I have two friends that I consider to be ideal shopping partners: Tehilah and Audi. Both are driven and intense, perfectly willing to drift away from me for long periods yet never become hopelessly lost, and able to focus on browsing for themselves while simultaneously shopping for ME. And inevitably unearthing gorgeous finds I would never have lighted upon myself. Husband Mike is a pretty stellar shopping partner, too, but his patience eventually wears thin. Tehilah and Audi can shop for four-plus hours. HM poops out after about two and a half.
That said, I generally prefer to shop alone. Because Tehilah and Audi may be able to do four-plus hours, but I can often do seven when left to my own devices. When I am in a shopping mode, I get in the zone. I become so blissfully absorbed in the task – not necessarily seeking and buying, but often just browsing and imagining – that I can spend the entire day cruising from store to store. Most folks not only don’t want to do that, but they simply can’t. And that’s just fine. I feel more relaxed, free, focused, and happy going about my shopping on my own terms.
But going it alone means no feedback, no second set of eyes, no one to gab with when I need to take a beverage break. I may prefer shopping solo, but I can definitely appreciate the merits of shopping with others.
What’s your preference? Do you shop alone or with friends, partners, groups? What do you see as the advantages of each? Who’s your ideal shopping partner and why? How long can you shop when left to your own devices?
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{ 79 comments… read them below or add one }
I dislike spending long hours in stores, but I make up for some of it browsing on the internet. This definitely limits me somewhat because there’s no chance of that brilliant thrift or small brand find — my clothing is, by necessity, limited to what’s available in brands I know about. I’m actually going to try to develop a thrifting/local shopping habit during this summer, checking out maybe one or two shops a weekend (because that is all I have patience for). I know it would be better for me to dig and think and thrift and not just fall back on 25% off Boden coupons — that’s still a pretty expensive way to live.
I always shop with my mom. We do major shopping trips about 3-4 times a year, depending how often I go home. This works well for me financially cause my parents are super generous, but we both agree that we find more clothes: If I’m going to bother with a dressing room, mom will grab some things just to try, that she otherwise wouldn’t and same for me. Usually some of those things turn out awesome! Also, we’re about the same size, so when something is surprisingly cute on her or totally doesn’t work, I can try it on too.
Recently, dad started joining us and he’s awesome about holding the purses and waiting. He’s also really good about stepping away from the cash register when the total is announced as to avoid the “You’re spending how much?” Plus, then we all go to lunch or dinner and it really makes a fun day! (fyi, I’m almost 30. I totally sound 14 in this story. I know, I’m super lucky!)
I much prefer shopping alone. I always feel rushed if I’m with someone.
I can’t stand shopping with anyone else – not my mother, sister, best friend and definitely not with a boyfriend or male friend! I much prefer shopping online than in actual shops, but when I do go to the high street or a shopping center, I like to take my time. Either I’m looking for something in particular and don’t have time to spare looking at anything other than black trousers/ballet pumps/a summer dress, or I just want to go for a casual wander and spend some time with my headphones on, listening to music and looking at beautiful things like glitter-coated shoes and pink prom dresses. Whichever way I shop, I feel guilty if someone else is hovering around! Not to mention that my friends and I dress very differently, and don’t necessarily want to go to the same places. Plus, I know my own style, and I don’t feel the need for someone to provide feedback on possible purchases. Solo shopping is definitely the way to do it!
I actually incorporate both techniques into my shopping plan. I prefer to do scouting missions on my own, taking as much time as necessary, though not seven hours, that is way too exhausting. I go to all my favourites stores, at my own pace, have some coffee and read a magazine.
In the afternoon or at a later date, my partner joins me and I show him only the runner ups which we then discuss and possibly select something. This sort of extensive shopping agenda only comes into play when buying a statement piece such as boots, coats or glasses.
I prefer shopping with a friend or two, I just find it much more fun. My sister is best but husband is pretty good too! It has to be the right person though.
I have a really good friend who I HATE shopping with! She has no patience and stamina and she’ll even leave the store before I’m done! Without telling me. She can only do an hour of quick browsing before she’s over it! I love her to death but it stresses me out to shop with her so I don’t!
If I know what I am specifically looking for I like to go alone – and if I need an opinion I ask a random stranger in the dressing room. Otherwise, I enjoy having one close girlfriend with me to get her honest opinion – plus it is a fun way to catch up on what is going on in each other’s lives. Those honest opinions are extremely valuable and helpful to think through – do I really love this?! Is it worth it? Or am I settling? Though, not all of my good friends can come along with this – not everyone makes a great shopping partner, at least for trips where we have a lot to accomplish and stamina is needed.
Much love,
B
I prefer to shop alone. I never know until it happens how much time I will feel like spending in a store and I tend to go directly where I want or quickly change directions when something catches my interest. These tendencies are inconsiderate if others are with me, so I shop alone. Plus, I simply enjoy being alone. I seldom spend more than two hours shopping; longer than that frustrates me.
I have yet to find a friend with similar style, and similar budget to mine. I love thrifting and will buy something for a couple dollars that I plan to alter, but I am also willing to spend big bucks on nice staple pieces. Boyfriend tries to be nice but poops out about 20 minutes into a shopping trip (which is about how long I last in the music store with him), but most of my girlfriends are purely mall shoppers (where I HATE to go). We dress very differently. My sister is usually a good co-shopper but she doesn’t live near me, and usually wears out very quickly. I don’t mind going alone though, gives me time to clear my head and zone out a little.
Haha, you are my shopping soul sister! I do it exactly the same way! I have a shopping stamina that others dream of. Maybe ^^ In my teens, I preferred to shop with friends, but nowadays I prefer going alone. I’m so darn picky, no one can stand it ^^ It may very well happen that I like something in the first store, cruise the whole city for something better and end up buying the first one
Well, I got a little better in picking out my stuff, but that’s not unheard of with me ^^
Relatable Style
I definitely prefer to shop alone. It can be fun with friends, but usually I like to browse everything, try on loads of stuff and really take my time. Most of my friends don’t take that long, so I always feel like I’m forcing them to wait on me.
i knew i liked you…seven hours of shopping sounds like a glorious day!
For serious shopping, I prefer to shop alone or online. It’s too hard for me to focus and I feel rushed otherwise. But if it’s for others, I like to shop with them and look for them.
for me, i think it depends if im on a mission or not. if i am, i sometimes like to have other eyes and hands to help me hunt down the right thing — but i also make it clear to them that im on a mission and will NOT be sidetracked. thats ME time, even for them.
other times, i love shopping with friends, just to wander around and see what we find. often we dont even end up buying anything, but thats not really the point. its just the time spent together.
finally, like you, i LOVE shopping alone, especially when i dont have a specific goal. love my husband as i do, but he us an AWFUL shopping partner. he DOES have good taste and often urges me into trying things i otherwise would pass by, but after an hour, hes ready to go home. i cant even finish a single store in an hour, let alone the whole mall!
I prefer to shop alone. It’s nice, quiet me time. I, too, get absorbed in my task and my creative thinking is allowed to flourish when I’m not concerned about keeping up a conversation with someone else. I like to touch fabrics and textures and let colors catch my eye. This is harder for me to do when I’m shopping with someone else.
And I’ve recently started a new shopping habit of trying every item on twice before buying. I try everything on once and eliminate any obviously ill-fitting items. Then I browse some more and consider the items I kept and try them all on again, in a different dressing room. I feel it’s more effective than a friends opinion because wearing clothes is really about what feels comfortable to me and what I feel great wearing, not what anyone else thinks about how I look.
Definitely an alone shopper: for the reasons mentioned by other commenters: i don’t have friends with similar styles or budgets. I feel self-conscious about the budget issue as I have more to spend than my closest friend (who i love to go vintage and thrift shopping with AND love to go shoe window-shopping with) and that is simply awkward. I like a little shopping together because if we both get a little something then it is a souvenir of time spent together…. socks, a t shirt, i remember them ALL!
i’m definitely a lone shopper, but i have been known to take a picture of myself with my phone and send it off to my mom or a friend for quick feedback!
I’m a marathon shopper like you. It’s so bad that I have to remember to bring snacks and water to keep my stamina up. Because of this I am hesitant to bring anyone along to shop with me. I am so used to shopping alone that even the thought of dragging someone along with me makes me a little queasy. I imagine it being awkward, having a friend watch me flip through the racks while I did the same to them. Furthermore, 99% of my shopping is done in thrift and vintage stores, and those trips require extensive time and fortitude. Any friends with allergies, delicate feet or impatience with digging would despise waiting on me as I cooed over vintage treasures. I suppose my ideal shopping partner would be a friend who was as passionate about thrifting as I am. That would be lovely.
I’m a lone shopper most of the time. But when he’s available, my hubby makes the best companion shopper. All I do is tell him that I’m looking for X, and he’s like a hound dog on the scent until he finds it for me. To him, shopping is a game– that he’s going to win, by golly.
I have 2 sisters and we typically shop together. While I enjoy going to the malls with them and we have a good time I prefer to shop alone. They have good taste and will pick things that look good on me but don’t tend to pick things that work for me practically. They both work outside the home and I’m a stay at home mom. So while a wardrobe of nice office appropriate things would be lovely, it doesn’t work for putting in a full day of scrubbing toilets and wiping noses. So for the majority of my shopping I go it alone. But for special occasion shopping I ask my sisters to come with me.
I prefer to lone shop. I don’t like the idea of wandering away from a friend for a long period of time to shop for myself, and we shop completely different departments (or even completely different *stores*) based on our sizes, unless, of course, we’re shopping for accessories. (I’m an itty girl who usually has to go to the junior’s department. I feel kind of weird even being in that section in the first place at 27 years old. For some reason, it’s a little weirder bringing friends in there, especially if they’re a little older than I am.)
I’m a pretty dedicated loan-shopper. I don’t mind shopping with other people, and I love shopping FOR other people, but my serious shopping is done alone.
I do most of my “serious” shopping online. When I am looking for something specific, I get too frustrated at the mall. Too many places to look, too many other shoppers, racks are too crowded, music is too loud…
For browsing expeditions, I go alone or with others.
My husband has absolutely no tolerance for shopping. When we are on vacation and I want to pop into the local stores, he gets grumpy before I even cross the threshold. It’s a buzz kill knowing he’s out on the sidewalk checking his watch. If he does come in the store with me, he thinks I am going to buy everything I think is cute. He doesn’t understand the difference between just looking and purchasing!!! His sister is actually the same way. I think they were raised that way.
My hubby is all kinds of wonderful, but not when it comes to shopping.
Me too! I’m amazed at the folks saying they shop with their partner. My husband can barely stand 15 minutes and totally doesn’t understand browsing. He also *hates* to shop for himself and will just focus on one item in one store and that’s it (i.e. I need a shirt. Go to a store, try it on, It fits (more or less). Great, let’s go!).
I shop by myself for the reasons mentioned above (except the 7 hours thing! I’m pooped after two or three!). I’m usually pretty happy with my own judgement on clothes and it’s much quicker and easier going by myself.
First – I salute your stamina! Seven hours of *anything* is a lot of work, and you have a great gift.
For me, I prefer the lone shopping. I buy too much and too frivolously when accompanied by even the most fashion-savvy friends. It’s like a bit of group-delirium : >
Darling husband is not ever a shopping companion. He glazes over within 10 minutes. He will go to Home Depot and graze there for an hour or two while I shop.
Like you, I have a few people I can shop with – not many people I know can keep up with me! I take my time, browse, look at everything, try things on multiple times (not the same things, I just go try stuff on when I have an armful). The longest I’ve gone for has been about 7 hours as well, but that’s on my own.
I dislike shopping in a group because there’s always one person who just looks around and is done.
I like shopping on my own, simply because none of my friends are as into it as I am. I love having friends along to shop with me, but it’s rare and it’s a different kettle of fish. I’m there to socialise first and I tend to gab a lot and miss good stuff. When I am around my Mum (not as often as I’d like) we do shop together as it’s something we have done since I was tiny.
I can also shop for 7+ hours, particularly when thrifting. My husband has not set foot into a clothing store for a long time. I sometimes wish he liked shopping cause he has an impeccable eye.
I usually shop alone, mostly because I take a long time and I am indecisive, so I am afraid my shopping style will annoy other people.
My shopping partner is my friend Katie. We discovered each other in college- we are very nearly the same size (both 16-18) while most of the rest of my friends are skinny minis. We even have the same shoe size! So, she gets my need to sometimes gravitate toward the “women’s” or “plus” section, especially in thrift stores. But the best thing is that while we are the same size, we have almost opposite taste- I go for classic simple shapes in rich and bright colors, while she goes for flowy bohemian things in earthy colors. So, we skim the rack for our size, and we know that when we find something we don’t like in our size, it’s likely that the other will love it! The perfect shopping buddy! If she’s not free, I go alone!
I strongly prefer to shop alone, although I think 4 hours is around my max too. I think I have maybe one friend whom I enjoy shopping with but unfortunately she lives on the other side of the country. =( For everyone else, going “shopping” together is more like hanging out and chatting and stuff, not really serious shopping. Plus I always get antsy when I’m waiting for my friends to try on stuff! (I am generally very fast in the fitting room, and most of my friends are not.)
I definitely like to shop alone when I have a goal. I have a work mentality about it, get in, find what you need or find out it’s not there and get out.On the other hand, I love to shop w/ friends when I don’t really need anything but girl time.
I shop ALONE. I love looking and touching. I can spend a whole day looking at clothes and imaging clothes i’d like thinking about things i’d love to add to my closet.
Sometimes my boyfriend tries to tag along but it ruins the whole activity for me. I also don’t like shopping with him because I feel guilty and a bit embarrassed about how materialistic I am. Shopping with my mom and sister is great and really funny, we tend to hate the same things.
Shopping by myself though, is something I love so much I secretly think of it as a hobby, although I am loathe to admit out loud that shopping is my best and favourite hobby.
ALSO I don’t spend much, mainly spend the day looking and make a mental list for things to scout out at thrift stores. GO early and go OFTEN! yay!
I shop alone, or with my daughter – that’s it. I know my daughter will start to complain if she is getting bored or running out of steam, while I can’t be sure that a friend would do the same. Also, my daughter will be frank with her opinions, and I trust them, while I can’t say the same about friends, whose taste and values are so often different from my own and who may have trouble adapting to my preferences (in short, in the past they have urged me to buy things that I didn’t quite love because they loved them). Plus, my daughter helps me feel good about how I look, and is both funny and practical; there is very little pretense between us.
I am absolutely a marathon shopper. 7 hours is very normal for me. And I almost always shop with my mom, who is the only person who actually understands the way I shop and isn’t driven insane by it.
I prefer shopping alone, for small bits of time at least once a week. I don’t usually have a lot of time to shop anymore with having two kids and a full time job, so I need to be focused. I also think I am plenty critical of myself, and my friends are less so. I tend to hop over to the mall on my lunch hour and quickly go through a few stores that I like. Sometimes if I’m not sure, I’ll buy something and try it on again at home to make sure I love it before taking off the tags. I find when I buy something in a rush that fills a need it isn’t always the perfect thing, so I need to do a little browsing and I happen upon those great items I wear a lot.
I love to shop with my sister. She is at the age (18) where everything in the mall is fun to look at and try on, so I know if I go shopping with her she will probably wear ME out.
But, I bring waterbottles and a snack and let her wander/offer my opinion when she wants it. Then, when we’re ready to visit a store where I could potentially find something, (maybe one out of ten in the mall) I start focusing on my own shopping needs.
We have vastly different shopping goals at the moment, since my sister is interested in cheap, disposable “club” type clothing and can shop the Juniors section of any store, while I’m a size 8-10 and prefer the modesty of the Misses section. In any case, despite these differences, we still have a lot of fun. She encourages me when I’m feeling bad about my appearance in dressing rooms. I don’t see her often, but when I visit, she is fun to shop with.
I shop alone most of the time – because I have no local “girlfriends” to go with me anymore. My BFF, Michael, has pretty good stamina for shopping. He has an objective eye, picks up stuff to challenge me, and likes thrifting as much as I do. But he’s moved to D.C. for a fellowship, and will be moving back out to college at the end of summer, boo. The Husband does not do shopping. He’ll drop me off and nod at my purchases, but he doesn’t last five minutes.
I wish I had some good shopping partners. I think it would be fun to have someone to talk with while shopping.
I don’t last long shopping with friends because I’m plus sized and none of my friends are. This means I can’t shop in the same stores as them for the most part, which means I get to stand around awkwardly 75% of the time and that’s boring. I also don’t have the patience to shop for more than a couple of hours in the best of circumstances, though when I go with my mom we make a day of it, including a fun lunch out and a coffee break in the afternoon.
My mom and I actually do shop well together. We like to share a dressing room and take turns going out to swap sizes and get more stuff to try on. I’m the one who can instantly see if a color or pattern is flattering or go with other items for her or me. Mom’s also an amazing seamstress, so she can look things over with her eagle eye and figure out if alterations would make something look better or if the garment is a lost cause. This is so helpful for apple-shaped me. Finally, Mom taught me to buy a zillion things and take them home to try on and then return what doesn’t work with our established closets and a variety of foundation garments (this matters). Brilliant!
If I’m doing serious shopping, I prefer to be alone. The only other person I really like to shop for clothes with is my boyfriend. He has great taste and I love having the male perspective. Sometimes I don’t mind shopping with friends, but I usually get bored.
I tend to shop alone more out of necessity than out of choice. Both of my friends that like to shop are significantly smaller than me. I’m a size 18-20, so I’m right on that edge of being able to fit in some of the “normal” stores stock but it’s typically off and there’s less selection for me. So when I actually need to look for my type of stuff I have to go to stores that I know either have a plus sized selection (of which there are very few and my friends don’t tend to wear their stock) or go to a plus store. I also tend to start to get depressed as time goes on because of the frustration of either not even being able to look for things for me or for having to pry myself out of a piece of clothing that says size 18 but is too small. For that reason I dislike the advice of ignoring the size on the tag–often that size is the top of a “normal” store’s size range or the bottom of the plus section so it’s not accessible in either a larger or a smaller size.
Others tend to like to shop with me, though, because I’ll pull stuff off the shelf and actually make them try on clothing, and not necessarily what they would’ve picked out right away.
I usually prefer shopping alone, but sometimes I’ll bump into a friend as I’m browsing and it’s great fun to go through other stores together and chat. I find I’m less likely to buy something if I’m shopping with someone else though.
I have only one friend who can handle shopping with me. His name is Alex, and I love him to death. Our only problem is, we make up such wild outfit ideas in the change room that I wind up buying things that I’m afraid to use in the real world. Also, as he is a very tall, skinny man, he doesn’t quite understand my curvy body’s clothing needs. (He also thinks I can pull off anything. Which I kind of love and hate at the same time.)
The rest of my friends can handle, like, an hour. Max. Which is not NEAR enough time to shop, in my humble opinion.
Definitely alone. I don’t have any friends that want to shop as efficiently as I do. I think I’ve mentioned it before, but one of my closest friends (who wants company shopping at all times) is 1) cruelly critical of anything I try on and 2) ridiculously indecisive about anything she’s considering.
I know I only like certain styles and designers, so I don’t spend a lot of time just browsing the other stuff. I head directly to those areas that I know I will like, check out the sales rack first, go through the regular merchandise and hit the fitting room – only once. I’m usually under some time pressure with two kids at home and a full time job, so 7 or even 4 hour shopping trips are just not happening!
I have so little free time that if I get an unexpected free half hour here or there, I have a tendency to hit the shops as a ‘treat.’ Over the last year or so this has resulted in too much shopping and too much spending, so now I’m trying to find a different “stolen half hour” activity.
I have friends I can shop with, and friends I prefer to “browse” with — the time with them is more important than actually buying stuff. I have one close friend who is a great shopping partner, as she will talk me into things when I’m iffy. I’m a little too good at talking myself OUT of stuff, so shopping alone without a goal in mind doesn’t usually work well for me.
SEVEN hours?!? I didn’t know such stamina existed! But for me, shopping is more chore than treat.
I am usually a solo shopper, but my husband is a great companion if I’m looking for something specific. He’s great at the man-on-a-mission, task-oriented trips. For general shopping pleasure, my mom’s a good companion. The downfall there is, like a good mother, she thinks everything looks good on me. It’s sweet, but it’s just not true!
Love the topic!
The other issue that I didn’t see above is when your friends are on the “other side” of the misses/women’s sizes divide. It becomes really impossible to shop “together” because you have to take turns at different stores or sections.
it depends on my mood haha! most of the time i’m a solo shopper though.. great post, btw! <3
Great post as always! I’m afraid I hate shopping in person, I never find what I want in the price I want and if those 2 miraculously happen they never have my size. Online shopping let me find deals and ebay offers unique pieces at steals.
I prefer to shop with someone, but my preferred partner is an hour away so we rarely get together that often. I can shop alone but it depends on my mood on how long I take. I can go for less than an hour to 4+ hours, especially with a good shopping buddy.
I cannot conceive of shopping for 7 hours. It is literally unimaginable to me. But I appreciate the anecdote. My hubby is like the commenter’s upstream, he gets grumpy within about 5 minutes of entering the shop. He has learned to just find a bench and play with his iphone, but it does make me feel bad making him wait for me. He seems so tortured! I like to occasionally remind him that I am not actually a heavy shopper by any standards. I am efficient. I go around once, don’t bother with anything that costs more than I want to spend, and am pretty good at evaluating how well something will fit without trying it on, thereby minimizing dressing room time. Also, I only want to shop about four times a year—so really he does not have anything to be whiny about.
I’m definitely a lone shopper – unless it’s with my mom. In fact, even when I’m out on my own, I’ll sometimes snap pics of something I’m not sure about to get her opinion.
I generally shopping alone – it’s almost meditative for me. However, there are a handful of people in my Iife I love shopping with. I don’t shop with my husband, nor do I shop with people who don’t know me well – I don’t want anyone judging me on how much I spend/don’t spend.
Not that I meant my husband judges me on how much I spend – in fact he positively encourages me to spend!
I prefer shopping alone. I don’t like shopping,but my friends dislike it even more, so I’m usually the one that everyone is stuck waiting on because I want to keep browsing. Since I have started reading blogs, I started thrifting, and I actually find it more exhilarating than retail shopping.
Whom I shop with depends largely on what I’m shopping for. There are about two or three days a year that I go out and replenish the bones of my wardrobe. I am almost surgical in my focus and on those days I fly solo. On the days when I am just looking for the fun little items that update my wardrobe, I shop with a select few friends. Usually we focus more on the lunch and catching up with each other than buying. For just pure window shopping enjoyment, it’ my mom all the way. We just appreciate the art of clothing. She also quietly reminds me when I don’t really need anything new. Interestingly, when some of my family members need to do some serious wardrobe updating, I am often pressed into service as personal shopper . After those shopping days I come home exhausted, empty handed, and with no desire to go out shopping again soon.
I consider you to be an ideal shopping partner as well, Sal. What’s funny though is that if I’m shopping alone I can also easily log 6 or 7 hours. I think it’s always a little tougher when you’re with other people unless you have 100% overlap in where you want to shop and what you want to shop for. If I’m with someone who wants to stop in store after store that I have no interest in, then I’ll lose steam entirely; likewise I hate worrying that people are bored and waiting for me to finish. But also as you mentioned, I like to pick out things for my shopping partner as well as for me, and that has the tendency to wear me out sooner than if I’m just focused on myself. Shopping with friends is therefore ideal if I’m not hunting for anything specific or if I’m trying to control my spending, but if I really need to find a specific thing it’s definitely easier to go alone.
I’m mostly a solo shopper, due mainly to not having any local shopping buddies, and as I get the vast majority of my clothing from thrift shops, I would need a thrift-friendly shopping pal, which, again, I don’t have. I love getting into that zone on seriously long shopping expeditions, where even if I walk away without buying anything at all (which, uh, doesn’t happen very often) I’ve got my head stuffed full of ideas. It would be nice to do some social shopping once in a while, though!
Definitely a solo shopper. Mostly because only one of my friends, Alex, has the stamina to shop the hours I do. Like you, I can easily do seven hours and most of my friends are good for less than four. Alex though, she and I shopped for nine hours once. That was a lovely day. lol.
And I don’t worry too much about having a second pair of eyes. I’m pretty confident in my sense of my personal style and have gotten better at not buying things that aren’t quite right. (Unless they’re bright coral and then I buy them anyway).
I’m the same way, except that I need a food court break and maybe even a granola bar or two. I’m a snacker; I snack often, and as soon as my hunger gauge starts to dip into low territory, I get grouchy. Every garment, fitting room, and sales person becomes a trial.
That being said, I can shop for an entire day as long as I stay well-fed and hydrated. I like the fun of group shopping outings, but I associate those outings with “friend bonding time,” not “setting a goal to find new garments” time.
When I was younger I hated shopping with people, or at all. My friends only shopped in stores that catered to the smallest of frames and my mom only found dumpy looking clothes to fit me.
Now, I can shop for an entire day no problem. My mom has been my best shopping partner but I still have convincedher to thrift the way I do. At least outside of a Plato’s Closet. Unfortunately, we live 7 hours from each other. I have a friend that I am dying to thrift with if we ever see each other again!
My best shopping buddy recently moved overseas on business a few years ago. I used to do a lot of shopping with my mother, but sometimes she is a giant killjoy during our shopping trips. She’ll constantly comment on my choices and she has a pretty old-fashioned sensibility (plus, she wears her clothes on the baggy side, so if I choose something slightly fitted, she thinks I’m trying to look too sexy). Shopping for underwear is especially painful. If I am looking for a lined bra with under-wire, she will, and I kid you not, find the only 60′s style, pointy boob bra on the entire sales floor and try to convince me that it is the only foundation garment I need. So, yeah, lately, I’ve been wanting to go lone-wolf to the mall so that I can spend a good deal of time perusing and getting ideas for outfits.
I tend to prefer shopping with others. I can shop for 7 hours if I feel like it, and so I really need others who are the same way.
I have two friends that are perfect shopping buddies–they’re always willing to go and hunt things down. Both are located in different towns, which also helps too.
It means I get a bigger range of places! My two sisters are always great shopping buddies too, depending on what you’re looking for. One of them is the ultimate bargain shopper and the other is the trendy shopper. My mother is always willing to go with me, which is great.
I tend not to like going alone, because I find shopping to be a very social activity. Otherwise, I just buy things online. I find feedback necessary on the garments I purchase because otherwise I might be blinded by my love for an item that doesn’t flatter me (it’s happened before).
Added:
Of course, to be clear, I do buy the majority of my stuff online. I actually (this is kind of embarrassing) check five different “daily sale” websites every morning at 9am (these are, in order” gilt.com, ideeli.com, seenon.com, hautelook,com, beyondtherack.com). It takes around an hour to get through all of them. I also browse online in the evenings, it’s a habit I definitely picked up from my mother.
But if I’m not buying online, I like having a shopping buddy when I go into stores.
I like both, but find that I’m more productive (in a positive way) when I shop alone. I am a very fast shopper, and I haven’t yet found someone who can keep up with my pace. If I don’t see what I’m looking for at the price I’m looking for, I’m on to the next store right away. But I do like the social aspect of group shopping (but since I’m usually done shopping for myself within 10 minutes in a single store, I’m probably the worst shopping companion ever).
I can go either way but I think I prefer to shop alone. I too can go for 7 hours on a good day. Not even buying – just trying stuff on.
Shopping with friends is more fun, but we usually have rather different tastes in clothes, so I end up feeling rushed in the stores they aren’t crazy about. However, since I prefer shopping at malls, I feel rather lost in the largeness of it all if I go by myself. Smaller thrift shops have always been a happy medium, though, assuming the clothes are at least somewhat looked over for quality (i.e. I’d prefer TurnStyle over Ragstock.).
In general I’d say that shopping with friends is more fun, as long you have time to do other things together as well. It’s kind of sad when I have a a friend visit for a short time from college, and the one time we’ll see each other will be at a mall. Fun? Yes, but not all that great for deep social interactions, unless you count shouting over the table at lunch since there’s so much background noise.
I like to shop alone.
My personal record was 12 hours during a trip to Munchen, with a small break to leave several carrier bags back at the hotel so I could then continue my spree without the burden. It was nice.
I can easily spend hours hopping from store to store “browsing and imagining” too. So, I tend to shop alone. I do have one friend who is the ideal shopping partner though. We live in different cities and plan shopping trips throughout the year.
I’m a lone shopper. As others have said, I feel rushed and/or not as able to zone out when I have to keep track of where someone else is. Though if I had friends that were also “lone shoppers” and we could go and just ignore each other (or bump into each other to share finds), then meet to leave at an agreed time, I’d would be up for that. Alas, I have no local friends and I’m not really on the lookout for any at this time in my life either.
If I’m really serious about the shopping at hand, then I like to go alone. My favorite shopping partner is my husband! He is always honest and often finds things for me that I wouldn’t pick for myself but end up loving. I also love shopping with my best friend, but that’s more a social experience than hard-core shopping. And I love shopping with you! We should do it more often.
I prefer shopping alone. I tend to run around in circles or take forever in a change room and I don’t like the pressure of wondering if my friend is getting tired of waiting for me to finish so we can go elsewhere.
On the other hand, I do enjoy the odd accompanied shopping trip. I went thrifting with one friend and she tipped me off on a beautiful night gown I wound up buying that I’d never have noticed without her.
I guess it all depends on where I am going (only one store, or multiples?) and what I am shopping for (something specific, or browsing?) in the end.
Alone, alone, alone. I zone out, and I enjoy spending a long time just checking things out. I like to make sure that I actually want an item by checking it out and then leaving it and looking for other things for at least 20 -30 minutes (longer is better). If I am still thinking about it, I’ll go back and grab it. Most people aren’t down with waiting for that!
I love shopping with my boyfriend because he’s one of those rare guys who actually enjoys shopping with women. He waits patiently while I browse through the racks, sometimes looking at the clothes himself and picking out a few things I might like. Aside from his never-ending patience, he’s also honest and encouraging about how clothes and shoes look on me. And when I need him to, he drags me away from the stores when I’ve shopped too much. I also have one other friend who I love shopping with because of her awesome tastes. She has a sharp eye and often suggests items I might like yet often overlook. If I’m not with these two people, I’d rather shop alone.
Love you, Sal. 7 hours!!
My Mom is my best shopping buddy. We can shop for 7 hours together. Only problem is she gets impatient looking through racks of clothing. She gives it a once-over and if anything doesn’t catch her eye she’s ready to move on while I sort through almost every, single rack or pile.
My cousin is the worst shopping buddy. If I ask her if something looks nice, she’ll take it, try it on and then buy it!! So I never ask her opinion. If I like something, I take it and loudly declare I’m buying it. This is usually followed by several minutes of stony silence and daggers.
I am in love with your green tattoo, will you tell it I say “hello”! lol!
I’m definitely a solo shopper! I always feel bad if I’m taking too much time at one store or in the dressing room and I always get bored waiting for someone else who’s doing the same. If I have a special event that I’m shopping for, I usually go out solo and get a few ideas, do the whole pull 100 dresses off the rack no matter what they look like and try them all on just to narrow down the style I’m leaning towards thing then…then go back with a friend/my boyfriend/my mom once I have a few specifics picked out for zipper assistance (a MUST when dress shopping) and opinions. That way, they’re not stuck checking their watch as I dig through racks …my boyfriends not a bad shopper, in fact, he usually enjoys shopping himself, but he’s MUCH more relaxed when we have a shopping “game plan” and like your husband, he’s ready to tap out after about 2 hours.
There’s also times when you have those dressing room meltdowns when nothing fits right and you’ve been shopping all day, your feet hurt and you’re hungry but NO! You will NOT stop at the food court because that double decker burrito from Taco Bell WON’T make that dress fit ANY better…boyfriend was lucky enough to witness one of these meltdowns a few months ago and it left him pretty shaken up…pretty sure he thought someone swapped his girlfriend for a mental patient at the time! Sooo, definitely try to avoid him seeing moments like that….those moments usually occur when I’m dress shopping so it’s just MUCH easier to find some things I’m actually happy with/comfortable in and bring him with me to see those dresses specifically and leave him out of the rest of the process entirely.
I had another friend I enjoyed shopping with because we were both around the same size …her about a size or 2 above me…then she went and lost 50 lbs and now wears a size 6. Can’t shop with her anymore. Always leave the mall feeling horrible about myself when I shop with her now.
I love to shop alone. When I’m alone I don’t feel pressured to speed up or if my friends aren’t finding anything to try on in the store. One of my most memorable shopping experiences in a group was when I was 18 and looking for my graduation dress with a group of girlfriends. It was such a mistake, they wouldn’t stay in any store more than 5 minutes because they weren’t really concerned about finding a dress. Now, I’m a very petite woman (5’0 and size 0-2) and finding clothing that even vaguely fits is time-consuming and frustrating at the norm. I shop alone now because it’s less stressful for me.
I like to go early when stores first open. I always shop alone on the weekends. During the work week I usually go with co-workers. My mom and sister as of late do not invite me or tell me when they go shopping. My mom can’t drive and my sister doesn’t make that much on her job so my mom buys her alot of stuff for helping her out and I don’t think they want me around to see that. It is really starting to hurt my feelings. I will even ask my mom if she needs anything or wants me to take her to the store she says no then I call and they don’t answer there cell phones and when they do call back the have already been to the store. My mom says oh i just needed a few things.
alone, sometimes friends can be a hassle
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