I don't think I've ever bought a coat in my life without my mother

[conuly]

I don't really like clothes shopping, and most things I now order online. I know the brands and sizes that I like, and I just get those.

Stores always seem to overstimulate, between the lighting and the noise and the waiting on line for the changing room and the fact that I have sensitivities to certain fabrics and, of course, it's never fun to find out that something that looked good on the rack does not look good on you.

Sooooooooooo I mostly put off shopping until I had to, and then I dragged my mother with me, and Jenn if she was available, and also the kids, once they were around, because if I needed new clothes they certainly did too, and afterwards we'd get food or books or food AND books. Which made the whole thing a nice excuse to socialize with everybody.

Still overstimulating as hell, but at least Mommy could manage the worst of the clothes picking out, leaving me with the clothes trying on.

Anyway, the zipper on my green jacket, which is the last one I bought with my mother and also which looks really great, just broke.

I offered Eva the chance to fix it before I drag it to a dry cleaner or tailor shop or whatever. She's been doing a lot of sewing and could actually use more practice with zippers, and she promised that if she decides it's above her skill level she'll tell me before she screws it up, and I believe her.

Comments

[sabotabby]

Ouch. I think about these things sometimes. I’ve never bought a coat with my mom either, and I pray I won’t have to any time soon. I hope Eva can manage to fix it.

[redbird]

I gave in and replaced a coat with Really Good Pockets because it no longer fit me, and I wish the problem had been something fixable like a zipper.

[the_siobhan]

I haaaaaaaaaaaaate clothes shopping for all those reasons.

I have had the "why don't you just buy online" conversation with the ex more times than I can count. But even if I can figure out the sizing, I hate the way some fabrics feel and there doesn't seem to be an easy way to figure out how sheer it's going to be or how it's going to hang (or cling) based only an an online photo.

[malada]

"Stores always seem to overstimulate,"

If stores overstimulate *never* visit a casino. I was in the slot machine room for fifteen minutes it was hell.


"it's never fun to find out that something that looked good on the rack does not look good on you."

Me and stretch pants. OMG. LOL. Baggy jeans for me, please.

It's better to have someone to shop with you who can tolerate the stimulation and knows how to shop. If I'm alone I'll just run in - grab what I need and run out.

Unless it's bookstores. :-)

[lizziey]

I have fond memories of this. There would be a need for a thing, so we’d trek down to Forrest Ave, and go wherever it was. And then we’d go to National Wholesale Liquidators for little things like Pims cookies (which I still pounce on and buy every time I find them), and we’d go to Hometown Buffet for lunch. ❤️

[conuly]

Gosh, we spent so much time at Michaels!

[conuly]

You should know, btw, that she did keep asking about you right up through the last few months. I don't know if you realize, but she cared about you a lot and didn't stop.

[lizziey]

Oh, Con. 💔 I didn’t know. Because I saw her once at the Ferry and so wanted to run and hug her but when I caught her eye, she made it clear it would not be welcome.

It makes my heart tremble to know that changed at some point, even if I’d already moved away and couldn’t see it. Thank you.

Also I still spend far too much time in Michael’s, and every time I crochet a big baby set with blankets and clothing and toys, I think of her. Every time I successfully save another neonate baby, I think of being there at 46 with you all.

[zesty_pinto]

Clothing is a drag. Still, I push along with it because there's always some other brand that I never realized existed that I end up liking. Carhartt is a really good example (though I honestly found out how much I enjoy them like 10+ years ago).

[adafrog]

Hope you can fix the coat. Shopping does suck.

[bibliofile]

I hope Eva can fix the zipper! Yay Eva for learning skills and communicating well.

Yeah, clothes shopping can require henchpeople. I'd help, but the commute would be terrible.

[sarahthecoat]

gosh I haven't been on DW in months! but Zippers are not that hard to replace in a coat.
sometimes, it's just held in by a couple rows of stitching, and you can pick it out and tuck the new one in and sew it back up. Sometimes it's a lot more complicated than that, and in those cases, I just carefully cut off the visible teeth of the old zipper, and sew the new one in about the same-ish place as best I can. It may take a jeans needle if you have to sew through that extra thick place where the old zipper tape is still embedded in the edge of the coat. Just go slow, should be fine.