Shopping Spree

I haven't written about shopping here in Chile for awhile because, well, because I don't do it very often.  Of course I go to the grocery store and when needed I head over to Easy or Sodimac (Home Depot to those in the U.S.) but rarely do I just go out and shop.  First, because it is a bit cost prohibitive.  Secondly, I can pretty much pick up everything I need at the grocery store (which is really more like a SuperWalMart - seeing as Wal-Mart bought our Lider about 2 years ago).  I miss shopping.  Especially for clothes.  Especially for clothes for my girls.  But lately, I have had to go out and get a few things.  It was either that or send MadHatter to school in tank tops and short pants or a sundress.  And it is definitely late fall here which means rain and colder weather.  She wouldn't mind but the Chileans would have dragged me off to jail as the worst mother ever.  This is a country that dresses their children in sweaters when they are at the swimming pool (this is not an exaggeration.  I have seen it with my own eyes.) I get funny looks when it's warm outside and MadHatter doesn't have a sweater on.  Can you imagine the looks I get when it's winter and all she has on is a sweater?

In the past couple of weeks I have been on a hunt for a few things for MadHatter. MadHatter needs tights, long sleeve shirts and some dresses with a bit of substance. Not a lot.  Just some things that I can layer with things she already has.  I wish I was also shopping for Stinkerbell because that just makes it more fun but Stinkerbell shops in the MadHatter Hand-Me-Down bin.  It's a great store - always has just her size and the price is perfect at free.  But as much as I love going through MadHatter's old things and hanging them in Stinkerbell's closet it just isn't the same as going out shopping.

Have I ever mentioned that I am a shopper?  That I love a good deal and I could spend hours and days rooting one out.  I am like a pig looking for truffles (did I just liken myself to a pig???) I could spend hours shopping - but only if I am going to buy something.  I can't head out to the stores and just aimlessly wander.  Standing in front of the artistic display in the front window wishing, hoping, waiting is not my thing.  I need a mission.  A purpose.  An end game.

My mission, should I choose to accept it - Get MadHatter ready for winter.  Mission accepted.

I usually look a lot of things up online before heading out.  I like to have an idea of what I am going to see out there in the stores.  But you can't do that here.  There is no online shopping for clothes.  The major department stores don't even list clothes online (though one has just started to do womens).  I was going to have to do this on foot and in person.  So I got all dressed up and ready to go. You don't go out in public without dressing the part here.  Especially not to the mall.  I even put on make-up.  I made sure I had the credit card in hand.  A bottle of water for hydration (shopping can make you thirsty) and my heavy jacket (the malls are not heated and 2 of them are partially outdoors).  I was overflowing with excitement.

And then I hit a few stores.  And remembered why I didn't shop in Chile.  The styles are so different than what I am used to.  Very bohemian, free spirited and stuck in the 80's.  All rolled into one.  The colors are very muted and would make MadHatter look like she was deathly sick.  The pants have a lot of MC Hammer in them.  There is a lot of crochet mixed in with the cotton.  And they charge a fortune.  And that is for the locally made things. There is no way I am going to spend $50 on a pair of pants for MadHatter.  You can hardly get me to spend that on a pair of pants for me.  And I won't outgrow them in  4 months.  Well, at least I hope I won't.

So, I tried the old standby.  Imports.  We have pretty much the same major chain stores here in Chile that I could shop at in the States (Gap, Nine West, Esprit, Ralph Lauren, Guess, ROXY) though I am missing most of my favorites for kids (Gymboree, Crazy 8, Janie and Jack...).  I could shop like I was still in the U.S. but I would pay for the privilege. Dearly.  Usually about twice as much.  And the collections that they have here are completely Chilefied (yes, I am making up words now).  How can you change the Gap you ask?  You mute all of the colors, you make the pants a bit baggier and you splash GAP all over. Everything.  Not just the sweatshirts.  Chile is obsessed with the Gap.  It is a status symbol and a GAP sweatshirt is coveted almost as much as a Birkin.  And I just don't do free advertising for stores.  Especially not on my kids.

I then tried the major department stores but they don't have much of a selection for kids.  A lot of women's clothes but I didn't have time (or much of a need).  Plus, have I mentioned most of it was just not my style...

I finally found what I needed.  At Zara.  Another import but not too badly priced.  Since Zara is a Spanish company (Spain) and it's products are exported all over the world, I found that their pricing was reasonable and their clothing lines universal.  I found bright colors, leggings and some really cute long sleeve shirts.  I wish I could have purchased some things from another store but at least everything I bought goes together.  Even if she looks like a walking billboard for Zara Kids.  But I also wish I had gotten to do what I love most, put a pair of pants from the Gap, with a cute top from Janie and Jack, add a headband from Gymboree and shoes from Nordstroms.  I love the mixing and matching; the searching for the perfect accessories; the knowledge that each store has something different to offer.

But never fear.  In just a few short weeks (20 days to be exact) I will be back in the U.S.  And then I get to shop for us all - for summer clothes.  I am giddy.  Giddy, I tell you.  It will be good to be back to my true shopping self.  I am afraid of what my credit cards will look like - withered, numbers worn, peeling at the edges...perhaps smoking from over use???

And I will love every minute of it.