Age appropriate" kind of sucked the fun out of my shopping experience. But that also gets me to thinking about my current fashion. I pretty much live in leggings and yoga pants at this time. How "age appropriate" are they? Can you say, "Soccer Mom"? But then I read this quote by CoCo Chanel, "Nothing makes a woman look so old as trying desperately hard to look young".
I am a classic woman that enjoys a classic style and will continue with whatever style I want. I will take that thought that came out of my mouth and embrace it because it will not take anything from me! To me, "age appropriate" is appropriately ageless. Thank you Ms.Chanel for opening my eyes, for you are truly ageless. Now if you will excuse me, I have some shopping to do!
Have a Fashionably Stylish Day, even if it's not "Age Appropriate"!
-House Shoe Fashionista
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