I took Little One shopping for clothes this past weekend. Seems she is growing and I can no longer ignore the fact that she is not a little girl. That meant taking her shopping to places were I like to shop.
For myself.
Don’t freak out. I restrained myself. I didn’t get anything.
Ok, I got ONE shirt.
And PJs. Stop judging me!!
Moving on, she got quite the haul: jeans, shirts, sweaters, camis, and PJs (she’s my mini-me, after all). She was very amiable to my advice for once, until it came to getting accessories of any kind. It was like she became a burro. Seriously, THAT stubborn.
Me: You should get a nice purse to use in high school, honey.
Mini-Me: Why? I don’t like them. Besides, I think policy is changing to all-clear bags.
Me: What did you say??
Mini-Me: All-clear ba–
Me: No, before that!!
Mini-Me: I don’t like purses.
Me: WHERE DID I GO WRONG???
She just rolled her eyes and laughed at me. But that got me to thinking (I do that on occasion, you know). Why are most women so hung up on purses, and shoes as well? Think about it: they are utilitarian items that we take to fashion extremes. Shoes are mainly used to protect our feet, and purses are used to carry stuff we need that we can’t fit in pockets easily. That’s it. Most men have under four pairs of shoes. But not most women. It’s like a drug. You get one pretty pair, and you just HAVE to get another, and another, and another until your closet looks like Payless™ puked. And the same for handbags! Witness what happened to me, remember? It’s like a moral imperative. And as I thought for the reason as to why we are so enamored of such accessories, I finally came to a not-very-flattering conclusion:
We buy the purses and the shoes in order to justify purchasing the outfit.
Tell me I’m wrong. Someone, PLEASE tell me I’m wrong!!
Because the shirt I bought this weekend really goes well with my new sandals, and I’m hoping I’m not that shallow 😀
Sithy Things 
June 23rd, 2014 at 10:53 AM
I have three pairs of shoes. Two are Oxford that were issued to me, and running shoes that I only use for running. And I have about seven pairs of boots that I was allowed to keep when I left the Navy.
Someday, I will buy shoes. I’m gonna keep telling myself that until I believe it.
June 23rd, 2014 at 10:58 AM
Just don’t say that out loud where the Mrs. can hear it 😉
June 23rd, 2014 at 11:35 AM
use your phone to take pictures of your shoes and purses. when shopping you can look at the pictures to find outfits that match what you have and save money to buy more clothes. unless the shoes are to die for. 😉
June 23rd, 2014 at 2:24 PM
Stop using logic against me 😉
June 23rd, 2014 at 5:03 PM
Men all over the world are secretly smiling at this post, Lady Sith.
June 24th, 2014 at 7:19 AM
Smiling through their tears, you mean 😉
June 25th, 2014 at 6:21 PM
Tears…no. Waterfalls…yes. I own two pairs of dress shoes, good running shoes and work-in-the-garden running shoes. And flip flops. That works for me.
June 23rd, 2014 at 5:54 PM
I think maybe we just use shopping for A to justify shopping for B. Purse = shoes. Shoes = shirt. Shirt = pants. Pants = purse.
I didn’t get the shoe urge till way after college. Nor the purse thing. Once I realized it was handy and nice to have things with me like Kleenex and aspirin, purses became a thing I carried since backpacks were no longer necessary for all the books. I still have way fewer purses than most women I have talked to. I think that is laziness, though, coupled with an engineer-OCD-type of need to have everything match.
June 24th, 2014 at 7:14 AM
Yes, the matching thing is a kryptonite of sorts 🙂
June 23rd, 2014 at 6:03 PM
What is this shopping of which you speak?
June 24th, 2014 at 7:15 AM
It’s a women’s sport. So I hear.
June 28th, 2014 at 8:43 PM
And from what I’ve seen, its a full-contact no-holds-barred European-rugby-teams-shudder-at-the-violence sport.
June 30th, 2014 at 7:36 AM
I wish it were THAT easy.
June 23rd, 2014 at 6:46 PM
Some things we men don’t need to know, and that little tidbit of information about how chicks rationalize purchases… it’s just too dark.
Damn, men are simple creatures in comparison.
June 24th, 2014 at 7:16 AM
Yes indeed they are. Just ignore what you read here. Go and build a lava fall on Minecraft™ 😀
June 24th, 2014 at 8:42 AM
If automobiles, trucks, ATVs, etc were inexpensive, every home would have a six car (or more) garage.
women have accessories, men have toys.
June 24th, 2014 at 8:43 AM
Never checked out the price for a pair of Louboutins, have you? 😉
June 24th, 2014 at 11:55 AM
I want a pair…just for pictures! Black peep toes. That’s it
June 24th, 2014 at 11:54 AM
I have to admit…my shoe purchasing has changed…the must be comfortable…and pretty. Doesn’t leave a lot of choices. I usually wear them until they duy. Purses…I like good leather but plain and classic. I have a black, brown and red purse I switch up. A few other small going out purses.
But makeup. If I live til 80 and never buy another eyeshadow and attempted to apply makeup 3x a day…I’d still have enough.
The DH had to buy new casual shoes after Ron made fun of his Keens and called them “sandals”. Smh
June 25th, 2014 at 9:07 AM
I have to laugh at the makeup comment because you are enabling me 😀
June 24th, 2014 at 9:29 PM
My oldest is a purse-hoarder. She’s probably a shoe-hoarder too, but I’m not sure. I just know I saw all her purses in a pile once, and it was a really big pile. Scary big.
June 25th, 2014 at 9:00 AM
My sister just purged about a dozen handbags. To make room for more. 😀
June 30th, 2014 at 11:30 AM
Purses = Crack for women.
July 5th, 2014 at 11:34 AM
I have two purses that I bought and one of my mom’s. I hate buying shoes and clothes, mainly because there’s nothing in the stores that fit. If I weren’t so cheap, I would pay someone to shop for me.