A while ago, I had to get some things printed up at my local UPS Store (the one I used to work at), and I decided to wander around the strip mall while my things were being printed, since it was going to be a 30 minute wait. It turned into a walk down memory lane.
To create the setting, this strip mall had a GameStop, the UPS Store, Sally's Beauty, It's Fashion, a tax service place, Radio Shack, and a Dollar Tree....in that order. I had already seen everything in GameStop, successfully warded off tempting hair dye at Sally's, and that's when I saw It's Fashion. I hadn't been in an It's Fashion in years. In fact, it has been 10 whole years since I've stepped foot in one, or one like it...I haven't even been inside of a Kato's in that length of time. I barely know what the inside of a Dollar General looks like (did you know they have MILK and EGGS IN THERE NOW?!)
It's Fashion was hot shit when I was 19 and living in Canton. A strip mall was built, and it had a grocery store, a video store (back when they still existed- it was a Movie Gallery), a Sally's, clothes stores, shoe stores, a dollar store, a laundromat......it was awesome. It's Fashion had beautiful clothes that I wanted desperately to wear. Problem was, I was poor. I didn't have any money. There were so many things in that place that I wanted to buy and knew I'd look great in. They even had cool shoes. I'd sp
They had plus sized clothes that were so pretty and made any skinny girl wish she had the body to wear everything they offered. My best friend, Andria, frequented the store, and she was quite the fashionista. She even accessorized, and did it very well. Her ears didn't get infected from the metal in the earrings, and she always managed to get the best stuff. Me...well, I wore men's clothes. I loved their men's section, but it was far and few between. When I found something I wanted in the women's section, they only had it in plus size or it was too expensive.
Fast forward 10 years later, and I'm standing outside of an It's Fashion out of boredom, looking at the "SALE!" posters splattered all over the windows. I figure, "Why the hell not?" and walk in. There are cheap clothes everywhere. They look fragile, like the blouses will rip if you get a necklace hung in it. The pants were thin. I'm not sure if the quality just got worse over the years, but the It's Fashion that I remember wasn't like this at all! I take a look at the price tag. $15.00 for a cute shirt. Not bad at all. I can afford that. In fact, I could afford everything in the store- that thought alone surprised me- but it had been 10 years, after all.
I suddenly had a monologue with my previous me and myself:
19 year old me: Oh man, this shirt is $10! I've only got $20! Isn't there anything cheaper?
Me, now: $10 is a good deal, but there's way too many flowers on this shirt...is it...see-thru!? Is this orange or pink???
19 year old me: Look at that cute dress! $20! But I don't wear dresses, and $20 is way too much.
Me, now: I'd rock that. Let me try it on. Fits, but my boobs are too big. And a size bigger is too big on me.
19 year old me: Aw, crap! None of the shoes fit me!
Me, now: Aw, crap. None of the shoes fit me.
19 year old me: I wish I could buy everything on this whole rack. Maybe I'd look nice.
Me, now: I can buy everything on this whole rack. But then I'd have ugly clothes.
19 year old me: I wish I had cute panties. But it's not like I have anyone to wear those for. I will never have anyone like that.
Me, now: I get panties from Victoria's Secret. Jason is going to roll his eyes if I get any more panties.
19 year old me: Eww, purse.
Me, now: I like that color. But it looks like cardboard....and has no zippers or straps???
Looking back, I realized just how poor I was. I remember buying a cute Japanese school girl uniform (I still have it!), and some jeans, and treated them like they would break if I dropped them, because they were some of the only good clothes I had. I hardly wore it, because I didn't want it to get damaged. The whole outfit cost me $40, and that was so much money to me. Actually, it's still a lot of money, because I'm frugal, but I will actually buy things after the bills are paid now.
I also realized that not only could I afford the coveted clothes of my younger years from this store now, but the quality was poor, and I didn't like much in the store. The watches looked horrible. The makeup was something I wouldn't touch, and the accessories looked gaudy. I liked a blue purse, but wouldn't buy it because it looked like it would fall apart if it got wet. I couldn't find any shoes in my size, so that was out. My, how my tastes have changed. I DID manage to find a cute black and white sun hat for when I go to the beach, and a T-shirt dress (which I absolutely love). I spent $10 for both items and walked out a happy girl.
It's a small thing, yes, I know, but just walking into that store made me realize how much I had changed in some aspects- the once coveted clothing that I so wanted in my youth now looks crappy and cheap, but it's pretty affordable...when you can find something you actually like. I think the quality has gone down a lot, too, because the jeans that I got from that place is still holding up quite nicely.
To create the setting, this strip mall had a GameStop, the UPS Store, Sally's Beauty, It's Fashion, a tax service place, Radio Shack, and a Dollar Tree....in that order. I had already seen everything in GameStop, successfully warded off tempting hair dye at Sally's, and that's when I saw It's Fashion. I hadn't been in an It's Fashion in years. In fact, it has been 10 whole years since I've stepped foot in one, or one like it...I haven't even been inside of a Kato's in that length of time. I barely know what the inside of a Dollar General looks like (did you know they have MILK and EGGS IN THERE NOW?!)
It's Fashion was hot shit when I was 19 and living in Canton. A strip mall was built, and it had a grocery store, a video store (back when they still existed- it was a Movie Gallery), a Sally's, clothes stores, shoe stores, a dollar store, a laundromat......it was awesome. It's Fashion had beautiful clothes that I wanted desperately to wear. Problem was, I was poor. I didn't have any money. There were so many things in that place that I wanted to buy and knew I'd look great in. They even had cool shoes. I'd sp
They had plus sized clothes that were so pretty and made any skinny girl wish she had the body to wear everything they offered. My best friend, Andria, frequented the store, and she was quite the fashionista. She even accessorized, and did it very well. Her ears didn't get infected from the metal in the earrings, and she always managed to get the best stuff. Me...well, I wore men's clothes. I loved their men's section, but it was far and few between. When I found something I wanted in the women's section, they only had it in plus size or it was too expensive.
Fast forward 10 years later, and I'm standing outside of an It's Fashion out of boredom, looking at the "SALE!" posters splattered all over the windows. I figure, "Why the hell not?" and walk in. There are cheap clothes everywhere. They look fragile, like the blouses will rip if you get a necklace hung in it. The pants were thin. I'm not sure if the quality just got worse over the years, but the It's Fashion that I remember wasn't like this at all! I take a look at the price tag. $15.00 for a cute shirt. Not bad at all. I can afford that. In fact, I could afford everything in the store- that thought alone surprised me- but it had been 10 years, after all.
I suddenly had a monologue with my previous me and myself:
19 year old me: Oh man, this shirt is $10! I've only got $20! Isn't there anything cheaper?
Me, now: $10 is a good deal, but there's way too many flowers on this shirt...is it...see-thru!? Is this orange or pink???
19 year old me: Look at that cute dress! $20! But I don't wear dresses, and $20 is way too much.
Me, now: I'd rock that. Let me try it on. Fits, but my boobs are too big. And a size bigger is too big on me.
19 year old me: Aw, crap! None of the shoes fit me!
Me, now: Aw, crap. None of the shoes fit me.
19 year old me: I wish I could buy everything on this whole rack. Maybe I'd look nice.
Me, now: I can buy everything on this whole rack. But then I'd have ugly clothes.
19 year old me: I wish I had cute panties. But it's not like I have anyone to wear those for. I will never have anyone like that.
Me, now: I get panties from Victoria's Secret. Jason is going to roll his eyes if I get any more panties.
19 year old me: Eww, purse.
Me, now: I like that color. But it looks like cardboard....and has no zippers or straps???
Looking back, I realized just how poor I was. I remember buying a cute Japanese school girl uniform (I still have it!), and some jeans, and treated them like they would break if I dropped them, because they were some of the only good clothes I had. I hardly wore it, because I didn't want it to get damaged. The whole outfit cost me $40, and that was so much money to me. Actually, it's still a lot of money, because I'm frugal, but I will actually buy things after the bills are paid now.
I also realized that not only could I afford the coveted clothes of my younger years from this store now, but the quality was poor, and I didn't like much in the store. The watches looked horrible. The makeup was something I wouldn't touch, and the accessories looked gaudy. I liked a blue purse, but wouldn't buy it because it looked like it would fall apart if it got wet. I couldn't find any shoes in my size, so that was out. My, how my tastes have changed. I DID manage to find a cute black and white sun hat for when I go to the beach, and a T-shirt dress (which I absolutely love). I spent $10 for both items and walked out a happy girl.
It's a small thing, yes, I know, but just walking into that store made me realize how much I had changed in some aspects- the once coveted clothing that I so wanted in my youth now looks crappy and cheap, but it's pretty affordable...when you can find something you actually like. I think the quality has gone down a lot, too, because the jeans that I got from that place is still holding up quite nicely.
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