A semi-shopahaulic

I love to shop. I am a typical girl in that respect. I love to try on clothes, to feel pretty, and to leave a store with bags, preferably the fancy bags with the stiff outer paper and tissue on the inside. However, I have come to learn that I cannot afford to shop in the fashion I so desire, all puns intended. Despite loving fancy clothes and makeup, my budget does not allow for regular shopping sprees. Even when I made more money, I still had a hard time paying full-price for items. To me, shopping is a sort of a sport. I have learned to see how much I can get for my dollar. The more I get, the more victorious I feel.

Yesterday I made the decision that while trying on dresses and pants is still a rather awful experience (winter weight, I hate you!), shoes would be a safe bet. I wanted some lovely summery sandals that would erase the memories of the snow and bitter cold of just a month or so ago. Besides, I am headed to Florida next weekend and needed something aside from my trusty Haviana flip flips to wear. So to Marshall's I went, in search of some deals. And deals I found. Two pairs of summery sandals that make me feel girly and happy for less than $80. Score! Quite a victorious day, I'd say.

After my shoe-shopping extravaganza, I attended a fundraiser event last night that took place at Bloomingdale's (or Bloomie's, for the women that shop there regularly. I don't, so Bloomingdale's it is.) It was a lovely event with cocktails, tiny bites of food (mini-cupcakes, I love you!) and beauty services at the various make-up counters in the store. And ten percent of all purchases at the store went to the organization (http://www.imdguesthouse.org/). Hooray! I volunteered at this event by helping out with check-in, ushering in all the participants and encouraging them to enjoy themselves and to spend lots of money. After an hour and a half of checking in, there was a lull, and my friend and I decide to go browse and check out the event.

We both get pulled into a "touch-up" by the Dior beauty ladies, ahem, "Beauty Advisors." Fun, right? So after my skin has been airbrushed into perfection, my eyes whipped into a permanent smoldering stare and my lips painted into a luscious pout tasting of mangoes, I knew I just had to have something. Granted, a sweep of the hand and telling the lady, "I'll take it all!" would not be prudent. This I knew. But a little something might be okay. So I decided to buy the lipstick and lip gloss that made my lips look so kissable.

Apparently yesterday turned out to be a shopping-centric day. Two pairs of summer sandals and $60 for lip product at the Dior Beauty counter. But hey, I got the tissue paper and the fancy bag. And a free gift. I am always the victor when it comes to shopping.