Danger: Shopping Ahead

Of course, when planning to meet up with La Historiadora de Moda, I had to arrive in the 'hood a bit early to ensure that everything was in place. There were reservations to obtain (or not). I had to scope out the stores. I'm not exactly the fastest traveler in the land right now - though I did alright.

And there was the small matter of cruising FabricLand for some denim. Cuz I'm making those pants again. Twice. Or till I get them right, whichever comes first. I managed to find the same denim that I used here, and then a stretch-free version in a slightly lighter, and bluer hue. I want to check out how different fabrics absorb the pattern and, um, provide support. And I want to see if my (totally made-up) alterations will actually work.

I didn't think this would be the holiday of learning about pants but that seems to be how it's going.

Very strangely (and I'll return to this at another time), I am totally intrigued by pants - fitting issues and all. They don't fill me with the same anxiety that the tops do. And yes, that's completely irrational.

I forgot my discount card, which almost threw me over the edge, but then I discovered that the fabrics I wanted were 40% off (the discount card amount). At FabricLand, they don't discount the discounted stuff, so that was the best I could have done.

The thing is, I was so freakin' efficient buying the fabric that I had scads of time to kill. And that was after dealing with restaurants and making sure that the street decorations were twinkling just right.

Which is where Cole Haan and Holt Renfrew came in.

I have been blessed with the ability to spend a living fortune in 10 minutes or less. I can't tell you how useful that's been at various times in my life. Except from the perspective of my bank account which is, after all is said and done, merely one of the players.

I don't buy beauty products very often (I'm a bit of a health food store shampoo kind of girl) but when I do, inevitably something convinces me to spend 35 bucks on a lipstick. To wit:

Doesn't this look totally rude??? It's shade 295. Shu U is v. Japanese modern and it doesn't believe in naming its shades, which is just as well because they are all "limited" editions.

I am, frankly, desperate to replace my beloved Bobbi Brown Cassis and this colour is a close approximation. At least on my hand.

Then, having just run out of mascara, I was bamboozled into trying this one:

Hilariously, the woman who sold it to me felt compelled to warn me stringently, multiple times, that I was NOT to shimmer the wand horizontally while applying it. Apparently, the new design of this wand means something crazy will happen to my eyelashes. Like they'll grow obscenely or affix themselves to my upper lids or something. I hear, and obey.

My final score was 30% off at Cole Haan - olive kid skin gloves with cashmere lining. Oh, they are slinky, lady goodness. And a fair sight less $$$ than they would otherwise have been.

May I remind you that Xmas is at the end of the week and I appear to be shopping exclusively for myself?!? Does that make me a bad person?

Wait. Don't answer that.