Patricia Marx, who once wrote for Saturday Night Live, brings some wicked observational humor to her pieces on shopping. Here's a sample, from an article in The New Yorker. Substitute "vintage" for "discount" and it may sound very familiar . . .
"Are you certain you have what it takes to shop discount? Do you have the patience to excavate heaps of finery that is frayed, smudged, stretched, faded, pilled, ripped, mis-sized, unstylish, out of season, or never was in season? The grit to see yourself in the glare of flourescent lighting--if you can even find a mirror? The confidence to have an opinion without being told what it is by an encouraging salesperson?"
I sport-shop in circumstances like these and always enjoy it. It's as close to hunting-and-gathering as you can get in a modern urban environment. If civilization equals swanning around posh boutiques on Sloane Street or Madison Avenue, that's splendid as a rare treat, but on a routine basis I'd rather forage.
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