I Am Woman, let me Shop

I AM WOMAN, LET ME SHOP

Whoever said money can't buy happiness simply didn't know where to go shopping. ~ Bo Derek

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What is it about shopping that provides such exhilaration? Is it the joy of spending money? Does the thrill of the hunt satisfy some primeval urge? Is it the impulse factor?

Shopping can almost be classified as a hobby, albeit one that requires an outlay of cash or credit cards ready to fulfill our desires. Women shop differently from men. Men like to buy, but women like to shop. There is a major difference. Why is it that something that provides such pleasure for women makes men decidedly grumpy, bored, or stressed?

Some women like to browse alone while others shop in groups. Yet others consider it a social event and go on shopping tours to other locales, visiting outlet malls and specialty stores. Women also shop to relieve emotions, purchasing “feel good” items such as cosmetics or chocolate. That's my bag.

Women are less likely to be influenced by ads and many research products thoroughly. Then there are the bargain hunters who turn manic in their desperation for an exclusive item. They spend more money on gas and more time than it is worth for the "real deal." They haul home their catch like a hunter with his kill, and all this for bragging rights.

Any company that pays attention to women’s shopping patterns has hit the mother lode. Consider the products that have been geared towards women’s tastes – cell phones and accessories in pleasing designs and colours, lighter weight laptops, and even tools made to fit a woman’s smaller size hand. Merchants are always more than willing to lighten a pocketbook in exchange for a product that has filled a niche.

Although shopping via the Internet can be time and cost saving, somehow it does not afford the satisfaction that comes from a non-virtual experience. It is just too easy, and doesn't provide the adrenaline rush. As for window-shopping, it only serves to whet the appetite, leading us into the temptation of impulse buying, resulting in a closet full of regrets.

Over the years, shopping excursions with my mother or sisters have become pleasurable activities for us mainly because of the camaraderie. Although I developed a flair for choosing just the perfect accessory for others, I usually came home empty-handed when it came to myself. My thrill was in the victory of a successful hunt, so for me it was still a mission accomplished.

When I was a teenager, I bought a pair of red slacks with navy trim with my baby-sitting money. Shortly thereafter, while on a shopping trip to the “big city,” I spied a cute top that was such a perfect match, you would have thought it was a set. I cajoled my father into buying it for me, and every time I wore that outfit, it always garnered compliments. That experienced fueled my appetite for shopping. I had a passion for fashion!

When I joined the working class, I purchased a two-piece suit in a subtle floral pattern. Soon after acquiring it, I found a pair of earrings that had the exact floral pattern of my outfit. Whenever I wore the ensemble, people asked me if I made the earrings to match. It started a running joke in my family that I should be a professional shopper. I didn’t go for that, but I did start to make my own earrings!

Many years ago on a frosty day between winter and spring, my sister and I headed to a local mall. We had to park a considerable distance away. Then we trudged through the melting snow; our fashionable cuffed corduroy pants soaking up slush. We filled our shopping cart with everything from pillows to perfume, then headed to the cosmetics aisle to find some nail polish. I bent down to choose one from the bottom shelf. By now, the cart was loaded with merchandise and I had a new umbrella hooked over my wrist. With credit cards squeaking their protest, we paid for our purchases and left.

At home, I suddenly realized that the umbrella had not gone through the checkout – I had not paid for it. As I sat down to consider what to do, my pant cuffs made a funny noise. “What the heck?” I peered down and there were several bottles of nail polish that had fallen inside the pant cuffs. Busted! Although I was embarrassed, I did return the items, but maybe if that nail polish hadn't been such a hideous shade of orange…

What I really want to know is why is it when I have been shopping for over 40 years, I still don't have anything to wear?

Maria Harden
(c) 2006

Shopping is a woman thing. It's a contact sport like football. Women enjoy the scrimmage, the noisy crowds, the danger of being trampled to death, and the ecstasy of the purchase. ~ Erma Bombeck

Story ID:	908
Written by:	Maria Harden (bio, contact, other stories)
Story type:	Musings, Essays and Such
Location:	Winnipeg Manitoba Canada
Year:	2000
Person:	Maria