Shopping Benders - You have to try it!

Saturday, for some ungodly reason, my mom and I decide to hike 1 hour west to a "real" mall for a shopping bender. We dont need anything. We shouldnt be spending money for no reason, and yet, we thought it was the most productive use of weekend time together. For those of you who dont know the area I'm in, there are no major malls less than one hour from my house. No H&Ms, in particular, so this was a necessity to head out for a long city trek. We even had to travel on the mass pike and 291 to get there.

We head out at 10am to beat some of the Sat shopping crowd. I head straight to H&M and my mom heads to Macys.

I am in super shopping, trendy, wish-list dressing mode immediately. I start stacking up on all kinds of cute shirts and cheap pants - striped v neck 3/4 sleeve sweaters in a nautical theme that I am starting to notice for Spring, a satin metalic short sleeve puffy sleeve button down shirt, black pinstripe pants, $25 suit coats. The last time I was in H&M, I bought all smalls and size 4s. So naturally, that's what I grab from one side of the ENTIRE store - which is immense. I cant hold more stuff so I enter the fitting room only to discover that - surprise! - I am no longer a small nor a 4. So all that shopping - for naught.

I leave and roll through the other end of the store, which happened to be their weekend wear, sportwears, etc. Nothing exciting. So I go back to to the front and pick up that satin shirt in a 6 and a medium plain black scoopneck sweater in medium. I leisurely pick through the accessories and find a $30 black leather bag that I like, but I have approx 6 versions already of the same black bag so I dont buy it. Instead I find a Versace (vintage from 3 years ago with the nautical theme - think Demi Moore in the comeback ads) rip off scarf for $10. Mine. The silk shirt is perfect for my Washington DC trip in April where I am attending a reunion cocktail party and having dinner with my boss and a few faculty members in Dupont circle.

What I noticed in H&M was that there are only a few of each article and the sizes are never right - either they are super small or super large. A trench coat in a shiny navy that I liked was only by itself and a size 2. There were no other ones like it anywhere. That's kind of depressing. I seemed to have a lot of this problem in H&M. I liked something, but it was one of a kind - and not in a good way.

Then I go to Aldo's accessories and buy the cutest, most adorable yet sexy headband/scarf I've ever seen. It looks amazing. So amazing that I'm waiting for the best day this week to wear it. Show off.

Then... people. I hit Target. Two words for you: Proenza Schouler! LUV, LOVE! True love. And I bought the dobby stripe pants ($40) and the black short sleeve sweatshirt ($18) plus black Mossimo pants for work - $20, a supersoft gray hoodie ($4.50) and a thermal tee ($2). I have never EVER found such a bounty at Target. This truly amazed me. Must be the Target closest to me just sucks. I had no idea that other Targets hold such promise.

My mom then also treated us to a pizza lunch and then chocolate bars from the Godiva store. The only thing I really wanted to buy but couldnt seem to find was a black spring coat. I might try the Gap this morning. A few in Target were cute, but again, the cut was all wrong and the sleeves were too short.

But in conclusion, I highly recommend shopping with your mom on a Saturday morning. She bought the PS pants for me!

Now if only it wasnt supposed to be in the teens today. I am hella ready for spring fashions!