The most important purchase on my shopping trip today was these boots:
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| (photo from Target.com) |
For years, I have been looking for boots. The ’90s were a good time for me: I am a work boots, jeans, and flannel-shirt-over-t-shirt kind of girl, as it turns out. But after that style went out of fashion, I had a ton of trouble replacing my excellent Skechers boots with anything similar.
I saw these at Target, and they were leather, and they were the right style and the right height, and they were $13.48 down from $44.99, and they had brown laces with optional wine-colored laces in a little packet. (I see on the website photo they have woven the two colors together. I just put in the wine ones.)
FURTHERMORE, they had them in my size, which is usually 10-1/2 or 11, which is usually hard to find in women’s sizes. I put them on—and they were way, way too big. That’s when I realized they were men’s boots. But here is the thing: I think they were on clearance because all the men looked at them and thought they were women’s boots. I showed them to Paul and when I got to the part about how they were men’s boots, he looked at them with one nostril bunched and said, “Those are not men’s boots.”
I am wearing them right now and they are WARM, but without being HOT. (And it’s fun to be wearing something that says size 9.) My feet have been so cold in the maryjanes I’ve been wearing since boots went out after the ’90s, and I’d been thinking, “If only there was some way to, in chilly weather, wear a shoe that didn’t have a huge cut-out in the top!”
Next! I found this dress for Elizabeth, $7.48 down from $24.99, also at Target:
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| (photo from Target.com) |
I hesitated because it’s black—but Elizabeth LOVES black. And I think it looks less goth-glamor-funeral in person. And if it IS too black, she can wear it over a pale pink shirt and pale pink tights with sparkly pale-pink shoes or something.
Next! I bought this backpack at TJ Maxx:
A group in our town does this thing every summer where they collect donated backpacks and fill them with donated school supplies and clothing to give to families in financial trouble who have schoolkids. The first time I heard of the project, I thought, “Wow, that’s great, but this is the VERY WORST time of year to buy a backpack!” So the following January, I bought a pile of Lands’ End backpacks that had been marked from $40 down to $11 and then had an additional 30% off, and tucked them into a bin in the basement; that summer when the project requested donations, I donated them. This year I’m doing the same. My rule of thumb is that I only buy a backpack I would buy for my own kids—so, for example, today I bought this backpack marked down to $5.00 at TJ Maxx; if Elizabeth had wanted it, I would have bought it for her. But I left behind the half-dozen that seemed like they were on clearance because they were ugly and cheap and no one would want them. My favorite, though, is to get the Lands’ End ones (I just bought a few at $15 plus an additional 30% off), because they’re durable and good quality; I’d rather get three of those each year than ten of the kind that will only last until the next year’s donation. It’s a very satisfying project, and I recommend it if you enjoy bargain-shopping and you’re looking around for a Nice Thing To Do For Other People. (And if your community does something similar. Obvs.)
Next! Wrapping paper:
I realized the last time Paul had a birthday that all our wrapping paper was (1) girly or (2) little-boyish. These may have leapt right across from little-boy to old-man, but I liked the look of them. And Paul likes (1) clocks and (2) vintage maps, so, score. Not on clearance or anything, but $2.99 each at TJ Maxx.
Next! Eye shadow from TJ Maxx:
Eye shadow makes my eyes irritated, so I never wear it. But sometimes I WANT to wear it. So I bought a pack of Physician’s Formula eye shadow, to see if that will be better. (Not really MATHEMATICIANS at Physician’s Formula, are they?)
Next! Earrings from Target:
They seemed like the right color to just go right home with me.
Um, target needs you on their payroll. I am skipping out the door for some retail therapy after this post.
I might need to go see if i can buy those same boots. I like them!
This looks like a very successful shopping trip. I’m impressed. And I love the earrings.
As a foster parent, I have had kids receive items from similar donation projects. (See also: “make sure there’s something under the tree for a child in foster care!” programs.)
I just want to thank you for the “I won’t donate something I wouldn’t buy for my own kids” rule. You would not believe the amount of JUNK that gets donated because people think “it’s better than not having anything.” It’s not. Not with foster kids. Not with something as visible as their backpack. I’ve gone out and bought alternatives for things that were given because I just couldn’t tell a child they were stuck with that awful thing that no one wanted.
Oh how I love your shopping posts. For at least the eleventieth time, I wish I could go to your Target b/c it has much better bargains than mine.
I am going to adopt your “I won’t buy anything to donate that I wouldn’t buy for my own kid” way of life. Our neighborhood association does the backpack drive every August and it just makes sense.
Swistle you’re easily the awesomest person that I know but don’t really know, you know?
The math thing made me literally LOL. You are both witty and wise, and I really enjoy your blog.
Would totally buy that black dress for my daughter. Love the backpack plan. I am also a boot girl, and I don’t think those look like men’s boots either.
Target has JUST come to Canada. Can’t wait to check it out. Love the wrapping paper (!!!!) and now headed over to Lands End to see if I can score some backpacks on sale for our local school drive. Way to go Swistle, you totally motivate me!
Oh, please let us know how the eye shadow works! I haven’t worn the stuff in years because it makes my eyes a watery, bloodshot, scratchy mess, but, oh, how I love it. I miss the pretty feeling eye shadow lends my face. Maybe I could tolerate this PF stuff…
I saw those boots on an end cap at the Target here. I hovered and hovered (they had my size, although I didn’t know they were men’s boots until I read your post) because I wanted them, but I don’t need boots right now.
Oddly, the boots were on an end cap in the middle of the women’s underwear section of the store. I thought that was odd and now I think it is even more odd since they are men’s boots. Huh.
Shout out about the earrings you got– beware! I got a very similar 3 pack from target of earrings that I loved loved loved and each pair has had one lost now due to cheapo fasteners. I think that because they’re so cheap, the quality is low and thus the backs fall off the earrings and I’ve lost them over time. Maybe consider using a more secure backing if you need to?
I love the wrapping paper.
Now I’m feeling sad that my favorite 90s shoes were sold out in my size when I went to buy them. I’m not giving up, though…my time will come one of these days. Well done finding your boots.
I love that wrapping paper. Not being much of a shopper, I’ve only been to our TJ Maxx a couple times. I didn’t realize it carries gift wrap. I’ll be sure to check from time to time now, so thank you for that.
And I love the fill-a-backpack programs. Yes, yes, yes.
I too was a little devastated when the 90’s ended and boots weren’t so much the style for women to wear. I always loved wearing them. After that all boots had heels and were really dressy and not at all what I wanted. I buy Doc Martin’s though and typically just shop them online. The boots last forever which makes me very happy girl.
I never understood the thought that cheap ugly things that no one else wants is a good idea to donate to a kid with nothing. I mean seriously? The kid has nothing and you want to give them something that no one wants? If anything that kid deserves something better than normal. I also never donate food to food drives that I wouldn’t eat myself.
Huh. Why have I not been looking for men’s shoes? I have a size 11 foot, too.
Also, old maps (like the road maps you don’t need in your car anymore what with GPS and google maps) make great wrapping paper. Free!
Oh, yay, I have missed these shopping posts of yours. Love the boots – I am also a big 90’s fan, both music and clothing wise. One of those physician’s formula eyeshadow palettes is supposed to be a good dupe for the urban decay naked 2 palette, which is like a zillion times more expensive. Score!