I left the store yesterday around 2:00, and dashed home to pick up the boys for back to school shopping before choir.
The boys are efficient shoppers. We went to two stores and got all their clothes and backpacks. There is little point in getting school supplies beyond paper and pencils till they’ve been to their classes.
#1 son made sure #2 son made stylish choices, and I helped #1 son with his choice of argyle socks vs. socks with intarsia sharks on them. Argyle, of course, in burgundy. He plans to wear them with his white sneakers for a touch of vintage-style irony. They are intended to say, “I may look like just another guitar-playing freshman, but I have unplumbed depths.”
#2 doesn’t want his clothes to say anything. He is 15. Being just like all the others is basically what you want at 15.
We were reminiscing a bit about previous years’ back to school shopping. It used to involve an early trip to the office supply store with our collection of school supply lists, then breakfast out, and then the mall for clothing. #1 son took the part of his sister, squeaking, “I’m a girl. I have to try things on!”
Nope, the boys never try things on. They hold the garments up somewhere near their bodies and figure that’s close enough.
Nor do they go to multiple stores to see all the options before deciding and going back to buy things. Bless them.
I was remembering the year that we stopped off to check Seventeen Magazine because I didn’t want to buy the ugly, clunky shoes the girls were asking for. They had to show me that those shoes were indeed the style for that year, so that I would give in and buy the hideous things. The clerk said they looked like nuns’ shoes, and I guess she would know.
The boys looked at me as though I had said something unusually daft.
“You mean girls have a book that tells them what to wear every year?” #1 son asked.
“Boys don’t?” I responded.
I made it to choir with 30 seconds to spare.
you must have this down to military like efficiency…
I can’t imagine #1 son imitating me.
And it must have been me because #1 daughter doesn’t try anything on either.
My shopping is like this:
Round 1
Make a trip around the shop picking up anything that catches my eye in my size and take it all to the dressing room to try on (this includes standing on my toes at various heights to give the impression of heels that I might wear with the outfit).
Round 2
Once more arond the shop to find possible accompanying pieces for the two things I decided I liked, just so I can be sure it has something it can be worn with. Look at the jewelry for good measure.
Round 3
Wander about ‘carrying for size’ the things I am considering for purchase (that is to say, carry it around while I weigh the pros and cons and possible problems with my current wardrobe) until I am certain whether I am in love with it or not.
Buy or return to rack.
Aren’t you glad you don’t go with me anymore?
Grownup boys do have a book that tells them what to wear; it’s called Esquire.
Your children should count their blessings. My children were cursed with a mother who hated to shop and didn’t care at all what she wore just as long as it was clean and right-side-out.
I used to hand the older ones a set amount of money and tell this what you get, go shop, don’t ask for more. I would rather eat dirt than go shopping. the youngest still thinks everybodies back to school clothing comes from the thrift store and all shoes are bought on line, requiring at least one return shipment for incorrect size. I dislike shopping very, very, very much. You are a very, very, very GOOD mom for going shopping at all! kudos to you
we are doing some school shopping this weekend — on our way back from and out of town wedding. honestly, i dread the whole thing. only one of my boys wants to try something on — jeans — so i’m sure the other 2 will be extremely bored and let us know.
We never even got to choose our own clothes until each of us started working! As kids our preferences would have revolved around clothes that didn’t get in the way of tree climbing, rock climbing, rope swinging, and getting wet in any handy body of water. Our mother decided she didn’t want her kids to go around looking like a little tribe of wild things so she always chose our clothes. She even made us get dressed up when we went out. (That was in the days when all kids had Sunday Best to wear to Sunday school) And under no circumsatnces would she let us wear jeans when we were kids.
I have not bought one blessed item. Not one. I am gonna be sorry in a week or 2…
I took the entire family to Old Navy and finished it all cheaply, in one fell swoop.