Shopping Beyond the Windows

Keep in mind my definition of a shopping spree is buying more than one item without going home and thinking about it first. On Friday, after stating I was going for a walk, I did, indeed, go for a walk . . . to the Century City Mall, which continued to remind me of London because of the high fashion stores from which one could, if one had lots of money or didn't mind running up a huge credit card bill, buy really expensive clothing.

I don't like spending money, but I have to confess to a weakness for clothing. Even if (even though, most of the time) my shopping is confined to the window variety, I can't say that browsing in stores like those at the Century City Mall doesn't contribute in some way to my fashion lust. Part of me thinks that high fashion is completely ludicrous--but that's part of the appeal. One time I made a dress out of a curtain. It is hideous. And very chic. If it were sewn better, a movie star could wear it to the Oscars or something. Really.

Anyway, I wasn't planning on buying anything that day. But I stepped into Mango, which I haven't done since I lived in London, and there was a tremendous sale going on, as there sometimes is. That store does have great sales. And there was this cute brown coat that looked great, and my purple coat is falling apart and I've had it for years and there were only two of this brown coat and only one in my size and it was not expensive for a coat and so . . . I bought it. This was pretty daring of me, because I usually only buy things if I can return them after I bring them home and have a second, third, and fourth thought about them. But there was no money back on this item. Then I bought a pair of black pants, to make matters even more extreme.

I wore both items while eating at a Persian restaurant and walking around in Hollywood that night, so that I would be less likely to suffer shopper's remorse. And it's pretty much working.