For one solid year, I have not taken the time to try on any new clothes. In fact, my closet is full of outfits I’ve not worn during the covid-19 pandemic lockdown. When I went to the grocery store, I didn’t care what I wore because no one recognized me. Especially during the cooler months when my head was covered with a stocking cap. It didn’t matter if anything matched. The only requirement was that summer clothes kept me cool and winter clothes , warm. Now that most everyone will be vaccinated by Summer, I’m preparing to attend social events where it will matter what you wear. I’d forgotten that trying and buying clothes is boring and time consuming. Clothes aren’t fun anymore. .
The first problem is that there’s no place to shop and try things on. . All of my favorite stores like Macy’s and Carson’s have closed. Do you remember those all day shopping excursions that included a fancy lunch and maybe even a glass of wine.? Those days are over, unless you live near a big city. Shopping on line is a real pain. Clothes aren’t the same color they looked like on Amazon.
And then, there’s the way things fit. If you’re a 20 something, everything looks good. Fashion models don’t eat much. But most ordinary women do. And we have a few bulges we’d like to hide. Online clothes may look good, but when you model them in front of your mirror, it’s enough to make you cry.
Now, you’re faced with returns. Sometimes there’s no charge. But often, you’re surprised to find that there is. Bought a pair of shoes for $39 that said “free shipping.” Turned out they didn’t fit. They provided me with a prepaid return shipping label that charged $10 to my Visa. And there’s the hassle of boxing the items and dropping them off at the post office.
Sooner or later, the day will come when you step back out into the world. You can spend an hour trying different combinations of tops and pants to make sure they look coordinated. What a waste of time. I had forgotten the pain of buying clothes and trying them on. Clothes aren’t fun anymore.