« Gappy Holidays!

Shopping Nov 26, 2007 @ 2:55pm

All Shoppers Were Not Created Equal

lindsay shopping.jpg In between dodging tourists and trying to find the perfect sweater dress on the sales racks, we managed to do a little anthropology on our fellow holiday shoppers.

We found they break down into three distinct types:

The shopping friends: This pair seems to cherish their friendship more than the possibility of acquiring beautiful sweaters at deeply discounted prices. More time is spent chatting than scouring the racks, and they frequently break for snacks and coffee.

The advisor-advisee duo: An alpha female or bossy pretty boy guides a less-fashionable friend or submissive love interest through the retail trenches, shoving carefully selected items into the defenseless hands of the companion. If the advisee expresses interest in a particular pair of pants or jacket, the advisor will quickly berate them. The submissive companion mutters uselessly over tight-fitting clothing and expensive price tags.

The serious solo shopper: Get out of her way. She circles the sales rack with the determination of a hunting dog, and will respond just like one if you interfere. But it’s no matter- before you can blink an eye, an arm reaches out like a flash of lightning, and that whimsical Dries Van Noten skirt you were eyeing vanishes without a trace. She refuses to shop with others, needing her full attention for the clothes, and her hyper-competitive spirit has long since alienated any potential shopping companions.

So where do you fit in?

—ALISON COOL

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posted by guest

Nov 26, 2007 3:18PM

Definately the third category for me! I don't getting slowed down by a tag-along.

posted by nadarine

Nov 26, 2007 3:27PM

Serious Solo with a splash of Advisee: the bf knows to set me loose alone most of the time, but he has exquisite taste in shoes, and I'm always happy to shoe-shop with him.

Plus, I find it funny that all the shoe salespeople assume that he's my Best Gay Boy rather than my bf. Ah, the stereotypes of males with taste!

posted by guest

Nov 26, 2007 3:35PM

A little bit of third but when I'm with my shopping friend I'm a more serious version of the first. I have only one friend I go serious shopping with. We might stop for Starbucks but other than that we tell each other what's cute, what's not honestly. It's much more fun and I totally trust their opinion so there's never any second guessing.

posted by leia

Nov 26, 2007 4:04PM

I'm usually the third. I only go shopping with others if I don't need to spend any money or I don't need anything. Then I play the advisor role. I also get a contact high off helping friends shop! I've even gone so far as to put things on hold for my friends I think they'd like.... ;-)

posted by miss

Nov 26, 2007 4:06PM

i am very seriously all 3 of these types. But i think also that I cannot shop with a friend, unless i'm shopping FOR that friend (as an advisee)

So I'm #1 because I rather pay attention to the friend than to the clothes.

I'm #2 because i love shopping with other people's money and playing fashion consultant

And i'm #3 because I'm a really fast and efficient shopper and win 99.9% of all rack takeover wars (you know, when you and another girl are inching towards each other on the same rack...I'm the one who gets to stay)

posted by TyTy

Nov 26, 2007 4:12PM

I'm always the third. I absolutely cannot shop with other people - they slow me down and I generally know what I want without their input. I'm also not big on styling other people so I'm not much help there either.

posted by Lindsaysue12

Nov 26, 2007 4:44PM

I'm soooo number three! Get out of this girls way!

Its really hard for me to shop with other people. I'm on a mission for myself and only myself!

posted by guest

Nov 26, 2007 4:56PM

I'm a Serious Solo shopper, but it's partly out of guilt! I don't want anyone I know to see how much I buy or am willing to spend!

posted by AshBash44

Nov 26, 2007 5:35PM

serious solo shopper. Unless I am looking for a nice stroll through soho- i cannot go shopping with friends. it's just too difficult.

posted by guest

Nov 26, 2007 5:35PM

SERIOUS SOLO SHOPPER...
nothing will be on my way.

posted by Ellen

Nov 26, 2007 5:48PM

I'm a serious solo shopper, definitely. Except when I'm with my mom. Then we're sort of a combination of all three. Aw...now I miss her more.

posted by guest

Nov 26, 2007 6:03PM

If I am serious about buying, I shop alone. I don't need chit-chat slowing me down. As much as I'd like the company, shopping is more fun solo than with someone slowing me down.

posted by guest

Nov 26, 2007 6:32PM

don't forget about:

Friend who can't afford her friends clothes...

in retail we always watch out for them, and make it a habit to distract the friend who will possibly ruin a sale because she can't afford it.

posted by elisa

Nov 26, 2007 6:56PM

the Pleasure Cruiser. a solo act as well, she doesn't let crowds put a damper on or companions distract her from the sheer bliss of seeing, touching, trying, and often purchasing all the pretty things. :)

posted by guest

Nov 26, 2007 9:18PM

Haha oh the friend who can't afford what you want to buy.

I had a friend like that. I saved and saved for a pair of jeans I lusted after and she went with me to buy them, constantly reminding me of the other things I could do with my money if I bought jeans at gap or mandees (shudder). We no longer shop together.

posted by Alexzandra

Nov 26, 2007 9:38PM

I'm a total number three. I just can't get into shopping the same way when I'm with my friends, they tend to slow me down and everyone has their opinion about everything. When I shop even sales people tend to leave me alone until I need them. I guess I'm more of a lone shopping wolf, but I know what I like, and don't like being talked into, or out of things.

posted by silhouette

Nov 26, 2007 10:51PM

Serious solo shopper. My mom wanted to come shopping with me to a new H&M in our area... and I actually told her that I wanted to go by myself because I wanted to try on as many new outfits as I could...I don't like talking to people when i'm looking at clothes.

posted by Ali

Nov 27, 2007 3:24AM

I'm definitely a solo shopper. I was one of the "shopping friends" until I realized it was much easier just going on my own, and now I can't stand waiting on someone else during shopping trips! They just weigh me down, or take something I wanted for myself!

posted by dumbbrunette5

Nov 27, 2007 6:25AM

oh im definately a solo shopper, i dont like having distractions when im trying to find what i want. whenever i shop with friends i never get to buy anything because our tastes are soooo different and i get outnumbered and get stuck looking at abercrombie tops, uggs, and tacky shoes...ew

posted by guest

Nov 27, 2007 8:58AM

I'm an advisor...I have to style everyone within a 2 block radius. Okay, it's more like the advisor Gestapo! The only way I can shop productively with someone else is in the advisor role even though I never end up shopping for myself that way. I never offer unsolicited advice though.

posted by bighugforfashion

Nov 27, 2007 11:13AM

I AM A SOLO SHOPPER. It is not a game. Even when I shop with a friend, I will leave them to do my thing. I need to be able to move swiftly when I see what I want. Luckily I am also a small person, so I can dip under and around people to get what I want. I think people know I am dead serious about my shopping when they see me coming because they usually move out of my way. HA!