Do you shop with a group of women?

[shootingstar]

Last Thursday, was a girls' night retail event in one of the neighbourhoods. A marketing event with discounts at various stores and restaurants, to bring in more business.

I went by myself. I noticed women in pairs or a group, window-shopping and chatting up with the retailers who offered snacks and cookies, etc.

Then I realized how RARELY I go window shopping with my good female friends over the ...um...decades. Happens once a year, with a sister or friend. Some years, never.
I wondered if I was missing something but honestly, I'm at a point I really don't spend more money on stuff I don't need. And when I really need stuff, clothing, I like to take my time looking, trying on clothing....without wasting friend's time while I dither away on my decision-making.

I've moved several times across Canada. I rarely see my family members, my closest friends, that when I see them, I don't want to distract precious time on sharing important news and thoughts about ourselves, with the distractions of window shopping. So it's lots of time at a café, restaurant or at someone's/my home. Fortunately my friends and family are like myself. That's just me too.

Maybe I can't multi-task.

[thekarens]

I hate shopping and do most of it online. When I do shop I take a list and go specifically for those items. I'm not typical when it comes to that kind of thing.

[lor]

. And when I really need stuff, clothing, I like to take my time looking, trying on clothing....without wasting friend's time while I dither away on my decision-making.

Maybe I can't multi-task.

I'm exactly the same type of shopper. I also try to buy whatever I can online. I just don't enjoy shopping for the most part.

[Crankin]

I buy about 99% of my clothing on line (both regular and cycling). There are only 3 stores I can shop at, in terms of size and one is about 3 miles from my house; if I need something in a rush, or I get the urge to shop, I go there, by myself. I have occasionally gone shopping with one friend to help choose a special outfit, but I get bored and annoyed. All of my friends have different taste than me.
Sine I started riding, I don't shop "recreationally" anymore. I used to spend a lot of time at the mall.

[indysteel]

I've never really enjoyed shopping or shopping with friends. I, too, mostly buy online. I used to go to the mall in downtown Indy when I still lived downtown for a shopping spree of sorts, but since moving away, I never do that anymore. My wardrobe, as a result, is starting to look a little worn. I need some things for work, but it's so hard to find appropriate pieces.

[Owlie]

I do a lot of my shopping online, unless it's jeans/pants or dressy clothes. Those I have to buy in-store unless I know roughly what I'm getting. I'll shop with a friend, because I am terrible at the "what looks good" game, but not with a group.

[PamNY]

I don't like shopping, and I certainly don't like shopping as a social activity. Occasionally I enjoyed going to a bookstore with my mother, but that's about it.

I live in an area with many tourists and there's a popular off-price department store nearby. Shopping there is miserable because (understandably) tourists are very often shopping in large groups. It's not a spacious store to begin with, and six or eight people crowded around a small rack of coats make shopping an even more tiresome experience.

Probably saved me a bit of money when the tourists crowds in this store increased.

[roadie gal]

I hate shopping and do most of it online. When I do shop I take a list and go specifically for those items. I'm not typical when it comes to that kind of thing.

This exactly. My partner and I will "shop" sometimes when we bring Toby (the rough collie) in for grooming and have a few hours to kill. Mostly we have a list of stuff we need and just go and get that, though. Then we'll hang out in Barnes and Noble or a coffee shop.

I loathe shopping as a recreational event.

[spokewench]

I do the majority of my shopping on the internet or one or two shops (one where I live, one where my sister lives). However, I do go on trips with groups of women when I go to tennis tournaments. The ladies always want to shop because we live in a small town and do not have access to many shopping opportunities. So, yes, I do go with them to shop. It is fun; most of the time I do not buy anything, but have to admit that I did buy a dress and a beautiful splurge leather jacket when we went to Las Vegas. It may not be that I would do this on my own. But, with a group and when you are with a diverse group on a trip, you need to be flexible to get along, I enjoy those trips to the stores.

[GLC1968]

I love shopping with a group of friends as a social activity. I have to do it purely social though...for the company, the laughs and perhaps the sights. I sometimes buy for myself, but it's usually impulse buys and nothing of any significance. Oddly enough, I love helping other people shop (I have spent many, many years working in retail!) for clothing. Men, women, doesn't matter. I will be honest, I will be helpful and I will help friends make good decisions. It's fun.

BUT, if I need something? I go alone. I don't like to stroll in malls when I have something that needs doing. In fact, it is the one place on the planet where I walk faster than my husband. I think it's because I get sensory overload and I do my best to create tunnel vision for myself and focus only on my goal. Get in, get out, get on with my life. (Chili's stole that slogan from me!).

[marni]

like most other things in life, I do this solo. I can rarely find anything I like in the stores anyway so most often shop on line. Most of my "dressy" (anything other than jeans or t shirts -all from local charity rides) are several to many years old. I am usually very gentle on clothes which is a good thing since I loath the entire shopping experience so much. When I find something I like and that fits, I ususally buy multiples so that I won't have to go looking for that particular item again any time soon.

Some women are herd animals, others are solitary. Count me as a small herd of me, myself and I.

[Koronin]

Add me to the list of hating to shop. When I do I typically do it alone or with my husband (depending on what we're shopping for). Clothes I really hate shopping for. Come to think of it I don't even have a store locally that sells the brand of shirts I buy for work.

[lph]

I don't shop socially either, but a special sale at one of my favourite outdoor sports stores could draw both me and friends, and turn into a social experience.

But when you mention not wanting to waste time or be distracted, when catching up on people's news - I think I'm the opposite. I loathe sitting and just talking for more than an hour tops, I just feel overloaded. and a bit invaded. I'm much happier chatting while simultaneously doing something, whether it's cooking or hiking or painting a fence. Which, come to think of it, is probably why I love helping people re-decorate, I get to have lots of social interaction without having to look at them all the time... ;-)

[Kiwi Stoker]

I love shopping but I like to do it alone, so I can take my time and look at things I want to. Hate hanging around an area in which I have no interest for someone else to choose- I find myself wandering off to look at something I am interested in.

I like online browsing too, but really only as a price comparison, check what out there aspect, because I really want to check out an item first. The number of times I have seen something in the junk mail and gone to look or purchase it only to find the item isn't what I thought it was (fabric not very nice, length not right, bad quality) is huge so unless I have inspected something before, I don't buy online.

[shootingstar]

I never really did consider shopping with other friends as a social activity. Alone, I used to enjoy shopping for clothing, shoes and books. For the lst 2, over the years, I've just lost patience since a lot of clothing just doesn't fit me (I'm usually too small), not my taste or it's too expensive for me, so just walking around with other people just bores me.

Shopping online will not help me since I have a need to try on stuff for real. (I used to sew 80% of my wardrobe so I am pretty picky on fit, quality, etc. and know what price I should pay without feeling too ripped off.) Maybe I need a gaggle of good friends to wander in shops and prod me to buy a 2nd pair of dress pants. I wear only 1 pr. and haven't worn other dress pants. Or black jeans. Occasionally switch amongst 3 different skirts. I've become that lackadaisal and casual about fashion on the job. (This probably sounds appalling to a fashionista.)

I do enjoy browsing alone at large sporting goods/sports apparel stores. A place I had zero interest 30 years ago.

When I do go clothes shopping I'm rarely dressed lovely in heels, chic wear. Yea, I walk around in my cycling gear amongst the dresses. So for me, it's also effort: do I want to spend extra time to try on a piece of clothing? Ok, then make that 5 pieces of clothing to make the whole time worthwhile for me in the store.

Lph, I'm better at sitting with a friend or family member to really listen to them. Some friends and family I only see....once a year because I live 3,000 km. west. Time is incredibly precious to me.