all i wanted was a simple dress to wear for a relaxed sunday evening date, but somehow it all turned into a full-blown sensory nightmare.
i entered the mall feeling airy, excited and determined but left feeling overstimulated and exhausted. and because of that, i’ll probably never go to the mall on a Sunday again (i know, huge mistake). here’s why:
There’s (Rude) People EVERYWHERE
now before you jump to conclusions with “duh, you’re at the mall on a Sunday”, please just allow me to complain, lol.
since i arrived as soon as the mall opened, i thought i was beating the traffic but forgot to consider the fact that more people will arrive overtime while i’m there… oops. haha!
so by the time i finished looking around two of my favorite stores, every other store that i went to was jam packed. i immediately wished it was a Tuesday at 10am while most people were either at work, school or just simply somewhere else.
me looking at everyone zooming around in a hurry
because not only were the stores crowded, they were crowded with some of the most rude people.
no one says “excuse me” anymore, they just walk right out in front of you and expect you to stop for them. some of them will even unapologetically walk right into you. just moving around as if it’s their first day on earth or something.
so much for the south’s reputation of being so “warm and welcoming.”
Long Lines & Dirty Clothing
so anyway, as i’m moving along from store to store, i realize that i’ve been to about four stores and have found absolutely nothing.
i’d found a few pieces in Aritzia that i thought were worth trying on, but the line to the fitting room was about 30 people long and at that point, i was so socially exhausted, i put all of my items back and left the store.
as i was putting the items back, i noticed several other pieces hanging on the racks that were marked with deodorant stains.
my exact face, i’m sure.
one top had deodorant streaks all the way down to the bottom of the shirt! and it was a black shirt, so the white streaks were very obvious. at that point, i had absolutely no problem putting the items back! lol, i thought to myself, “this is why i mostly shop online now.”
Overwhelming Store Clerks, Underwhelming Inventory
and another thing! each store had a clerk that hounded me as soon as i walked in the door and every 30secs thereafter, following me around from aisle to aisle. but then when i’d ask questions about the clothing, i received nothing but “i don’t know”, “i’m not sure if we have anymore of that one”, “we’re currently sold out in-store, but i can order it online and have it shipped to the store for pick-up.”
… darling, i can order it online and have it shipped straight to my house! lol, i was so done.
it also doesn’t help that one of my pet peeves is being offered something without asking and still not receiving it. you know what i mean?
now of course, it’s their job to provide assistance and check in with customers to ensure a pleasant shopping experience. but sometimes you just have to read the room. and constantly asking to help me when i don’t need it, then not being able to help when i do can be annoying.
maybe i’m being a snob, idk. but i just really wanted to enjoy the nostalgia of going to the mall, finding a nice dress, and enjoying the build up of excitement as i prepare for a beautiful evening.
there were several items in my closet to choose from, so i could’ve saved myself an overwhelming trip to the mall and just shopped around in there, but i chose to get up, go out and physically shop instead.
now i see why so many people, myself included, primarily choose to shop online—no crowds, better selections, and no one tailing you as you browse.
you log in, scroll through, add to cart, and check-out without going through a series of hunger games.
i know i’m not the only one who feels this way. tell me, what has your in-store shopping experience been like lately? how often do you actually find what you’re looking for? how do you feel leaving the store compared to how you felt when you first entered?
If my words have lingered with you, or you feel compelled to leave a note—or a rose of appreciation—you may reach me here.
Thank you for reading, and for crossing into the world of Romance & Reality.
Romance & Reality 
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