Confession: I finally understand... - YouLookFab Forum

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Confession: I finally understand...

Nicole in OC

Why most of you might shop online... I grew up and live in Orange County California. And only just now realize (or fully realize) how fortunate I am to live where I live. I just returned from a vacation visiting a friend in a little town in Tennessee, population 5000. In comparison, my city (which is not considered large by any means in OC) is 49000. From her town the nearest shopping center (that contains the closest target) is 1hr drive away. The nearest shopping mall is 1.5 hrs away. I've counted, I have 8 shopping centers or malls within 20 minutes away from my work.

This whole rambling post is basically to tell you that from this point on I will
consider myself lucky and will not take my location for granted as I now know how fortunate I am.

General

15 replies

Latest reply was from amiable

Jjsloane

Veteran

I hear you on being grateful we do have the opportunity to experience multiple stores in person with little effort. I live 1 mile from a mall (and within 20 miles of an outlet center and 5 other major malls) However I still shop online. I have little time to shop and love to be able to sort online into my size and price range.

catgirl

Veteran

Yeah. Other than Nordstrom, I've pretty much got nothin'.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Thank you, thank you. And then thank your stars again that you don't live in Canada where prices are mostly higher and online ordering more expensive and fraught as a rule.

As we Canadians thank the fashion gods for Danier leather.

Firecracker (Sharan)

Veteran

So true!

Echo

Veteran

There is not ONE high-end department store IN MY STATE. Seriously. Not one. We have a Boston Store or a Macy's, and that is as good as it gets here. There are zero high-end boutiques for anything. If a person is interested in anything designer, they either have to make a trip out of state or order online. The nearest shopping mall (with nothing worthwhile visiting anyway) is 45 minutes from me, otherwise there is a Kohl's about 25 minutes away. One cannot even get a decent bra fitting anywhere in the state (because VS doesn't do very well, IMO). Where I live, one either shops online or almost doesn't shop at all.

Eight shopping malls within 20 minutes of where you work? I would probably never go home!

Thistle

Veteran

I don't even have a Nordies!

nancylee

Veteran

Thanks for feeling our pain! I used to live in the DC area....loads of shopping! But I live in a small college town now, and the closest upscale mall is two hours away. Online shopping is my lifeline.

Carla

Veteran

Just spent 3 hours looking for a basic blue chambray shirt and basic white T- shirts. No luck in our small mall ( anchored by a Sears) . Managed a white half slip, and 4 pairs of skin toned smalls ( for when I find my white jeans!)

velvetychocolate

Veteran

While I might have a few decent stores and malls nearby, I've moved to an area where I feel out of place and awkward - enough so that I don't always feel comfortable shopping in local stores. So, as a result - I'm doing a whole lot more online ordering than I ever did before.

I can't blame 'the place', it's more likely that I'm just not adjusting all that well. Meanwhile, I think if I felt more confident in general, then I wouldn't care so much about the fact that I really don't fit in. I need a good dose of "So what if you don't fit in?" vibes. In the meantime, I can't wait to get out of here!

rae

(website)

Veteran

I grew up in OC! *high five*

But now I live in LA, and I still mostly shop online, lol. All that driving and parking around here... yuck! At least it makes free returns to stores better.

Sara L.

Veteran

Yes, I had this realization a couple years ago when my sister moved to a small town with only two grocery stores, and one of those is a Wal-Mart Supercenter. Her nearest Target is 90 minutes away and the nearest large city with decent shopping is 2-1/2 hours away. Every time I visit, I'm so thankful that I live in a decent sized city (although the nearest Nordstrom's is in the next state over).

Mo

(website)

Veteran

Story of my life, but I try to see the silver lining, in that I can manipulate the search engines to be my personal shoppers
I have people ask all the time, " where did you get _____". Just today a coworker who dropped in on bowling asked about my ikat jeans. Online, Urban Outfitters. Anyway, it's a drag in general as far as trying stuff on, and getting in line at the post office (oh and the return fees!). But I can in essence shop the whole world and find a unique look all my own.

Marley

Veteran

Woa! I didn't know you lived in O.C.! So do I! You've got to join us next fall for our So CAL Shoptoberfest!

Yes - I know exactly what you mean. Everytime I go back to the midwest to visit my Mom, it hits me just how fortunate I am - I love shopping the B & M "way" - in fact, I can probably count on one hand the number of things that I've ordered on-line!

Charmian

Veteran

Mo, I love your phrase "I can shop the whole world" -- what a lovely way of phrasing it!

I grew up in the burbs with parents who didn't let me get my driver's license until I was in college. Everytime I walk into Seattle's downtown retail corridor I am reminded how very lucky I am to be able to choose where I live.

amiable

Veteran

I'm 8+ hours from the nearest Nordies

And scared of shopping online too, lol.

But I do have several shopping Malls, Walmarts, Targets, and possibly the world's best thrift stores all within an hour.