Friday, September 26, 2008

A swing in my step.

So, my five-carat friend took me shopping again. To Nordstrom Rack. Since I spend too much on jeans at the Gap and not enough on t-shirts at Target, she's taken me under her wing. What I've been doing is not a grown-up way to dress, and it doesn't hide my paunch.

I did figure out a couple years ago I dress just like the nannies on this side of town. Except the nannies do iron their t-shirts. On the other side of town, the nannies are young glamourous Europeans dressed for a Vogue photo shoot.

What they do have a lot of at Nordstrom Rack, besides shirts with buttons, is shoes. I scored a pair of Bjorn sandals.

Yesterday I wore my new t-shirt dress (fashion baby steps) with the new sandals and carried my Rich Lady Bag. I felt kinda...cute. Or better than cute: a little elegant. And tall--I can't explain that, the sandals are flat.

So, I ended up in this office waiting room, every one who arrived before me having taken the few available chairs. I just stood--the only one standing--and held my fancy bag and felt like Audrey Hepburn, happy with myself. After awhile, one of the guys stood up and moseyed over to another standing place. It took me a few beats to realize he was freeing up a chair. I waited a few beats more to see if he meant it, and then I sat.

Somehow it was a little bit like a hand-off in a spy movie. He could give me his seat, as long as he wasn't, acknowledged to be, you know, giving me his seat. No eye contact.

Fortunately, none of us waited too long after that. I had probably been more comfortable standing in my deceptively cute hiking sandals than he was standing in his dress shoes. I couldn't thank him, since it never happened, but it did make me feel quite lovely.

And quite up to being the wife of Capt. Awesome.

5 comments:

Rae said...

You are cracking me up! So glad you are feeling cute AND elegant!!! :)

Brooke said...

if you're going for premium denim, can i come along for the ride? i have yet to try on a $200 pair of jeans but have been told they are bona fide miracle workers.

and dresses are always good. so is feeling like audrey-- who wouldn't want that?!

American Muslima Writer said...

absolutly amazing life you've got going and glad you commented on mine so i found yours to read. I just read all the back posts and they are so funny and quirky and i love the sitting room one. I hope your family continue to have good fortune esp int he trying times ahead :)

Anonymous said...

Okay, you have confirmed my suspicions: it takes money to look good. Sigh.

But I love your story, rich girl! And I love the way you dish about it.

Anonymous said...

That's funny. If I were in your shoes I imagine I would probably wear the exact same Shopko jeans, trade my hand-me-down Birkenstocks in for new ones, and no bling for me. But I'll have to admit I might be tempted to splurge on a good bag. I'm a sucker for a good bag.

Keep working it girl!