I was reminded today that I'm not the only person on the planet who upon moving to a new location (here), from an old location (there), didn't know what to expect. Or more importantly, where to shop. I met a kindred spirit of this ilk today while shopping for a dress.
I've been looking for a dress for an upcoming something pretty important in the fall. Why shop now? Because with only a few months to shop, I'm already cutting it close. Where do you shop for a semi-formal or formal dress when you live on Big Pine Key? Well, many people would say "Miami," but I just won't go. Believe it or not, since I've moved here I have not been to Miami once. Not once. When I lived in the cold zone, oddly enough I tended to visit Miami about 4 times a year. Go figure. Now that I live down here, I just cannot fathom dealing with that city anymore. Too many people, too much crime, too much of everything. Its not worth going just for a dress, the stakes would have to be much higher to get me up there at this point.
Shopping for this event is going to be an adventure.
While shopping at a vintage clothing store, I stumbled upon a couture dress which was really nice. I tried it on, didn't fit. Another gal shopping struck up a conversation with me upon seeing the label on the dress I was carrying. As soon as she spoke, I knew "city girl." I was right, she was from Philadelphia. She's a fresh newbie down here, and seemed to be going through shopping withdrawl, which made me laugh. With every word she said, I knew more and more I understood EXACTLY how she felt.
So this city gal and I spoke for a few minutes. She begged me to tell her where to shop (I did). I told her the news that no matter what, it will likely always be hit and miss down here when shopping for anything and everything.
It is very true, the hit and miss shopping thing. For anything. For everything.
I had to make a road trip to Key West today for Daiya (awesome vegan cheese substitute) and soy yogurt (none to be found anywhere from here to way past Marathon!) All the way to Key West for those 2 simple items, which unfortunately I had run out of and couldn't get anywhere except Key West. While I was in Key West, I hit a couple shops (still looking for a dress) and found absolutely nothing of the semi-formal or formal variety. Not one single dress. I've had better luck on Big Pine believe it or not, where I scored a beautiful floor length gown at a local designer consignment shop. This is my "back up" dress, in case I cannot find the dress of my dreams, because after all I only have 6 months to find said dream dress.
That "city gal" asked me how I felt about living here now, because I told her I was a transplant too. I explained that I cannot imagine living anywhere else anymore, no matter what. I suggested she give it a couple years for the full adjustment to hit, and with that she'd be just fine if she goes with the flow. I explained sometimes "going with the flow" means adjusting our sails to the wind more than we'd be accustomed if living in a city, but in my opinion bottom line is its all worth it.
Mick Jagger said it a long time ago... You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes you just might find, you get what you need. Sure, he wasn't singing about a dress or Daiya, but he just as well may have been, because want vs. need is all the same no matter how you slice it.
I've been looking for a dress for an upcoming something pretty important in the fall. Why shop now? Because with only a few months to shop, I'm already cutting it close. Where do you shop for a semi-formal or formal dress when you live on Big Pine Key? Well, many people would say "Miami," but I just won't go. Believe it or not, since I've moved here I have not been to Miami once. Not once. When I lived in the cold zone, oddly enough I tended to visit Miami about 4 times a year. Go figure. Now that I live down here, I just cannot fathom dealing with that city anymore. Too many people, too much crime, too much of everything. Its not worth going just for a dress, the stakes would have to be much higher to get me up there at this point.
Shopping for this event is going to be an adventure.
While shopping at a vintage clothing store, I stumbled upon a couture dress which was really nice. I tried it on, didn't fit. Another gal shopping struck up a conversation with me upon seeing the label on the dress I was carrying. As soon as she spoke, I knew "city girl." I was right, she was from Philadelphia. She's a fresh newbie down here, and seemed to be going through shopping withdrawl, which made me laugh. With every word she said, I knew more and more I understood EXACTLY how she felt.
So this city gal and I spoke for a few minutes. She begged me to tell her where to shop (I did). I told her the news that no matter what, it will likely always be hit and miss down here when shopping for anything and everything.
It is very true, the hit and miss shopping thing. For anything. For everything.
I had to make a road trip to Key West today for Daiya (awesome vegan cheese substitute) and soy yogurt (none to be found anywhere from here to way past Marathon!) All the way to Key West for those 2 simple items, which unfortunately I had run out of and couldn't get anywhere except Key West. While I was in Key West, I hit a couple shops (still looking for a dress) and found absolutely nothing of the semi-formal or formal variety. Not one single dress. I've had better luck on Big Pine believe it or not, where I scored a beautiful floor length gown at a local designer consignment shop. This is my "back up" dress, in case I cannot find the dress of my dreams, because after all I only have 6 months to find said dream dress.
That "city gal" asked me how I felt about living here now, because I told her I was a transplant too. I explained that I cannot imagine living anywhere else anymore, no matter what. I suggested she give it a couple years for the full adjustment to hit, and with that she'd be just fine if she goes with the flow. I explained sometimes "going with the flow" means adjusting our sails to the wind more than we'd be accustomed if living in a city, but in my opinion bottom line is its all worth it.
Mick Jagger said it a long time ago... You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes you just might find, you get what you need. Sure, he wasn't singing about a dress or Daiya, but he just as well may have been, because want vs. need is all the same no matter how you slice it.
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