Wow, I can’t believe it. 1000 posts, I was worry I wouldn’t make it before 2015 comes to an end but I did. Anyway, the 1000th post is a special post, took me two years to reach this spot. Therefore I am not going to spend it on my regular scheduled Monday Coffee House Ramble. Instead, I will tell you about my first time clothes shopping, solo clothes shopping, as in on my own.

This didn’t happen a long time ago, if you’re wondering. This event actually took place the day after Christmas, 2015. I know, 24 years and never once been clothes shopping alone. I have to say it was an experience I will never forget. I got to pick what I want and best of all, I wasn’t being restricted to the kids section.

The reason for this shopping trip was because I am taking marketing and management classes this semester and in those classes, there no doubt will have presentations that will require me to dress in my business attires and well I don’t have any. All I have are gray slacks and a sort-of-formal shirt. The only suit jacket I have is purple. Purple! What am I, a clown? So there wasn’t a doubt that I need to get myself a complete business suit.

Due to my size, I knew it wouldn’t be easy, it’s more like next to impossible. Since summer, I’ve been researching to find a place that does custom suit, measure me from head to toe and tailor a pant suit just for me. I knew it’s expensive but it’s something I must invest in. Unfortunately, there isn’t a place anywhere close that perform this difficult task. Curious about my mom’s reaction, I told her my dilemma.

Surprisingly, she did not react in the way I expected her to. She said, “The best would be to go to Macy’s after Christmas and see what they have on sale.” Evidently, there was an after-Christmas sale.

Before I go on further, I should probably tell you about the current situation. Oh, don’t get me wrong, it’s been good. Mom and I are just doing our own thing with an occasion cuddle from mom. It took some getting use to, the cuddling, but it feels nice to be babied once in a while.

Anyway, I was under the impression that mom was coming on my business suit shopping trip. So I waited for her. At around noon, she called, “I thought you’re going to Macy’s. Doesn’t the sale end at 2?”

“Do you want me to go?” I asked with speculation. I usually have to ask permission on everything.

“Yeah, go,” she said with her attention divided, a quarter on me and three-quarter on the computer, “go shop and then come home for lunch.”

“Okay,” I replied slowly putting on my boots, “I am going.” I’m going to the car.

“Yeah, go, be careful.” Wow, she’s really letting me go alone, I thought with disbelief as I switched on the car ignition.

It took no time for me to arrive at the mall since we live right across the street from it. The moment I entered Macy’s, I wanted to get out and go home. I wasn’t used to this, shopping in a place so big. My heart was pounding with anxiety but I told myself, “You need to do this. Just calm down and browse.”

I began walking, quite fast at first, just wanted to find what I needed, pay, and get out, sort of like when I’m shopping for groceries. I walked and walked but it felt as though I was walking in circles. I need to find women’s business wear. Where is it? Where is it?

After wandering a few more times, I arrived at a section called, Social Dresses. Seemed close enough. I wandered through the section and at last, arrived at the business attire. Everything, suits, pants, even shirts looked huge for me. For a minute, it felt like I’ve been landed in a giants world. I took a slow deep breath. There’s got to be something for me here. I don’t fit in the kid’s section so I have to fit into this section.

Slowly, I glanced around, my eyes moving from rack to rack, searching for something that will possibly fit me. Finally, my eyes landed on a rack of suits. I looked at the price and felt my eyes immediately bulge. $44! Are you kidding me? But then, I saw the sign at the top of the rack. Whew! It was $29.99. That’s better. I tried on a X-Small, a bit tight. So I went with a small, perfect fit.

The pants, in my opinion, were the toughest to find because for one thing, I am short and for another, I have, as mom calls it, elephant thigh. Basically, my thighs can’t fit into anything that has the word “skinny” tagged on it. Fortunately, my eyes landed on the clearance rack and on it were a pair of Calvin Klein suit pants with elastic pants!

Excitedly, I went to the fitting room. The pants fit. Hallelujah! I have my outfit and it took more than an hour but it was worth it. Carrying the outfit, I was about to go pay when I saw this rack of jackets that looked just right for me. Unable to resist, I went and have a look and after about 20 minutes, I ended up purchasing the jacket too and even though my first time going to clothes shopping solo turned out to be quite expensive, I think it was worth it and I did learn one thing, that I can go clothes shopping by myself.